“May the lessons learned from the two great wars of the twentieth century, which led to the establishment of the United Nations Organization, continue to convince the world’s people and their leaders of the futility of armed conflict and the need to resolve conflicts through patient dialogue and negotiation”. Pope Francis expressed this hope today as he received in audience at the Clementine Hall the ambassadors of Switzerland, Malta, The Bahamas, Cabo Verde, Estonia, Iceland, Turkmenistan, Grenada, Qatar and The Gambia for the presentation of their letters of credence. Citing the 100^th anniversary of the First World War, which Pope Benedict XVI called a “senseless slaughter”, Pope Francis urged the diplomats present to contribute to “securing a peace based on justice and charity, and promoting the means necessary to attain it”, as called for by the Council in Gaudium et Spes. Pope Francis also recalled the recent celebration by the international community of another significant anniversary, namely “the 70^th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. “This foundational document continues to guide the efforts of global diplomacy to secure peace in our world and to promote the integral development of each individual and all peoples”, the Pope said.