>> the meeting of the general assembly is called to order. this morning we shall hear an

address by his holiness, pope francis of the holy see on the occasion of his visit to the united nations. your holiness, heads of state and and governments, mr. secretary general, excellences, ladies and gentlemen, it's my great honor to welcome you. pope francis, issuer of rome, to the general assembly of the united nations, as head of the roman catholic church and as a defender of the dignity of humanity and the life support systems of our planet. when you recall previously how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitments to society and peace, you spoke directly to

the three pillars of the united nations and to the and interdependency and him and interconnectedness between those three pillars. that is the message at the heart of the new and very ambitious agenda of sustainability development. here we confront the injustices of poverty, and discrimination. we recognize the need to reduce inequalities and to protect our common home by changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production. and we identify the overwhelming need to address the politics of division, corruption and irresponsibility that fuel conflict and hold back development.

as your holiness has stated, we are indeed united by the same concern. in two months' time, at the climate conference in paris, that unity will be tested. we can and we must find the wisdom and courage to adopt an ambitious climate agreement to protect people and the planet. similar urgency and unity is required to bring an end to the conflicts and violent extremism affecting many parts of the world today. to date, our collective response to the crisis and to the plight on millions of displaced peoples and refugees have been at best inadequate and at worst a failure of our humanity.

the need for this great hall to address these crises with leadership and action, in the spirit of solidarity, dialogue and tolerance, cannot be overstated. therefore, we are looking forward so much to listening to your holiness' address to the general assembly of the united nations. i welcome you once again. and i now give the floor to the secretary general of the united nations, his excellency, ban ki-moon. secretary general ban ki-moon: your excellency, president of the general assembly, distinguished heads of state and government, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. \[speaking foreign language]

for those of us who are part of the united nations this is a sacred space. from no other platform can a leader speak to all of humanity and for decades, that's precisely what world leaders have done. kings and queens, presidents, prime ministers, and popes. but never in our 0-year history as the united nations been honored to welcome a pope for the opening of the general assembly. and never in our history has the head of the catholic church addressed such an array of world leaders.

your holiness, thank you for making history. \[applause] thank you for demonstrating yet again your remarkable global stature as a man of faith for all faiths. your motto is, lowly but chosen, and you strive every day to include the excluded. you're at home not in palaces but among the poor. not with the famous but with the forgotten. not in official portraits but in selfies with young people. \[applause]

like the united nations, you are driven by a passion to help others. your views move millions. your teachings bring action. your example inspires us all. your visit today coincides with our introduction of the agenda for sustainable government, but that is no coincidence. you have often spoken of an integral ecology, one that encompasses the environment, economic growth, social justice, and human well being. sustainable development for our common home. you define climate change as a principal challenge facing humanity and a moral issue.

this message is critical as we approach the climate change conference in paris in december. across the global agenda, his holiness is a resounding voice of conscience. he has cried out for compassion for the world's refugees and migrants and solidarity with people trapped in poverty.

he lifts up struggling families. he met with the full leadership of the united nations at the vatican. he found that we must mobilize the world beyond religious or political differences to forge a shared vision, a life of dignity for all. on the first page of his recent encyclical, pope francis said, i quote, i wish to address every person living on this planet, end quote. welcome, we are here to listen. thank you very much. \[applause] >> i thank the gentleman for his remarks and i once again welcome pope francis to this hall and i invite him to address the general assembly.

pope francis: \[speaking foreign language] \[speaking foreign language] \[speaking foreign language]

diplomats and political and technical officials accompanying them, the personnel of the united nations engaged in this 70th session of the general assembly, the personnel of the various programs and agencies of the united nations family, and

all those who, in one way or another, take part in this meeting. through you, i also greet the citizens of all the nations represented in this hall. i thank you, each and all, for your efforts in the service of mankind. this is the fifth time that a pope has visited the united nations. i follow in the footsteps of my predecessors paul vi, in1965, john paul ii, in 1979 and 1995, and my most recent predecessor, now pope emeritus benedict xvi, in 2008.

