13th December 2011
The chatter in Europe over the last few weeks has been dominated by the economic crisis. Can the Euro be saved? Is Britain isolated? Who is to blame? What do the markets think? The Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, Lord Jonathan Sacks, also discussed the European economic crisis during his […]
7th December 2011
Good news this week as the Holy See on 5 December joined the Geneva-based International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Why is this important? The Holy See’s “Ambassador” (Permanent Observer) to the UN in Geneva, Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, summed it up well in an interview he gave to Vatican Radio: “as we are witnessing a continuous […]
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1st December 2011
At the Angelus in St Peter’s Square on Sunday 27 November, Pope Benedict XVI made a special appeal in support of an agreement at the Durban Conference on Climate Change. The Pope said: “Tomorrow in Durban, South Africa, work begins at the UN Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. I hope that all […]
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23rd November 2011
25 November is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment worldwide remains a priority for the Coalition Government. The Government is also committed to work on women’s rights and combating violence against women and girls overseas. The Government’s action plan on tackling violence against women and […]
14th November 2011
Last week I attended speeches given by two very different political leaders. The first, by Tony Blair as President of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, at the Catholic University in Milan. The second, by the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, at the Pontifical Gregorian University here in Rome. What was striking is […]
4th November 2011
I paid my second visit to Assisi within a week when I attended, with Princess Michael of Kent standing in for the Duke of Edinburgh, the launch by the ARC of their Green Pilgrimages Network. ARC, the Alliance of Religions and Conservation, is an organisation launched in 1995. To quote them, they are “a secular […]
28th October 2011
25 years to the day that Pope John Paul II hosted an unprecedented gathering of world religious leaders in Assisi to pray for world peace, Pope Benedict XVI on 27 October hosted, in the same place, his own “Day of Reflection, Dialogue and Prayer for Peace and Justice in the World”. Again, leaders of the […]
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21st October 2011
It sounds like something from science fiction. But in fact it is with us as we live and breathe. And next month, 1 and 2 November, the Foreign Office will host a conference on cyberspace in London – the opportunities for social good, increased democratic engagement and prosperity it represents, along with its dark side, […]
17th October 2011
Amongst my various introductory calls since arriving in Rome this August, I have had the opportunity to visit the Venerable English College and the Pontifical Scots College. These are both ancient institutions – the Venerable English College celebrates the 650th anniversary of its foundation, by King Edward III, next year – which throughout their history […]
10th October 2011
Today is the 9th World Day against the Death Penalty. It is the longstanding policy of the UK to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. However the death penalty is not prohibited by international law and 58 countries in the world retain it – that is 58 too many. […]