“We have just heard stories of peace expressed in the most varied ways: songs, dances, prayers, experiences, concrete projects. All this reinforces in us the confidence and hope that it is possible to be builders of peace. Pope Francis says that we must be builders of peace every day and to do this we need perseverance and patience in order to be able to look at all the brothers and sisters we meet on our way with love. From this GenFest we learned that peace begins with me, with small gestures of care for people, for our nations and for creation. Where can we start? We have repeated it during these days: by breaking down all the barriers that divide us so as to live for fraternity. We can do this by discovering that our common humanity is more important than all our differences.
Then, by being ready to forgive and make gestures of reconciliation. Because forgiving means saying to the other, you are worth more than your actions. And as we did in the first phase of the GenFest, let’s continue, when we return home too, to be builders of peace in our relationships, taking the first step towards others. Love will inspire us what to do, whom to approach. Let’s forgive without waiting for the other to ask forgiveness. May this Genfest be the moment of our Yes to Peace. We must never feel alone. During these days we have seen and experienced the strength of being together, JUNTOS.
Let’s join all those who live and work for peace. The communities that we are going to build in Phase 3 are already a way to do this. I’ll conclude with a very beautiful poem called “Build Peace”. “Open your eyes to visions of peace. Speak a language of peace. Make gestures of peace. Because the practice of peace leads to peace. Peace is revealed and offered to those who achieve day after day all those forms of peace of which they are capable. Open your heart and eyes. Speak. Act.”
So let’s not give ourselves peace until we build peace.”