The future of mankind depends on us, on each of us, each in our own way. It is our shared and individual responsibility, yours and mine. Indeed, it is only with the assistance of everyone, the support of everyone, each of us working in our own way in accordance with our means and potential that such a huge task can be accomplished. Peace is neither an unattainable ideal nor an abstract concept. It is very tangible: it is above all a right, the legitimate right of every individual to be able to develop, free from the threat of destruction, in harmony and justice, with self-respect and respect for others.

It is the right to security without inequality, to respect for such fundamental values as human rights; it is the right to live free of threats, the right to satisfy one's hunger, to work, to live in decent conditions, and above all to live in dignity. All that is peace.

In order to attain this goal, there must first of all be an awareness, and then a sense of responsibility. All people must understand that not only do they have a role to play, but that their role, whatever it may be, however small it might appear, can, a priori, be a decisive factor for the future of humankind.

No society can truly benefit from the elimination of poverty, from development and from a better standard of living, unless people are able to enjoy their fundamental rights and freedoms. A society which thinks only in terms of material goods will never be able to escape poverty. Quite the contrary, a healthy society is one that sees development as a spiritual, cultural and material balance. Countless events throughout history have taught us this simple truth, but so far we have not been able to benefit from it.