all of them expressed their great esteem for the organization, which they considered the appropriate juridical and political response to this present moment of history, marked by our technical ability to overcome distances and frontiers and, apparently, to overcome all natural limits to the exercise of power. translator: technical ability to overcome frontiers and apparently to overcome all natural limits to the exercise of power. an essential response ins amuch as technological power in the hands of nationalist or falsely universalist ideology is capable of perpetrating tremendous atrocities. i can only reiterate the appreciation expressed by my predecessors, in reaffirming the importance which the catholic

church attaches to this institution and the hope which she places in its activities. the history of this organized community of states, represented by the united nations which is presently celebrating its 70th anniversary, is one of important common achievement. over a period of unusually fast-paced changes. without claiming to be exhaustive, we can mention the codification and development of international law, the establishment of international

norms regarding human rights, advances in humanitarian law, the resolution of numerous conflicts, operations of peace-keeping and reconciliation, and any number of other accomplishments in every area of international activity and endeavor. all these achievements are lights which help to dispel the darkness of the disorder caused by unrestrained ambitions and collective forms of selfishness. certainly, many grave problems remain to be resolved, yet it is clear that, without all those interventions on the

international level, mankind would not have been able to survive the unchecked use of its own possibilities. every one of these political, juridical and technical advances is a path towards attaining the ideal of human fraternity and a means for its greater realization. for this reason i pay homage to all those men and women whose loyalty and self-sacrifice have benefitted humanity as a whole in these past 70 years. in particular, today i would like to recall those who have given their lives for peace and reconciliation among peoples. from dag hammarskjold to the many united nations officials at every level who have been killed in the course of humanitarian missions, and missions of peace and reconciliation. the experience of the past 70

years, beyond all these achievements, has made it clear that reform and adaptation to the times is always necessary.

in the pursuit of the ultimate goal of granting all countries, without objection exception, a share in and a genuine and equitable influence on decision making processes. the need for greater equity is especially true in the case of those bodies with effective executive capability, such as the security council, the financial agencies and the groups or mechanisms specifically created to deal with economic crises. this will help limit every kind of abuse or usury, especially where developing countries are concerned. the international financial agencies should care for the sustainable development of countries and should ensure that they are not subjected to oppressive lending systems which -- \[applause] so the international financial agencies should care for the sustainable development of countries and should ensure that they are not subjected to oppressive lending systems which, far from promoting progress, subject people to mechanisms which generate

greater poverty, exclusion, and dependence. the work of the united nations, according to the principles set forth in the preamble and the first articles of its founding charter, can be seen as the development and promotion of the rule of law, based on the

realization that justice is an essential condition for achieving the ideal of universal fraternity. in this context, it is helpful to recall that the limitation of power is an idea implicit in the concept of law itself. to give to each his own, to cite the classic definition of justice, means that no human individual or group can consider itself absolute, permitted to bypass the dignity and the rights of other individuals or their social groupings. \[applause] the effective distribution of power, political, economic,

defense-related, technological, etc., among a plurality of subjects and the creation of a juridical system for regulating claims and interests, are one concrete way of limiting power. yet today's world presents us with many false rights and -- at the same time -- broad sectors which are vulnerable, victims of power badly exercised. for example, the natural environment and the vast ranks of men and women who are excluded. these sectors are closely interconnected and made increasingly fragile by the dominant political and economic relationships. that is why their rights must be

forcefully affirmed, by working to protect the environment and by putting an end to exclusion. first, it must be stated that a true right of the environment does exist, and for two reasons. first, because we human beings are parking lot of the environment, we live in communion with it.

