396 Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Commentarium Officiale

truly directed to the common good and not to the protection of veiled or

particular interests; such dialogue, as far as possible, should include all:

nuclear states, countries which do not possess nuclear weapons, the military

and private sectors, religious communities, civil societies, and international

organizations. And in this endeavour we must avoid those forms of mutual

recrimination and polarization which hinder dialogue rather than encourage

it. Humanity has the ability to work together in building up our common

home; we have the freedom, intelligence and capacity to lead and direct

technology, to place limits on our power, and to put all this at the service

of another type of progress: one that is more human, social and integral (cf.

ibid., 13, 78, 112; Message for the 22nd Meeting of the Conference of Parties

to the United Nations Framework Agreement on Climate Change (COP22),

10 November 2016).

This Conference intends to negotiate a Treaty inspired by ethical and

moral arguments. It is an exercise in hope and it is my wish that it may

also constitute a decisive step along the road towards a world without

nuclear weapons. Although this is a significantly complex and long-term

goal, it is not beyond our reach.

Madam President, I sincerely wish that the efforts of this Conference

may be fruitful and provide an effective contribution to advancing an ethic

of peace and of multilateral and cooperative security, which humanity very

much needs today.

Upon all those gathered at this important meeting, and upon the citi-

zens of the countries you represent, I invoke the blessings of the Almighty.

From the Vatican, 23 March 2017

FRANCIS