John Paul II had just arrived in Assisi on 24 January 2002. He immediately headed towards Saint Francis Square to welcome the Representatives of the World Religions and their Delegations. After the greeting addressed by the Pope and the introduction by Cardinal François Xavier Nguyên Van Thuân, the Representatives read out the witnesses for peace in their respective languages. Here we offer you what was said by Chiara Lubich who, together with Andrea Riccardi, represented the Catholic Church. «For us Christians, Jesus is the God of Peace. This is the reason why the Catholic Church makes peace one of its most heartfelt goals. “Nothing is lost through peace. Everything can be lost through war,” exclaimed Pius XII. Pacem in Terris was the title of one of John XXIII’s encyclicals. “War never again!” repeated Paul VI while at the United Nations. And John Paul II, after the terrible events of 9-11, indicated the path to peace: “There is no peace without justice, there is no justice without forgiveness.” The whole Catholic Church works for peace and there are many paths it follows to reach it. The dialogues are very effective, following the path traced out by the Second Vatican Council. They guarantee peace because they generate brotherhood. They take place on a universal level and in different Churches, as well as through groups, associations, ecclesial movements and new communities. The Church carries out the first dialogue among its own sons and daughters, beginning with building that required communion on every level, which is assurance of peace. It carries out a second irreversible one with different Churches and ecclesial communities, a dialogue which augments peace in the big Christian family. It carries out another one with the main world religions, based on the ‘golden rule’ that is present in a number of Sacred Books and which is expressed in the Christian Scriptures with these words: ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’ (Mt 7:12). This ‘golden rule,’ which emphasises the duty to love one’s brothers and sisters, creates pools of universal brotherhood in which peace reigns. Lastly, dialogue and collaboration on many fronts with all those who have no religious reference point but are men and women of goodwill, so we can also build peace with them. Therefore, various expressions of one big dialogue, generator of that brotherhood which in this extremely difficult historical moment can become the soul of the vast worldwide community, which today’s workforce and government are paradoxically beginning to hope for.» 24 January 2002