since the environment itself entails ethical limits which human activity must acknowledge and respect. man, for all his remarkable gifts which are signs of a uniqueness which transcends the spheres of physics and biology, is at the same time a part of these spheres. he possesses a body shaped by physical, chemical, and buy y logical elements, and can only survive and develop if the ecological environment is favorable. any harm done to the environment, therefore, is harm to humanity. second, because every creature,

particularly a living creature, has an intrinsic value. in its existence, its life, its beauty and its interdependence with other christians. we christians, together with the other monotheistic religions, believe that the universe is the fruit of a loving decision by the creator, who permits man respectfully to use creation for the good of his fellow men and for the glory of the creator. but he is not authorized to abuse it, much less is he authorized to destroy it. \[applause]

in all religions, the environment is a fund -- is a fundamental good. the misuse and destruction of the environment are also accompanied by a relentless process of exclusion. in effect, a selfish and boundless thirst for power and material prosperity leads both to the misuse of available natural resources and to the exclusion of the weak and disadvantaged, either because they are differently abled, handicapped, or because they lack adequate information and technical expertise, or are incapable of decisive political action.

economic and social exclusion is a complete denial of human fraternity and a grave offense against human rights and the environment. the poorest are those who suffer most from such offenses, for three serious reasons. they are cast off by society, forced to live off what is discarded and to suffer unjustly from the consequences of the abuse of the environment. these phenomena are part of today's widespread and quietly growing culture of waste. \[applause]

the dramatic reality this whole situation of exclusion and inequality, with its evident effects, has led me, in union with the entire christian people and many others, to take stock of my grave responsibility in this regard and to speak out, together with all those who are seeking urgently-needed and effective solutions. the adoption of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development at the world summit, which opens today, is an important sign of hope. i am similarly confident that the paris conference on climatic change will secure fundamental and effective agreements. solemn commitments, however, are not enough, even though they are a necessary step toward solutions. the classic definition of

justice which i mentioned earlier contains as one of its essential elements a constant and perpetual will -- iustitia est constans et perpetua voluntas ius sum cuique tribuendi. our world demands of all government leaders a will which is effective, practical, constant, with concrete steps and immediate measures for preserving and improving the natural environment and thus putting an end as quickly as possible to the phenomenon of social and economic exclusion.

with its baneful consequences of human trafficking, the marketing of human organs and tissues, the sexual exploitation of boys and girls, slave labor, including prostitution, the drug and weapons trade, terrorism, and international organized crime.

such is the magnitude of these situations and their toll in innocent lives, that we must avoid every temptation to fall into a declarationist nominalism which would just assuage our own consciences. \[applause] we need to ensure that our institutions are truly effective in the struggle against all of these scourges.

the number and complexity of the problems require that we possess technical instruments of verification. but this involves two risks. we can rest content with the bureaucratic exercise of drawing up long lists of good proposals -- goals, objectives and statistical indicators -- or we can think that a single theoretical and aprioristic solution will provide an answer to all the challenges. it must never be forgotten that political and economic activity is only effective when it is understood as a prudential activity, guided by a perennial concept of justice and consciously conscious of the fact that, above and beyond our plans and programs, we are dealing with real men and women who live, struggle, and suffer, and are often forced to live in great poverty, and deprived of all rights.

\[applause] to enable these real men and women to escape from extreme poverty, we must allow them to be dignified agents of their own destiny. integral human development and the full exercise of human dignity cannot be imposed. they must be built up and allowed to unfold for each individual, for every family, in communion with others, and in a right relationship with all those areas in which human social life develops -- friends, communities, towns and cities, schools, businesses and unions, provinces and nations. now, this proposes the right to education, also for girls who are excluded in certain places. \[applause] the right to education which is

ensured first and foremost by respecting and reinforcing the primary right of the family to educate its children as well as the right of churches and social groups to support and assist families in the education of their boys and girls. education conceived in this way is the basis for the implementation of the 2030 agenda and for reclaiming the environment. \[applause] at the same time, government leaders must do everything possible to ensure that all can have the minimum spiritual and material means needed to live in dignity and to create and support a family, which is the primary cell of any social development. in practical terms, this absolute minimum has three games -- lodging, labor, and land. \[applause]

