Pope Francis has chosen “Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees,”as the theme for the 108th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, to be celebrated on 25 September.
The Day is observed every year on the last Sunday of September as an occasion to express support and concern for people who are forced to flee their homes, to encourage Catholics worldwide to remember and pray for those displaced by conflict and persecution and increase awareness about the opportunities that migration offers. It was fisrt celebrated in 1914.
According to the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Vatican’s Dicastery the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, this year’s theme highlights the commitment that we are all called to share in building a future that embraces God’s plan, leaving no one behind.
Building with” means recognizing and promoting the role that migrants and refugees have to play in this work of construction, because only in this way will it be possible to build a world that ensures the conditions for the integral human development of all, a communiqué explains.
Pope Francis’ Message, featuring six sub-themes, will explore how migrants and refugees are able to contribute – now and in the future – to the social, economic, cultural, and spiritual development of societies and ecclesial communities.
As every year, the Migrants and Refugees Section will carry out a communications campaign starting at the end of March, aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of the theme and sub-themes through multimedia aids, informational material, and theological reflections.
