470 Acta Apostolicæ Sedis - Commentarium Officiale

NUNTIUS

Ad CIII Sessionem Conferentiae Organizationis Internationalis Labori Accu- rando.

To Mr Guy Ryder

Director General of the International Labour Organization

At the dawn of creation, God made man the steward of his handiwork

and charged him to cultivate and protect it. Human labour is part of that

creation and continues God's creative work. This truth leads us to consider

work as both a gift and a duty. Indeed, labour is not a mere commodity but

has its own inherent dignity and worth. The Holy See expresses its appre-

ciation of the ILO's contribution to upholding the dignity of human work

in the context of social and economic development through discussion and

cooperation between governments, labourers and employers. Such efforts

serve the common good of the human family and promote the dignity of

workers everywhere.

This Conference has been convened at a crucial moment of social and

economic history, one which presents challenges for the entire world. Unem-

ployment is tragically expanding the frontiers of poverty.1 This is parti-

cularly disheartening for unemployed young people who can all too easily

become demoralized, losing their sense of worth, feeling alienated from

society. In working for greater opportunities for employment, we affirm

the conviction that it is only « through free, creative, participatory and

mutually supportive work that human beings express and enhance the di-

gnity of their life ».2

Another grave and related issue confronting our world is that of mass

migration: the sheer numbers of men and women forced to seek work

away from their homelands is a cause for concern. Despite their hopes for

a better future, they frequently encounter mistrust and exclusion, to say

nothing of experiencing tragedies and disasters. Having made such sacrifi-

ces, these men and women often fail to find dignified work and fall victim

to a certain « globalization of indifference ». Their situation exposes them to

further dangers such as the horror of human trafficking, forced labour and

1 Cf. Address to the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, 25 May 2013. 2 Evangelii Gaudium, 192.