and one spiritual name, spiritual freedom, which includes religious freedom, the right to education and all other civil rights. \[applause] for all this, the simplest and

best measure and indicator of the implementation of the new agenda for development will be effective, practical and immediate access, on the part of all, to essential material and spiritual goods -- housing, dignified and properly remunerated employment, adequate food and drinking water, religious freedom, and more generally, spiritual freedom and education. these pillars of integral human development have a common foundation and this is the right to life and more generally what we could call the right to existence of human nature itself. \[applause]

the ecological crisis, and the large-scale destruction of biodiversity, can threaten the very existence of the human species. the baneful consequences of irresponsible mismanagement of the global economy, guided only by the ambition for wealth and power, must serve as a summons to a forthright reflection on man. man is not only a freedom which he creates for himself. man does not create himself. he is spirit and will but also nature. creation is compromised where we ourselves have the final word. the misuse of creation begins when we no longer recognize any instance above ourselves, when we see nothing else but ourselves. consequently, the defense of the environment and the fight

against exclusion demand that we recognize a moral law written into human nature itself, one which includes the natural difference between man and woman, and absolute respect for life in all its stages and dimensions.

\[applause] without the recognition of certain incontestable natural ethical limits and without the immediate implementation of those pillars of integral human development, the ideal of saving succeeding generations from the scourge of war and of promoting social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom risks becoming an unattainable illusion, or even worse, just idle chatter which serves as a cover for all kinds of abuse and corruption. or for carrying out an ideological colonization by the imposition of anomalous models and lifestyles which are alien

to people's identity and in the end, are irresponsible. \[applause] war is the negation of all rights and a dramatic assault on the environment. if we want true integral human development for all, we must work tirelessly to avoid war between nations and between peoples. to this end, there is a need to ensure the uncontested rule of law and tireless recourse to negotiation, mediation and arbitration, as proposed by the charter of the united nations, which constitutes truly a

fundamental juridical norm. the experience of these 70 years since the founding of the united nations in general, and in particular the experience of these first 15 years of the third millennium, reveal both the effectiveness of the full application of international norms and the ineffectiveness of their lack of enforcement. when the charter of the united nations is respected and applied

with transparency and sincerity, and without ulterior motives, as an obligatory reference point of justice and not as a means of masking spurious intentions, peaceful results will be obtained. \[applause] when, on the other hand, the norm is considered simply as an instrument to be used whenever it proves favorable, and to be avoided when it is not, a true pandora's box is opened, releasing uncontrollable forces which gravely harm defenseless populations, the cultural milieu and even the biological environment.

the preamble and the first article of the charter of the united nations set forth the foundations of the international juridical framework -- peace, the pacific solution of disputes and the development of friendly relations between the nations. strongly opposed to such statements, and in practice denying them, is the constant tendency to the proliferation of arms, especially weapons of mass

destruction, such as nuclear weapons. an ethics and a law based on the threat of mutual destruction -- and possibly the destruction of all mankind -- are self-contradictory and represent an affront to the entire framework of the united nations, which would end up as a nations united by fear and distrust. \[applause] there is urgent need to work for a world free of nuclear weapons, in full application of the non-proliferation treaty, in letter and spirit, with the goal of a complete prohibition of these weapons. \[applause]

the recent agreement reached on the nuclear question in a sensitive region of asia and the middle east is proof of the potential of political good will and of law, exercised with sincerity, patience and constancy. i express my hope that this agreement will be lasting and efficacious, and bring forth the desired fruits with the cooperation of all the parties involved.

