THEME FOR 34TH WORLD DAY OF PEACE IS PUBLISHED

VATICAN CITY, JUN 17, 2000 (VIS) - The theme chosen by Pope John Paul for the 34th World Day of Peace, to take place on January 1, 2001 is "Dialogue between cultures for a civilization of love and peace." The year 2001 has been proclaimed by the United Nations as the International Year of Dialogue Between Cultures.

The communique which published the 2001 theme states that "a vision of culture as a line of defense against recent 'globalization' tendencies and as a way to keep alive particular beliefs and usages is accompanied, sometimes, by anxiety for a possible 'clash of cultures' in which power and strength constitute the only criteria of evaluation. Against such general lines, a sincere, open and peaceful dialogue between cultures is suggested, a dialogue which recognizes in the search for the truth an inspiration written in human nature."

"All cultures are called to build a civilization of peace and love. As John Paul II affirmed in his speech for the 50th General Assembly of the U.N.: 'We must conquer our fear of the future. But we can only conquer it totally if we do so together. ... The answer to that fear ...is the common effort to build a civilization of love based on the universal values of peace, solidarity, justice and liberty'."

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