As of Monday the Holy See is a full Member State of the International Organization for Migration. -About 50 government ministers, deputy prime ministers and deputy ministers will be among those attending IOM’s 100th Council Tuesday to mark the Organization’s 60th anniversary and to look to the future of migration.
In an appeal following his Angelus prayer Sunday, Pope Benedict marked the anniversary with an appeal for greater solidarity for the millions worldwide forced to leave their country.
“We are currently witnessing a huge increase in migration, in the number of people leaving their country of origin for various reasons. It is important to be present and participate in the efforts of the international community to make our specific contribution. IOM leaders see the Holy See as a voice capable of giving an ethical dimension to the phenomenon and how it is approached. We have, for example, many people who die in the attempt to escape from their country, from Mexico to the United States, from North Africa to Europe, from Africa across the Red Sea to Yemen. It is important, therefore, that the Holy See has decided to join this organization in order to emphasize its involvement in this phenomenon of great global importance and one which, despite the economic crisis, is expected to continue to grow”.