\[applause] in this sense, hard evidence is not lacking of the negative effects of military and political interventions which are not coordinated between members of the international community. for this reason, while regretting to have to do so, i must renew my repeated appeals regarding the painful situation of the entire middle east, north africa, and other african countries, where christians, together with other cultural or ethnic groups, and even members of the majority religion who have no desire to be caught up in hatred and folly, have been forced to witness the destruction of their places of worship, their cultural and religious heritage, their houses and property, and have faced the alternative either of fleeing or of paying for their adhesion to good and to peace by their own lives or by enslavement. \[applause]

these realities should serve as a grave summons to an examination of conscience on the part of those charged with the conduct of international affairs. not only in cases of religious or cultural persecution, but in every situation of conflict, as in ukraine, syria, iraq, libya,

south sudan and the great lakes region, real human beings take precedence over partisan interests, however legitimate the latter may be. in wars and conflicts there are individual persons, our brothers and sisters, men and women, young and old, boys and girls who weep, suffer and die. human beings who are easily discarded when our only response is to draw up lists of problems, strategies and disagreements. as i wrote in my letter to the secretary-general of the united nations on the 9th of august, 2014, the most basic understanding of human dignity compels the international community, particularly through the norms and mechanisms of international law, to do all that it can to stop and to prevent further systematic

violence against ethnic and religious minorities, and to protect innocent peoples. \[applause] along the same lines i would mention another kind of conflict which is not always so open, yet is silently killing millions of people. another kind of war experienced by many of our societies as a result of the narcotics trade. a war which is taken for granted and poorly fought.

drug trafficking is by its very nature accompanied by trafficking in persons, money laundering, the arms trade, child exploitation and other forms of corruption. a corruption which has penetrated to different levels of social, political, military, artistic and religious life, and, in many cases, has given rise to a parallel structure which threatens the credibility of our institutions. \[applause]

i began this speech recalling the visits of my predecessors. and now i would hope that my words would be taken above all as a continuation of the final words of the address of pope paul vi. spoken almost exactly 50 years ago, they remain ever timely. and i quote, "the hour has come when a pause, a moment of recollection, reflection, even of prayer, is absolutely needed so that we may think back over our common origin, our history,

our common destiny. the appeal to the moral conscience of man has never been as necessary as it is today. for the danger comes neither from progress nor from science. if these are used well, they can help to solve a great number of the serious problems besetting mankind. among other things, human genius, well applied, will surely help to meet the grave challenges of ecological deterioration and of exclusion. i continue in quoting pope paul vi, "the real danger comes from man, who has at his disposal ever more powerful instruments that are as well fitted to bring

about ruin as they are to achieve lofty conquests." that is what pope paul vi said. the common home of all men must continue to rise on the foundations of a right understanding of universal fraternity and respect for the sacredness of every human life, of every man and every woman, the poor, the elderly, children, the infirm, the unborn, the unemployed, the abandoned, and those considered disposable because they are only considered as part of one or other statistic. \[applause] this common home of all men and women must also be built on the understanding of a certain sacredness of created nature.

such understanding and respect call for a higher degree of wisdom, one which accepts transcendence, rejects the creation of an all-powerful elite, and recognizes that the full meaning of individual and collective life is found in the selfless service to others and in the sage and respectful use of creation for the common good. to repeat the words of pope paul vi, the edifice of modern civilization has to be built on spiritual principles, for they are the only ones capable not only of supporting it, but also

of shedding light on it. el gaucho martin fierro, a classic of literature in my native land, says, "brothers should stand by each other, because this is the first law. keep a true bond between you always, at every time -- because if you fight among yourselves, you'll be devoured by those outside." \[applause] the contemporary world, so

apparently connected, is experiencing a growing and steady social fragmentation, which places at risk the foundations of social life, and consequently leads to battles between ourselves to defend our conflicting interests. the present time invites us to give priority to actions which generate new processes in society, so as to bear fruit in significant and positive historical events. we cannot permit ourselves to postpone certain agendas for the future. the future demands of us critical and global decisions in the face of world-wide conflicts which increase the number of the

excluded and those in need. the praiseworthy international juridical framework of the united nations organization and of all its activities, like any other human endeavor, can be improved, yet it remains necessary. at the same time it can be the pledge of a secure and happy future for future generations. and so it will, if the representatives of the states can set aside partisan and ideological interests, and sincerely strive to serve the common good.

