This will involve not only broader political and economic alliances, but each individual's genuine practice of love and compassion. These qualities are the ultimate source of human happiness, and our need for them lies at the very core of our being. The practice of compassion is the most effective way to pursue the best interests of others as well our own. It sounds simple, but if you carefully think about our interdependence and inter-connectedness, especially in today's world, you will see how much sense it makes to think of others. It would be a mistake to assume that, because the problems we face today affect everyone, someone else will solve them.
Every individual has a responsibility to help guide our global family in the right direction.
Democracy is not only about rights, but about responsibility and participation. I offer my greetings to all of you participating in the World Movement for Democracy's Second Assembly in Sao Paulo and pray that in your discussions you will indeed contribute to strengthening democracy where it is weak, invigorate it even where it is established and encourage its growth where it has not yet taken root.