Pope to Scholas and ORT: Education requires freedom and dynamism

By Devin Watkins

The 6th World Youth Meeting was held in São Paulo, Brazil, on 23-26 October, bringing together young people to promote an educational culture founded on peace and dialogue.

The event was organized by the Pontifical Foundation “Scholas Occurrentes”; World ORT, known as the Organisation for Rehabilitation through Training, a global education network driven by Jewish values; and, the Leo Werthein Foundation.

Over 100 young people from 25 countries met for four days to celebrate intercultural dialogue and diversity with the goal of working toward a more just and united world.

Free and dynamic human encounters

Pope Francis sent a brief video message to participants in the event, which bore the theme: “Life in Motion”.

He thanked the civil authorities of Brazil for their part in the World Youth Meeting and World ORT for their educational efforts on behalf of young people around the globe.

“It is a work of reflection,” he said, “as well as a testimony with three key words: movement, gratuitousness, and encounter.”

The Pope noted that all truly human encounters are both free and filled with an internal dynamism, or movement.

Realizing full potential

Pope Francis added that the collaboration between Scholas and ORT represents “an intuition that has not yet fully realized its potential”.

“It is something very much for the future, very significant,” he said.

In conclusion, the Pope expressed his encouragement to young people participating in the 6th World Youth Meeting and thanked everyone involved for their work.

“Thank you very much,” he concluded. “May God bless you.”