UN General Assembly
2014

In extending the Holy See’s congratulations to Mr. Sam Kutesa on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-ninth session, I wish to convey the cordial greetings of His Holiness Pope Francis to him and to all participating delegations. He assures the President of his closeness and prayers for the Assembly’s work during this session with the hope that it will be carried out in an atmosphere of productive collaboration, working for a more fraternal and united world by identifying ways to resolve the serious problems that beset the whole human family today. In continuity with his predecessors, Pope Francis recently reiterated the Holy See’s esteem and appreciation for the United Nations as an indispensable means of building an authentic family of peoples. The Holy See values the efforts of this institution to ensure world peace, respect for human dignity, the protection of persons, especially the poorest and most vulnerable, and harmonious economic and social development. Although mindful of the human person’s gifts and abilities, Pope Francis observes that today there is the