Vatican City, Sep 18, 2008 / 15:35 pm
This morning at his Castel Gandolfo summer residence, Benedict XVI received Jasna Krivosic-Prpic, the new ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Holy See. Speaking to the ambassador, the Pope encouraged every effort to be made at bringing peace to the region, which has been torn by ethnic strife.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Holy Father noted, "contains a rich mix of cultures and precious patrimonies. Tragically, however, cultural and ethnic differences throughout history have not infrequently been a source of misunderstanding and friction, ... as each of the three constitutive peoples that make up your country know only too well."
"No person wishes for war," he went on. "No civic or religious group should ever resort to violence or oppression. Yet, so many families in your land have been subjected to the suffering which results from these calamities. Listening to the voice of reason, however, and prompted by the hope that we all desire for ourselves and the generations which follow, every individual can find the strength to overcome past divisions."
Pope Benedict also offered his encouragement for the efforts being made at reconciliation in the region and called on the international community "to continue its efforts to assist Bosnia and Herzegovina to this end. I trust that, in accepting the facts of regional history and the grave lessons to be learnt from recent years, the courage will be found to build a future with a healthy sense of solidarity,” he said.