At UNESCO, Pope Leo XIV addresses the world with a resounding message of peace and human dignity

Invited by UNESCO, Pope Leo XIV made his first visit to a UN agency outside Italy, 46 years after Pope John Paul II visited UNESCO on 2 June 1980.

In his address to more than 1400 people, His Holiness reaffirmed the Holy See’s commitment to UNESCO’s founding mission, describing UNESCO as both an instrument and a forum in which humanity reflects on its history, its shared identity and its future.

The visit follows the audience of the UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on 5 June 2026, continuing the dialogue between the Holy See and UNESCO on the vital importance of peace, human dignity and artificial intelligence.

Speaking before UNESCO Member States, National Commissions, and members of the UNESCO family from across the world, Pope Leo XIV recalled the opening of the UNESCO Constitution that “since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed,” and stated that peace cannot be secured by treaties or political compromises alone – it must be rooted in justice and ethical responsibility.

Underlining the importance of UNESCO’s mandate, the Pope recalled that 2027 will mark the 75th anniversary of the Holy See’s presence at the Organisation through its Observer Mission, an important moment to reaffirm a shared commitment to human dignity, human development and international cooperation.

Pope Leo XIV cautioned that technological progress, notably artificial intelligence, must serve humanity rather than become an instrument of domination, exploitation or exclusion. While AI systems can process data, he noted, they cannot answer the fundamental human questions of truth and meaning. In this context, he welcomed UNESCO’s work on Media and Information Literacy and urged greater efforts for the protection of children and young people in the digital environment, highlighting the role of UNESCO.

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