In a time of such rapid global transformation, what role does cultural and religious heritage have to play?
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican City State, offers some insights into global diplomacy.
Is this a golden age of Vatican diplomacy?
It’s true that diplomatic activity has increased, and there are two main reasons, explains the Cardinal.
Pope Francis made his intention to take a leadership role on global issues clear when he took office, as part and parcel of three goals: to fight poverty, to build bridges through dialogue, and to achieve peace, explains the Cardinal.
“But it’s not enough to announce principles, we also have to respond to situations of crisis and do our best to help people in their difficulties,” he adds.
There are more than a billion Catholics in the world, does this help or hinder Vatican diplomacy?
This is a great advantage and what distinguishes the diplomacy of the Holy See versus civilian diplomacy, states the Cardinal. “Our task is to protect, to defend and to promote religious freedom in a given country, which is really the first of the human rights and is a term of reference for all human rights,” he says.
Missionary lay people are everywhere in the world and the Vatican receives much information and many appeals and suggestions from communities on how to answer difficult questions, he adds.
But its diplomacy goes beyond believers
It is not only a question of defending and promoting the rights of believers, continues the Cardinal, but also of defending and promoting the human person.
“There is a dimension which cannot be overlooked or forgotten if we want to save mankind in our days,” warns the Cardinal, “Which is the transcendent dimension of the person.”
“If we don’t adhere to this idea of fraternity, that we are brothers and sisters and we are responsible for others,” he continues, “it will in the end damage and destroy the person and the community.”
The Cardinal adds that it is important not to speak about mankind in general, but to look into the eyes of every person and to give everyone a voice, especially the poor and the most vulnerable.
On European unity
We have to recognise that European unity is in a time of crisis, says the Cardinal, while not forgetting that it has brought great benefit to the European continent.
“Our continent enjoyed peace for 60 years after the devastating experience of WW1 and WW2, and then the free circulation of persons, goods, ideas and so on is something which is really advantageous for the countries and the community as well,” he says.
Europe needs to look for its soul, he urges, and part of that means going back to the founding fathers of Europe who were people of great conviction, and who wanted a Europe of the people and a Europe of common ideas.
On migration, the Cardinal says that the history of humanity is littered with encounters between cultures, religious beliefs and different ways of living, and we should not close borders, but instead try and find a source of mutual enrichment.
“Every attitude of closure, of non-acceptance of others, is an attitude which does not help us to progress, I think that the challenge is to find a concrete way on how to match the two aspects,” he says.
On terrorism
On peace and nuclear disarmament
To work for peace we have to work for justice among people, justice inside countries and among countries and, adds the Cardinal, the World Economic Forum should work for justice in the economic sector.
As far as nuclear weapons go, there is the question of their morality, he says, even when used only as a deterrent. “There are other means, which can assure peace better than nuclear deterrents,” he says, “Building confidence measures, building mechanisms of dialogue and security, for instance.”
“Peace is the fruit of justice,” he concludes.