Pope Francis met on 6 April with members of the Italian Red Cross (ICR), as they celebrate the 160th anniversary of its foundation in 1864. Addressing some 6,000 ICR volunteers and workers in the Paul VI Audience Hall, Pope Francis warmly thanked them for the humanitarian aid they continue to provide to those suffering war and other disasters across the world.
“Your commitment,” he noted, “inspired by the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, volunteerism, unity and universality, is also a visible sign that fraternity is possible.” In thanking the Italian Red Cross for this ”irreplaceable service”, not only in conflict zones and in areas affected by natural disasters, but also in favour of migrants and the most vulnerable, the Pope encouraged them “to continue in this great work of charity, especially for children, the most vulnerable to the ravages of war.
Pope Francis went on to note that the slogan chosen for the anniversary celebrations – “Everywhere for anyone” – is particularly fitting for the humanitarian organization, as it typically describes its style, and its being there where needed.
“Everywhere”, he remarked, implies that “no context can be said to be free from suffering,” that we must “globalize solidarity” and also that we need “rules that guarantee human rights in every place, practices that nourish the culture of encounter and people capable of looking at the world with a broad perspective.” The word “anyone”, on the other hand, reminds us that “every person has their dignity and deserves our attention”, and that “we cannot look the other way or discard them because of their conditions, their disability, their origin or their social status.”