Pope Benedict XVI today called on the United Nations to live up to its responsibilities and promote justice, solidarity and peace in the world.
The world must show 'courage and faith in God and mankind to choose the path of peace,' said the pontiff in his first New Year's message from the Vatican. In his appeal the pope included 'everybody - individuals, peoples, international organisations and world powers'.
The United Nations in particular 'must again be aware of its responsibilities to promote the values of justice, solidarity and peace, in a world more and more marked by the huge phenomenon of globalisation,' he said in Saint Peter's basilica.
He said that in the face of injustice and violence in various regions of the world and 'new and insidious threats to peace, like terrorism, nihilism and fanatic fundamentalism', it was necessary to work together for peace.
