Dialogue only way out in Kenya: Pope
Pope Francis on the first leg of his African tour said that the Christian and Muslim leaders in Kenya had to engage in a dialogue to safeguard against the "barbarous" Islamic extremist assaults He urged the leaders to be "prophets of peace" in a world full of hatred. Pope insisted that "religion can never be used to justify violence" and youngsters were being misled.
The Pope arrived in Kenya for his first ever African visit. The Pope' is on a six-day African tour which also marks his 11th trip abroad as Pontiff. The second and third leg of the tour will take him to Uganda and Central African Republic. In his travels, Pope has picked regions in the developing world, where the Catholic Church is new and growing.
Pope Francis is the fourth Pope in modern times to visit Africa.
Pope Francis began his papal visit by breaching the subject of poverty which fuels "conflict and terrorism" while addressing the cheering crowds and traditional dancers in Kenya. Sharing stage with President Uhuru Kenyatta he said, "Experience shows that violence, conflict and terrorism feed on fear, mistrust, and the despair born of poverty and frustration," and that African leadership should do everything to eradicate poverty.
Pope Francis warned Africa that the world was experiencing a "grave environmental crisis" ahead of the key United Nations climate summit in Paris. The Pope is also expected to talk about the environmental issues on his visit to the Nairobi headquarters of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). He asked the Africans to preserve the earth for upcoming generations.
Thousands of people gathered to celebrate the Mass with Pope at a university campus in Kenya. Pope Francis made a request for upliftment of traditional values, saying "the health of any society depends on the health of its families". He also urged Kenyans to work for harmony and conciliation on his first trip as Pontiff to Africa, in the backdrop of rising militant violence.
Pope Francis on the first leg of his African tour said that the Christian and Muslim leaders in Kenya had to engage in a dialogue to safeguard against the "barbarous" Islamic extremist assaults He urged the leaders to be "prophets of peace" in a world full of hatred. Pope insisted that "religion can never be used to justify violence" and youngsters were being misled.
