The Pope sent today a video message to the first Youth Days of West Africa, in Ghana, urging the new generations to promote concrete social changes. In his address, Leo XIV rejected the idea that young people are a "sacrificed youth," while acknowledging the weight of doubt, uncertainty and insecurity that may disrupt their plans for the future.
The message emphasized the importance of working together to promote "positive changes" in society and called on young people to be "builders of bridges between peoples, cultures and religions." The Pope stressed that no one should be marginalized, isolated, excluded or rejected.
Leo XIV invoked the example of Jesus Christ, who "excluded no one from his path" and recognized the presence of God in those living on the margins of society. The message considered the new generations as the "today" of God and the Church, inviting participants to cultivate values such as encounter and openness to others.
The Youth Days of West Africa are taking place in the city of Accra until September 11, in an unprecedented initiative by the Assembly of Episcopal Conferences of the region.
