Message of His Holiness Paul VI to Dr. Raul Prebisch,
Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development*
We have much pleasure in addressing this message to you and to all present at the second meeting of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, in New Delhi. The meeting carries with it the hopes of many peoples in the world. They trust that it will result in some steps towards the improvement of their position in international trade so as to assure them a life more in keeping with their human dignity. We do not hesitate to make this cause our own.
Although serious economic difficulties exist even in developed countries, the fact that millions of human beings lack the basic necessities of a decent life must not be forgotten. This is fundamentally a moral problem, and it transcends the bare economic aspect of the crisis. The solutions must come from a moral drive to eliminate the inequalities between developing and developed nations. There is no magic formula for solving the extremely technical and complicated problems involved in restructuring world trade on equitable lines, but unwearying good will and determination to succeed should permeate the technical discussions.
In fact, we are convinced that problems so complex and so important can find proper solutions only if a strong influence of higher thinking and moral energy pervades these discussions and studies and raises them from the merely economic level to one truly human. This implies generous, progressive brotherhood and balanced, inventive wisdom with a view of interests which go beyond the particular difficulties of the moment and look to the future of the peaceful civilization of humanity. This is our thought, as followers of Christ, and we believe that our thinking in these matters coincides both with that of magnanimous men who have the capability to promote justice in the world and with that of the patient and hopeful developing peoples. We feel that this thinking, put into effect, can well result in progress beyond the hopes of all men.
*L’Osservatore Romano, 3.2.1968, p.1.
Paths to Peace p.235-236.
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