Skip to content

Pope Francis: Defending Indigenous Rights ‘A Matter Of Justice’

Defending the rights of Indigenous people is a matter of justice and a way to guarantee a sustainable future for everyone, Pope Francis said in a message on Monday.

Defending the rights of Indigenous people is a matter of justice and a way to guarantee a sustainable future for everyone, Pope Francis said in a message on Monday.

“Land, water, and food are not mere commodities but the very basis of life and the link between these [Indigenous] peoples and nature,” the pope said in a message to participants in the Seventh Global Meeting of the Indigenous Peoples’ Forum, taking place in Rome Feb. 10–11.

“Defending these rights,” he continued, “is not only a matter of justice but also a guarantee of a sustainable future for all.”

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is hosting the meeting in order to strengthen IFAD’s partnership with Indigenous peoples and its initiatives in their communities.

Pope Francis said the theme of the two-day gathering — “The Right of Indigenous Peoples to Self-Determination: A Path to Food Security and Food Sovereignty — “calls us to recognize the value of Indigenous peoples as well as the ancestral heritage of knowledge and practices that positively enrich the great human family, coloring it with the varied traits of their traditions.”

Ancestral heritage and traditions, he added, open up “a horizon of hope” in a challenging time.

The pontiff also emphasized that preservation of Indigenous culture and identity goes hand in hand with recognizing the value they bring to society and the importance of safeguarding their existence and the natural resources they need to live.

He closed his message by expressing a hope that people will work to ensure future generations also have access to a world “in keeping with the beauty and goodness that guided God’s hands in creating it.”

“I beseech Almighty God that these efforts may be fruitful and serve as an inspiration to the leaders of nations,” Francis said, “so that appropriate measures may be taken to ensure that the human family will walk together in the pursuit of the common good, so that no one will be excluded or left behind.”

This article was originally published on Catholic News Agency.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE

Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today

Share

Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican

Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter.

More news related to this article

LIVE from San Giovanni Rotondo | Holy Mass on the Feast St. Pius of Pietrelcina

LIVE | Join us for the Holy Mass in remembrance of St. Pius of Pietrelcina, from San Giovanni

An atheist for 35 years, she reencountered God at the tomb of St. John Paul II

Spanish woman returns to the faith after an experience at the tomb of St. John Paul II.

The Sign that Remembers the Day Our Lady of Fatima Saved the Life of John Paul II at the Vatican

Walking toward St. Peter’s Basilica from the right side of Bernini’s Colonnade, some cobblestones catch the attention. It

FULL TEXT: Pope Leo XIV’s homily at Mass with the cardinal electors in the Sistine Chapel

Pope Leo XIV delivered this homily at his first Mass as pope in the Sistine Chapel on May 9, the morning after being elected the 267th successor of St. Peter, addressing the cardinal electors who had chosen him.

PHOTOS: Pope Francis is brought to St. Peter’s Basilica

Pope Francis was brought in solemn procession to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning, where the late pontiff will lie in state for three days for mourners to pay their final respects and say goodbye.

9 Facts about the Meaning and Value of the Manger at Christmas According to Pope Francis

As Christmas nears and homes prepare their nativity scenes, it's fitting to recall Pope Francis' 2019 apostolic letter reflecting on the significance and value of the manger in celebrating the birth of Jesus

LIVE
FROM THE VATICAN

Be present live on EWTN.it