“The world is governed by people who do not know what mercy is, what love is. And that is why they commit the stupidest of sins, war: an ugly word, which dirties everything. “We have to put an end to this.” The actor Roberto Benigni spoke in the atrium of St. Peter’s Square, in the presence of the Pope, at the end of the concluding mass of the first World Children’s Day. He quoted Gianni Rodari and recalled that fairy tales can become reality. Fairy tales do not limit themselves to recounting the existence of dragons, but rather teach that “dragons can be defeated.”
The invitation to dream and be heroes
“Each of you is the protagonist of a story that will never be repeated. You are the heroes. Make things difficult! Dream! Which is the most beautiful thing in the world. To dream – the Tuscan comedian – you don’t have to close your eyes. “We have to open them.” “Children are not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be lit.”
The word to stop the war
I am convinced – the actor continued, addressing the numerous children present in the Plaza – that among you there are those who will find the word to stop the war, we must look for it together. “When children play war, as soon as someone gets hurt, they stop and, on the other hand, those who wage war don’t stop.”
The only good idea in the history of humanity
“In the history of humanity, only one good idea has been expressed.” The one who did it, Benigni went on to say, was Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: ‘Blessed are the merciful.’ It is an invitation addressed to everyone to be ‘deeply good.’ ‘Be profoundly good! Life is love and infinite compassion for the pain that humanity suffers.’
Hence, the appeal addressed to all those present, 50,000, according to the organizers’ estimates: The war must end. They will tell me: it is a dream, it is a fairy tale. Yes, it is, but as Gianni Rodari said: Fairy tales can become reality, they can come true!
The errors that beautify the world
The world has to be beautiful and everyone makes their small contribution, even if they make mistakes. “Errors are necessary, sometimes they are useful and beautiful,” Benigni repeated, citing the imperfect beauty of the Tower of Pisa: Have you seen what a beautiful mistake?
Make life a masterpiece
Make life a masterpieceThe secret is to have fun, the Oscar-winning actor and director for “Life is Beautiful” continued to say: Love what you do, don’t settle for doing a good job, you have to do it the best you can, like Michelangelo did this dome. Benigni repeated John Paul II’s invitation: “Do not be afraid!”
We are all together, in their hearts all humanity beats, we are one. I see you here ready to take flight, do it! Take flight, take charge of your life and make it a masterpiece! You can do it! Build a better world. Make it more beautiful. “We have not achieved it.”
The most beautiful day in history
Francis invented World Children’s Day, observed the director who, contravening protocol, kissed and joked with the Bishop of Rome: “He’s a child like you!”, “You’re Argentine, we can dance a tango!” And he concluded: “There is nothing more beautiful in the world than the laughter of a child! And if one day all the children of the world, without excluding anyone, can laugh together, it will be a great day, it will be the most beautiful day in the history of the world!
