Address by President Raimonds Vējonis to His Holiness Pope Francis in the Castle of Riga
MIL OSI Translation. Region: Latvia –
Source: President of Latvia in English
Your Holiness! Your Eminence! Excellencies! Ladies and gentlemen! Holy Father! Please accept my gratitude for the honor of Mara Land, visiting us on the occasion of the centenary of the founding of Latvia. Today, our hymn "God bless Latvia!" Was filled. 25 years ago, St. John Paul II, with his visit to the Baltic, highlighted the value of the recently regained freedom and encouraged our people on the path to full democracy and a return to the common European space. Your visit today is important. an incentive to follow the ideals of human dignity, freedom and justice. Your visit will inspire and strengthen our family, community and state. The state of the art is unthinkable without strong families. Faith, hope and love are the strong grounds on which to build a family home. Trust your father and mother and love to raise children can not be determined by any law. But it can be taught and transmitted by the family. The family also begins to love and respect your country. Therefore, it is especially important that every child grows in a loving and family environment. I hope that we will soon see the time when Latvia will be without children's homes. The Latvian state has taken rapid steps in its development. But not every one of us feels it everyday. There are still a lot of people in Latvia who are suffering from a lack of life. Often, as the only solution, it is followed by migration and a breakthrough relationship. Social inequality is rising all over the world. In order to mitigate this, we need not only to create a more just society, but also to review our values in general. Holy Father! Your dialogue is essential in order to keep Europe united in its diversity. The fate of the Baltic States in the 20th century is a living testimony to the fact that the divisions of Europe are not just suffering. Therefore, our future is in a union based on human rights, democracy and solidarity, not on selfish interests and benefits. Belief brings states apart from national differences. Only together can we be so strong as to take advantage of today's opportunities and overcome all the challenges. One of the biggest challenges is the current cult of consumption, which equally undermines the inner and outer world of the human being. This creates a general alienation. Humanity's impact on the environment is also becoming more and more severe. We are particularly painful in seeing the changes in the Baltic Sea. I am convinced that social justice issues are directly related to environmental sustainability and climate change. The answer to all these questions is in the heart of mankind. I believe that your visit will appeal to many hearts, prompting good change in each of us and in the world!
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