From Pope Francis’ penitential celebration on Lampedusa stands strong the invitation to overcome the indifference of so many who have looked away from the suffering of the poorest, but also the urgent appeal to overturn the logic of socio-economic decisions that, in a globalized world,have allowed or have not avoided the occurrence of so many human tragedies that have taken place silently in the waters of the Mediterranean.

We are grateful to the Holy Father, who has honoured the memory of thousands of our brothers fleeing poverty and wars, exploited by human traffickers, rejected by theselfishness of the rich, who died in solitude while they were desperately seeking a better life. With his words, his gestures, his prayer, the Pope spoke to the hearts of all;now a forward-looking policy must restore dignity and justice to migrants and must create fair conditions of peace and development in their origin countries. The globalization of indifference must be replaced with the globalization of solidarity.

Marco Impagliazzo, President of the Community of Sant'Egidio