i pray to almighty god that this will be the case, and i assure you of my support and my prayers, and the support and prayers of all the faithful of the catholic church, that this institution, all its member states, and each of its officials, will always render an effective service to mankind, a service respectful of diversity and capable of bringing out, for sake of the common good, the best in each people and in every individual. upon all of you, may god bless you all. \[applause]

on behalf of the general at the hands of our

deep appreciation to this holiness, pope francis, for this very important statement. a statement for the inspiration request to be i kind enough to remain in their seats while we accompany his holiness out of the general assembly hall. adoption ofor the the post 2015 development agenda will begin shortly. in the interim. i invitetely following representatives to remain seated and view the special performances and presentations on the occasion. the meeting is adjourned. [applause]

following his remarks at the united nations, pope francis joined others posted by the nine level -- 9/11 memorial and museum. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2015] ♪ [applause]

>> on behalf of this very distinguished group, representatives of the hindu, buddhist, jain, sikh, native american, jewish, islamic, and christian communities of new york city, our civic and public officials and the board of the september 11 memorial foundation, i renew to you our welcome and our joy at your visit. welcome, holy father. [applause] now, i can tell you, we in new york are sinners. we are sinners. we have many flaws. we make many mistakes. but one of the things we do very

well is sincere and fruitful interreligious friendship. our ancestors came here for religious freedom and they found in new york city an atmosphere of respect and appreciation for religious diversity. about which you just spoke at the united nations. we, who have the honor of pastoring our people, we work together, we pray together, we meet together, we talk to one another and we try to serve as one the city we are proud to call our earthly home while awaiting our true and eternal residence in heaven. so very often do we recall the face of god is in the midst of the city. and your prayer and your presence and your words this

morning inspire us, so thank you for being here. [applause] >> you may be seated. >> in this place, where horrendous violence was committed falsely in the name of god, we, representatives of the world religions, in this great city of new york, gather to offer words of comfort and prayer, with love and affection

we recall the victims of the 9/11 attacks. we pray that their souls and the souls of all those first responders are forever remembered for eternal blessing. today and every day may we understand our shared mission to be, in the words of pope francis, a field hospital after battle. to heal the wounds and warm the hearts of a humanity in so desperate need of comfort. >> intolerance and ignorance fueled those who attacked this place. the courage of today's gathering distinguishes us from the opponents of religious freedom as we stand together as brothers and sisters to condemn their horrific acts of violence and honor each life that was lost unconditionally. as we read in the koran that one life lost is like all man kind and one life saved is like all man kind. to god, all life is sacred and

precious. where others fail, let us be the peaceful reminders of that notion to his creation. >> the book of psalms teaches us that we should love peace and we should pursue peace. let us honor those killed in this place by becoming, in the words of saint francis, instruments of peace. where there is hatred, let us so love. where there is injury, pardon. where there is doubt, faith. where there is despair, hope. where there is darkness, light. and where there is sadness, joy. >> men and women from all walks of life ran to this place in hopes of saving lives. the sole intent of those first responders was the protection of others, regardless of the cost to them as individuals.

as the worst of humanity sought to take life, they exemplified the best of humanity through their selflessness, willing to give their entire life in hopes of saving another, their story is one that each of us should carry forward with us both in thought and in action as we move forward from this place. the koran declares that allah is with those who are righteous and those who do good. let us embody their unconditional love, their continued strength, their unwavering hope and their pursuit of good as we seek to build much-needed peace. >> so let us learn to share this big apple we all call home through friendship and dialogues, may the timber and tonality of each of our faith traditions be heard in this great symphony of our city and nation.

