“You show esteem and concern for your elders, respecting them and giving them an honoured place”, that they may “preserve the roots necessary so that your people do not lose their bearings by following certain slogans that end up emptying and mortgaging the soul of new generations”. This is how Pope Francis described one of the defining characteristics of the Thai people, during his meeting with the country’s religious leaders in Bangkok. “Alongside a growing tendency to discredit local values and cultures by imposing a unitary model, we see a tendency to ‘homogenize’ young people, blurring what is distinctive about their origins and backgrounds, and turning them into a new line of malleable goods”, Pope Francis warned: “This produces a cultural devastation that is just as serious as the disappearance of species of animals and plants”. “Continue to assist young people to discover the cultural heritage of the society in which they live!”, Pope Francis exhorted. Indeed, “helping the young to discover the living richness of the past, helping them to rediscover their roots by remembering that past, is a genuine act of love towards them, for the sake of their growth and the decisions they are called to make”. Hence the important role played by educational institutions like universities: “Research and knowledge help to open up new paths for reducing inequality between people, strengthening social justice, upholding human dignity, seeking means for the peaceful resolution of conflicts, and preserving the life-giving resources of our earth”, the Holy Father said, thanking the Thai educators and scholars who “work to provide present and future generations with the skills and especially the wisdom, rooted in that of their ancestors, that will enable them to play their part in promoting the common good of society” with a view to “building a culture founded on the shared values that lead to unity, mutual respect and a harmonious coexistence”. After the group photo with the religious leaders, the Pope left the Auditorium and travelled by car to Bangkok’s Assumption Cathedral for the Mass with young people.