To the Mediterranean Youth Council (5 September 2025)

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In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you!
Good morning to everyone!
I will speak in Italian and also in English. I am pleased to meet with you here in the Vatican, the house of Peter, in the company of the Secretary General of the Italian Episcopal Conference. I know that you come from various countries, with different languages and cultures, but are all united by one great desire: the peaceful coexistence of peoples, especially those living in the area of the Mediterranean. You are working whole-heartedly to realize this desire by your personal commitment and by a number of initiatives, both in your own local areas — your communities — and at the European level, involving dialogue with ecclesial and political institutions. I am grateful for everything that you are doing. You are proof that dialogue is possible, that differences are a source of enrichment and not a motive for conflict, and that others are always …