on this, the historic anniversary of it, let us celebrate, affirm and build on our shared commitment to interreligious dialogue. in the words of pope francis, may we respect and love one another as brothers and sisters, may we learn to understand the sufferings of others, may we live to see the day as envisioned by the prophet, mica. everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree and no one shall make them afraid for the lord almighty has spoken. >> the koran states, o mankind, we have created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes so that you might know one another. we have gathered here today as men and women who seek to meet ignorance with understanding. through our knowing of each

other today, let us move beyond the mere toleration of our differences and work towards a much-needed celebration of them. let us be bold enough to build partnerships with new friends and allies and together be the reason that people have hope in this world. and not the reason that people dread it. >> please rise. pope francis: lord of love, compassion and healing.

look on us, people of different faith and religions traditions. today in these hallowed grounds, the scene of unspeakable violence and pain. we ask you in your goodness to give eternal light and peace who all who died here. our firefighters, our police officers, emergency service workers and security personnel, along with all the innocent men and women who were victims of

this tragedy simply because they walk or service to them here on september 11. we ask you in your compassion to bring healing to those who, because of their presence here 14 years ago continue to suffer from injuries and illness. heal too the pain of grieving families and who lost loved ones in this tragedy. give them strength to continue their lives with courage and hope.

we are mindful as well of those who suffered death, injury and loss on the same day at the pentagon and in pennsylvania. our hearts are one with theirs, as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering. bring your peace to our violent world. peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace among the nations of the heart. turn to your way of love those whose hearts and minds are consumed with hatred and who

justify killing in the name of religion. god of understanding, the magnitude of this tragedy, we seek your light and guidance as we confront such terrible events. may the lives lost here not have been lost in vain. console us, give us the wisdom and courage to walk tirelessly with true peace and friends

among nations and in the hearts of all. announcer: ladies and gentlemen, kindly take your seats. ♪ >> namaste. [speaking foreign language]

>> may god protect us, may god nourish us. may we work together. may our dialogue be enlightening, may we be free from hate. ohm, peace, peace, peace. lead us from untruth to truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality. may all know peace. [bell ringing] [speaking foreign language]

>> homage to the buddha. victory begets enmity. the defeated dwell in pain. the peaceful live happily, discarding both victory and defeat.

one should not do any slight wrong, which the wise might censure. may all beings be happy and secure. may all beings have happy minds. peace. [bell ringing] ♪ [speaking foreign language]

>> god judges us according to our deeds. not the coat that we wear. that truth is above everything and the highest deed is truthful living. know that we attain god when we love and only that victory endures. in consequence of which no one is defeated. [bell ringing] ♪ >> the reading is from the original greek text of the gospel according to matthew. [speaking foreign language]

>> blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the

kingdom of heaven. blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. for they shall be satisfied. blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see god. blessed are the peace makers, for they shall be called the sons of god. blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [bell ringing] ♪

[speaking foreign language] >> o allah, you are peace and all peace is from you. and all peace returns to you.

grant us to live with the salutation of thee, and lease us to your abode of peace -- lead to us your abode of peace. you are blessed, our lord, be exalted. o owner of magnificence and honor. [bell ringing] announcer: ladies and gentlemen, please stand for a prayer for the fallen.

[speaking foreign language]

>> kindly be seated.

>> dear friends. excuse myself for not speaking english.

i have many different feelings moved by being here at ground zero where thousands of lives were taken in a senseless act of violence and destruction. you can feel the pain here. it's palpable. the water we see running toward the center reminds us of all this life who left under the power of those who believed that destruction is the only way to solve conflicts.

