The Symposium is organized by the Observer Mission of the Holy See to UNESCO and the John Paul II Foundation (Pontificate Center for Documentation and Research in Rome). Ms Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO, is patron of the event. The session will allow us to present John Paul II\u2019s contribution to the debate on contemporary culture. In addition to this, it will also provide an opportunity to reflect on important matters concerning contemporary culture in light of John Paul II\u2019s teachings, especially with regard to the content of the memorable speech he gave at the UNESCO headquarters June 2nd 1980.<\/p>\n
At that time, the Pope emphasized that man lives a truly human life through culture. This is possible when the integral vision of man expresses itself in culture as a spiritual and physical essence, of man and woman, and when a cultural understanding includes a religious and moral experience of the human person. Such an understanding of culture forms a kind of “synthesis of spirit and matter” and a “covenant of knowledge and conscience”. Moreover, in the same speech, John Paul II asserted his belief that “the future of humanity depended on culture”.<\/p>\n
The lecturers who have been invited to participate in the session represent different disciplines including philosophy, theology, economics, sociology and anthropology. Their presentations will raise issues concerning the condition of contemporary culture and its relationship to Christianity. Pope John Paul II pointed out that the relationship of culture with the Gospel is profoundly culturally-creative; it is not limited to works of art, architecture, education and the development of human thought, but first and foremost is expressed in the concept of man as an intrinsic value, in the affirmation of life and in love, a respect for human rights, and in this a respect for other cultures and religions. It is very important in shaping young people and society and takes into account the transcendent dimension of man and thus his openness to God.<\/p>\n
There is a moral dilemma: whether it be having more or being more is, in many cases, being replaced by the imperative to reduce human needs and desires to simple transience. The economy needs culture, said the Pope, to overcome the “crisis of ambition of being a man”, and to also protect the cultural identity of peoples and their rights. Without doubt, today\u2019s youth live in their own “cultural mazes” and in the diktat of modern economic reality, they have a sense of loss which is deepened by the crisis of the family and pervasive relativism. It is important that young people grow up in a culture made up of values and standards from which they can make sense and thus discover the joy of life.<\/p>\n
Symposium Wednesday, 13 February 2013, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Programme<\/strong><\/p>\n Opening Address by: First Part: The Currency of John Paul II\u2019s Thought and Action, from the address by John Paul II Second Part: Education and Culture Conclusion by To participate in the symposium, please, contact the organizers before February 7th 2013. Symposium at UNESCO<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1556","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\n<\/strong>John Paul II: A Contemporary Tought for Humanism, Education
\n<\/strong>and Culture<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>UNESCO House, Room II, 125, avenue de Suffren, Paris 7e<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\u2013 Ms Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director General
\n\u2013 His Eminency Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, President of the Pontifcal Council for the Laity
\nand of the John Paul II Foundation
\n\u2013 Msgr Francesco Follo, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to UNESCO<\/p>\n
\nat UNESCO
\nMsgr Francesco Follo: The Currency of John Paul II\u2019s Thought, from 1980 until Today
\n\u2013 Pr. Fabrice Hadjadj: The Role and the Importance of the Evangelical Values in Today\u2032s Cultur
\n\u2013 Pr. Thomas Hong-Soon Han: The Economy and the Integral Developement of the Human Being<\/p>\n
\n\u2013 Pr. Rossana Reguillo Cruz: The Youth in the Labyrinth of Modern Culture
\n\u2013 Pr. Rev. Jozef Z. Kijas, O.F.M. Conv.: The Necessity of Education of Human Being
\nto Transcendental Dimension
\n\u2013 Sr. Genevi\u00e8ve M\u00e9devielle, S.A.: Woman\u2032s Dignity and Education in John Paul II\u2019s Teaching<\/p>\n
\n\u2013 His Eminency Cardinal Andr\u00e9 Vingt-Trois, Archbishop of Paris<\/p>\n
\nTe email: evenement.va@unesco-delegations.org, tel.: +33 (0)1 45 68 33 50<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"