By Paolo Ondarza

“War is a failure of humanity. It contradicts human dignity and exacerbates problems rather than solving them,” Cardinal Parolin emphasized during the opening of the ‘Peace Table’ in Rome.

Among the distinguished guests were Nobel Peace Prize laureates such as Rigoberta Menchù Tum, Dmitrij Muratov, Tawakkol Karman, Machel Mandela, and NASA administrator Bill Nelson.

The event marked the beginning of the #BeHuman campaign, a global initiative under the World Meeting on Human Fraternity organized by the “Fratelli Tutti Foundation”.

Challenging the Notion of ‘Just War’

Cardinal Parolin called for a reevaluation of the concept of “just war,” pointing out that in today’s world with advanced weaponry, such theories become highly problematic.

Advocating for Diplomacy Over Arms

The cardinal stressed the importance of diplomacy in building peace and condemned the triggers of war that replace dialogue with conflict.

He highlighted Pope Francis’ call to address the root causes of injustices, rectify financial disparities, and end hunger as key areas of focus in promoting peace.

Combatting Poverty and Injustice

Cardinal Parolin underscored the need to address social injustices, especially the pervasive poverty that plagues our world. He called poverty one of the greatest injustices of our time, leading to lack of education and susceptibility to extremism.

Embracing Fraternity and Solidarity

In addition to individual poverty, the cardinal also highlighted the issue of countries burdened by insurmountable debt. He emphasized the importance of honoring debts while ensuring the fundamental right of peoples to thrive, emphasizing the need for solidarity among nations.