In the shadow of a year that has been marked with frustration and anxiety, Pope Benedict invites us to look to the New Year with an attitude of confident trust. In his 1 January 2012, World Day of Peace message, Pope Benedict emphasizes the importance of education: "Educating Young People in Justice and Peace, in the conviction that the young, with their enthusiasm and idealism, can offer new hope to the world". This is a primary duty of society as a whole, for the sake of building a future of justice and peace: "Peace is not a blessing already attained, but rather a goal to which each and all of us must aspire. Let us look with greater hope to the future; let us encourage one another on our journey; let us work together to give our world a more humane and fraternal face; and let us feel a common responsibility towards present and future generations, especially in the task of training them to be people of peace and builders of peace."
For the complete New Year's Message from Pope Benedict:
