“Good politics is at the service of peace”. This is the theme, chosen by Pope Francis, of the message for the 52nd World Day of Peace, marked on 1 January 2019. The Holy See Press Office gave the news while also releasing the following statement: “Political responsibility belongs to every citizen, and in particular to those who have been given the mandate to protect and govern. This mission consists in safeguarding the law and encouraging dialogue between all actors of society, between generations, and between cultures. There is no peace without mutual trust. The first condition for trust is respect for the given word. Political commitment – which is one of the highest expressions of charity – implies concern for the future of life and of the planet, of the youngest and of the smallest, in their thirst for fulfilment. When a person’s rights are respected – as St. John XXIII recalled in his Encyclical Pacem in Terris (1963) -, a sense of duty to respect the rights of others is born within them. The rights and duties of man boost the awareness of belonging to the same community, with others and with God (cf. ibid, 45). We are therefore called to bring and announce peace as the good news of a future where every living being is considered in their dignity and in their rights”.