350 participants from around the world, including Nobel prize winners, athletes, scientists and government leaders, gathered at the Vatican for the world meeting on human fraternity.
The event was sponsored by the Fratelli Tutti Foundation with the theme “Be Human”. It included a series of meetings and round tables on topics like education, sustainability and economy to promote international fraternity and peace.
During his meeting with these leaders, Pope Francis referenced Martin Luther King Jr and said peace will only be accomplished by focusing on the humanity of one another.
“To ensure lasting peace, we need to return to a recognition of common humanity and to place fraternity at the centre of peoples’ lives,” he explained.
“Only in this way will we succeed in developing a model of coexistence capable of giving the human family a future.”
The meeting concluded with a special event in the portico of St Peter’s Basilica, which included dialogues from the Nobel prize winners like Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh, a performance by pianist and composer Giovanni Allevi and a performance from American country music star Garth Brooks.
This was the second World Meeting on Human Fraternity, following what the Foundation says was the “success” of last year.