Pope tells young people to be messengers of hope

Pope Francis encourages young people participating in first Global Youth Tourism Meeting - underway this week in the town of Sorrento on Italy's Amalfi Coast - "to be messengers of hope and rebirth for the future."

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Pope Francis is encouraging young people to be messengers of hope and rebirth for the future, in a video message to those participating in the Global Youth Tourism Summit taking place in Sorrento, Italy, from 27 June to 3 July 2022.

The Global Youth Tourism Summit is a new platform, developed by the UN World Tourism Organization, “to enhance youth empowerment and engagement in the tourism sector.”

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The Summit consists of a series of international events, workshops, and education initiatives that, according to the website, "will give children and youth a unique platform to share and discuss innovative ideas, visions and their proposals for the future of sustainable tourism within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."

Remembering those carving out prayer time

The Holy Father began by expressing his joy to greet the young people taking part in the first such Summit.

For those who are still students, he recognized that tourism coincides with the school summer break, and highlighted that experiences they will have during this time "will remain in your memories."

“In addition to recreation and rest, I know that some of you use this time to volunteer to help in solidarity initiatives; others devote themselves to small jobs to give a hand to their families or to support themselves in their studies; still others carve out days of silence and prayer to be with God and receive light on their path.”

Acting responsibly

The Pope stressed the importance of conducting themselves maturely.

“I encourage you to use the time you have at your disposal well and responsibly. This is how you grow and prepare yourself to take on more demanding tasks.”

Before giving his Blessing, Pope Francis concluded by saying, “Dear young people, I wish you to be messengers of hope and rebirth for the future.”

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