Washington: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon joined the world leaders to congratulate Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, who has been chosen as the new Pope to head the Catholic Church. Bergoglio, who will be known as Pope Francis, was chosen on Wednesday as the first ever Pope from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in more than a millennium.
Ban said he looks forward to continue cooperation between the United Nations and the Holy See under the wise leadership of Pope Francis, and noted that both the UN and the Catholic Church share the common goal of sustainable development. "We share many common goals - from the promotion of peace, social justice and human rights, to the eradication of poverty and hunger - all core elements of sustainable development," Ban said in a statement.
He expressed hope that the new Pope will continue to build on the legacy of his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI in promoting inter-faith dialogue, which is at the heart of the Alliance of Civilisations initiative," Ban said. The UN High-Representative for the Alliance of Civilisations, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser also congratulated the Pope Francis as the 226th Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.
In a statement, Al-Nasser said selection of Bergoglio, who comes from Argentina, is a reflection of the strength of Latin America, a region with a rich heritage and a well-recognised legacy around the globe.
He commended the humanitarian work of the new Pope in supporting the poor, and his messages of compassion and love. Al-Nasser said he looks forward to the future cooperation between the Vatican and the UN Alliance of Civilisations in promoting the vision of inter-religious dialogue and the principles of peace, tolerance and co-existence.
He noted that through mutual cooperation between the UN Alliance of Civilisations and the Vatican, they can advance the cause of peace and build bridges of understanding and dialogue instead of divisiveness and hatred.
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