Gaza and Ukraine are the best known of the fifty conflicts taking place in the world. But in reality bombs and destruction also rain in Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, South Sudan and many other places. For a total of 500 million children involved. Forced to experience firsthand the horrors of war, death and hunger. And so some of these little boys and teenagers, forced to grow up sooner than expected, try to send a message. “I just want to say stop making the weapons, please stop the weapons,” he writes Karim9 years old from Gaza. «When the war broke out we didn’t know what to do to avoid dying of hunger. I am very tired of those who produce weapons and of this life of mine”, she echoes Rebecca, 13 years old, from South Sudan.
These are just two of the many prayers written to those who produce bombs, machine guns and all military paraphernalia, so that we can stop. A long series of testimonies that have been collected in the volume Children’s letters to weapons manufacturersedited by Arnoldo Mosca Mondadori, Anna Pozzi and Cristina Castelli and will be released by Piemme-Il Battello a Vapore on 19 February.
The presentation of the book, during which some children from Milanese schools recited various letters written by their peers living through the war, was held on Saturday morning at theCatholic University of the Sacred Heart of Milan. Together with the authors of the volume, the rector of the University participated, Elena Beccalli, The Cardinal José Tolentino de MendonçaPrefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education e Don Paolo Alliata, Vicar of the Parish of Incoronata and writer. The book, as Beccalli underlines, «is a concrete way to touch the lives of these people with your hands and your heart. You should never combine the words children and guns in the same sentence. But unfortunately we have to do it without ignoring reality. Only with education and instruction can things truly change. Finally, it is worth highlighting that this is above all one of the last living legacies of Pope Francis».
In fact, the penultimate Holy Father had given his enthusiastic approval to the writing of the work, Arnoldo Mondadori’s idea. Who remembers: «This volume was born when I personally learned the story of Vito Alfieri Fontana, the former weapons manufacturer who changed his life after his son asked him if he was a murderer. I wrote to Pope Francis explaining the project to him and he approved. In his pontificate he always took a stand against all forms of violence and remembered how unfair it was that in today’s world money is earned with blood. We need to learn to understand how children think. Clean thoughts that teach us about life.”
Cardinal Tolentino instead proposed a reflection taking the example of both Pope Francis and his successor Pope Leo XIV, in a reasoning of continuity of thought between the two pontificates: «Francis said that children are teachers. And I also think that the little ones have enormous potential for wisdom that needs to be listened to. These children are witnesses of violence, war, poverty and especially educational inequality. The world needs nobility that arises from the hearts of man. And the voice of children is able to reach the heart of society. During his apostolic letter to the world of education, Pope Leo invites us to disarm words. Only by doing so can we make peace in our hearts.”
Finally, having heard the appeal that one of the authors, Anna Pozzi, wanted to address the many young students present at the University: «I hope the teachings of these children have reached you. The demonstration of their unimaginable strength and their still concrete life dreams. They have a disarming logic when they ask to stop waging war. I really hope that the new generations know how to oppose the logic of conflict by promoting authentic peace.”