that silent cry of those who suffered in their own illogical violence of hate and revenge. the lodge take could only cause pain and suffering, destruction and tears. water falling also symbolizes our tears. tears shed for destruction of yesterday, who are joined by so much destruction today. this is a place where we cry, we cry the pain, being powerlessness that makes us feel when we see justice set aside,

the inability to solve our differences. through dialogue. in this place we cry the unjust, death of the innocent because we were not able to find solutions for the common good. it is water that reminded us yesterday's tears and today's tears. a few minutes ago amid some families of the first responders that fell, while performing their service, and in this meeting i was able to see how destruction is never impersonal,

it's never abstract. it's not about things. above all destruction has faith and a history, it is specific, it has names. the family members show the face of pain, pain that leaves us speechless but that screams to heaven. but at the same time they were able to show me the other face of this attack. the other side of their pain. the power of love and a remembrance. the memory that does not leave us empty, on behalf of so many

lost ones, these names are written here in the faces of these towers, so we can see them and we can touch them. and we can never forget them. among this pain, we can also feel the capacity of heroic goodness that the human being is also capable of, the hidden force that we must always appeal to. at times the greatest pain and suffering, you were witness to the greatest acts of giving of themselves, of yourselves, and held a stretched out hand, life even, that may seem impersonal,

loneliness, people were able to show the powerful solidarity of mutual help, of love. and self-sacrifice. at that time, it was not about blood or origin or neighborhood or religion or political views. it was a matter of solidarity, a merging of brotherhood, a matter of humanity. new york firemen and women came in to the towers that were crumbling without much thinking about their own lives.

many fell in their duty and with their sacrifice they allowed for so many others to survive. this place of death also is a place for life, saved lives. a song that leads us to affirm that life will always triumph over the prophets of destruction, over death, and good will always win over bad, reconciliation and unity will prevail over hate and division.

in this place of pain and remembrance, i am full of hope. because of the opportunity of the leaders representing so many religious traditions amidst of life of this great city. i hope our presence here sends a powerful sign over which to share and reaffirm the wish to be there, forces of reconciliation, forces of peace and justice in this community and throughout the whole world. differences and discrepancies, it is possible to live in a world of peace.

in the face of any attempt to make us all similar, it is possible and it is necessary to meet together with our different tongues, different cultures, religions, embrace our belief against anyone who would like to prevent that, because together today we have been invited to say no to any attempt to make us all the same and to say yes to our differences, accepting reconciliation. for this we need to throw away the feelings of hate and revenge and rancor. we know this is only possible

through a gift of heaven here in this place of remembrance. each one of us in their way, but together. i propose a moment of silence and prayer. let us ask, let the lord be the gift of peace. peace in our homes. in our families. in our schools. in our communities. peace in all the places in which war seems to be endless. peace in the faces of the people who have only seen pain.

peace in this wide world that god has given us as our home, as a home for us all and for all. only peace. let us pray in silence. in this way, the life of love pope francis: in this way, the

life of love will not be alive or forgotten, but it will be present each time with try to be the prophets of construction and reconciliation, the prophets of peace. ♪ [applause]

>> thank you, thank you, young people's chorus of new york city. you're an icon of what this sacred site reminds us. and my brothers and sisters, in the spirit of hope and promise, of this sacred spot here in new york, i invite you to stand and exchange a sign of peace. [applause]

[applause]

[captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2015] announcer: later in the day,

pope francis travel to madison square garden to celebrate a mass there. here is a look at his entrance.

announcer: the pope's visit to the united states continues on saturday as he travels to philadelphia. live coverage starts in 4:30 eastern as he speaks at independence hall. the, the pontiff attends festival the families, part of the world meeting of families. join us on sunday evening as harvard professor and candidate lawrence lessig talks about his decision to run for president and his suggestions to change the political system. atbook tv, saturday night 10:00, fox news host bill o'reilly speaks about his latest book, an inside look at ronald reagan's political career and the challenges he faced following an assassination attempt. casey system with book tv

at freedom fast in las vegas to discuss his latest book. tv onrican history c-span3, saturday evening at 7:00, we are live from gettysburg college to mark the anniversary of president eisenhower's birth, discussing his military and political career with his grandchildren. 4:00, andernoon at archival film documenting the 1963 visit of the king and queen asked -- king and queen of afghanistan to the united states. get our complete schedule at c-span.org. in a morning caucus, john boehner told his colleagues he will be resigning from his post next month.