Pope Leo XIV Tells Young Politicians at Hackathon " there will be no peace without ending the war humanity wages on itself" FULL TEXT

Pope Leo XIV meets with young participants in the Political Innovation Hackathon’s 'One Humanity, One Planet' Conference warning that 'no policy can genuinely serve the people if it denies the unborn the gift of life, or if it neglects to support those in need.'

FULL ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV
TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONFERENCE
“ONE HUMANITY, ONE PLANET”
in the Vatican Clementine Hall on Saturday, January 31, 2026
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Peace be with you!

They told me to speak in Italian… Even though I see some Peruvian flags behind me. Buenos días! Good morning!

Dear brothers and sisters!

I am delighted to meet young people like you, from all over the world, united in your political commitment to the pursuit of the common good. The different nations, cultures, and religions to which you belong are not a source of rivalry for you, but rather of collaboration and growth according to a synodal style. This method of listening and discernment is not indifferent to the issues you address, but functions as a lens through which to observe the world. As a form of communion that binds us, synodality makes us attentive to the gaze of those around us, and not just to what we observe, practicing the art of crafting comprehensive visions that respect complexity without falling into confusion and seek truth without fearing confrontation.

In this regard, I am grateful for the many initiatives you are working on, especially for the "Four Dreams" project of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America , born from the intuition of Pope Francis . In the Apostolic Exhortation Querida Amazonia , he invites us to cultivate together ecclesial, ecological, social, and cultural dreams. How urgent it is to dedicate our best energies to caring for these areas, especially in times plagued by so much injustice, violence, and war! Today, your role as leaders therefore entails a growing responsibility for peace: not only between nations, but where you live, study, and work every day. If we do not promote harmony in a university or an office, between political parties and associations, how will we be able to foster it in an entire state or between continents? With a pure heart and a clear mind, always seek this peace as a gift, a covenant, a promise.

Yes, peace is above all a gift, because we receive it from those who preceded us in history: it is a gift for which we should be grateful. Peace is an alliance, which entrusts us with a shared commitment: to honor it when it exists, and to realize it when it is lacking. Peace, finally, is a promise, because it sustains our hope for a better world, and as such is sought by all people of good will. Politics plays an irreplaceable social role here: I therefore urge you to cooperate increasingly in the study of participatory forms that involve all citizens, men and women, in the institutional life of states. On these foundations, it will be possible to build that universal brotherhood that already among you young people is heralded as a sign of a new era: your work, in fact, finds its highest expression when it works for a humanity at peace in justice.

To this end, I invite you to reflect on the fact that there will be no peace without ending the war humanity wages on itself when it discards the weak, when it excludes the poor, when it remains indifferent to refugees and the oppressed. Only those who care for the least can achieve truly great things. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, saint of the least and Nobel Peace Prize winner, stated in this regard that "the greatest destroyer of peace is abortion" (see Address at the National Prayer Breakfast , February 3, 1994). Her voice remains prophetic: no policy can serve people if it excludes from life those who are about to come into the world, if it does not assist those in material and spiritual need.

Faced with the many challenges of the present, therefore, take courage, remembering that you are not alone in seeking universal brotherhood: the one God gives us the earth as a common home for all peoples. The title of your conference, " One Humanity, One Planet ," therefore deserves to be completed with " One God ": recognizing Him as the good creator, our religions call us to contribute to social progress, always seeking that common good founded on justice and peace. With this certainty in my heart, upon all of you young people, upon those accompanying you, and upon your loved ones, I impart my apostolic blessing. Thank you!