2004 PEACE MESSAGE: "INTERNATIONAL LAW, A PATH FOR PEACE"

VATICAN CITY, JUL 18, 2003 (VIS) - The theme chosen by Pope John Paul for the January 1, 2004 World Day of Peace is "International Law, A Path for Peace," according to a communique released yesterday afternoon.

The communique states that this theme "hopes to underline the importance of law as a guarantee of international relations aimed at promoting peace among nations. The recent war in Iraq, in fact, showed all the fragility of international law, especially regarding the functioning of the United Nations."

On January 13, 1997, in his annual address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, Pope John Paul expressed his conviction that "International law has been for some time a law of war and peace. I believe it is called ever more to become exclusively a law of peace conceived as a function of justice and solidarity." The basic principles behind this conviction, states the communique, "are the same that inspire the Church's commitment in favor of peace: equality in dignity for every human person and every human community, the unity of the human family, the primacy of law over force."

"Humanity is facing a crucial challenge: if it does not succeed in providing really efficacious institutions to avert the scourge of war, the risk is that the law of force will prevail over the force of law. ... At a world level, international law is called to be an instrument of justice that is capable of producing fruits of peace. The law therefore has the duty of harmoniously regulating international realities ... so that conflicts may be prevented without recourse to arms, but rather through mechanisms and structures able to assure justice, removing the causes of potential conflicts."

The statement concludes: "The world today more than ever needs to live in a renewed and authentic spirit of international legitimacy: the next World Day of Peace intends to offer the Church's contribution in this regard."

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