Non-Violence: A Style of Politics for Peace is the title of the Message of Pope Francis for World Peace Day, which will be celebrated on 1 January 2017.
In his fourth Message for this Day since becoming Pope, Francis says that non-violence “does not only constitute a desire, a moral rejection of violence, barriers and destructive impulses,” but that it is also “a realistic political method that gives rise to hope.”
Non-violence should not only be a moral rejection of violence, he says, but also a “realistic way to overcome armed conflicts.” It requires dialogue and negotiations based on “the common rights of human beings and on the force of right.” To counter what the Pope often calls the “Third World War in pieces” that is currently underway, decisive steps must be taken to eliminate illegal arms trafficking, which, he emphasizes, “supports not a few of the world’s conflicts.” For Pope Francis, “non-violence as a political style can and must do much to stem this scourge.”