Statement by H.E. Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva at the 62nd Regular Session of the Human Rights Council
Item 3: Interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity
Geneva, 17 June 2026
Mr. Chair,
The Independent Expert’s Report on Peace and international solidarity highlights the importance of prioritizing peaceful dispute resolutions over militarization and division, as inscribed in Article 2(3) and 33 of the UN Charter.
As the Report rightly notes, today the increase in conflicts is marked by a concurrent reduction in development financing, as well as cuts to health, education, and other social sectors budgets.[1] Unfortunately, the real cost of this falls on the poorest and those in need.
To build peace, it is urgent to move from “the ‘culture of power’ to a genuine ‘culture of negotiation’”[2] grounded in solidarity and in the recognition that our neighbour is not first an enemy, but a fellow human being. Fraternity and social friendship must therefore lie at the heart of any just relationship between peoples.
Mr. Chair,
The Independent Expert’s Report registers “a trend of disinformation on social media and in political discourse that perpetuates the ‘othering’ of persons of different religions [or] ethnicities […] increasing the risk of incitement to discrimination and/or violence”,[3] and endangering peace and solidarity.
As Pope Leo writes, “Disinformation did not begin with AI, yet today it finds a powerful amplifier in AI. The ability to manipulate content, images and videos exposes people to biased or misleading perspectives. […] The search for truth is an essential element of democracy, which is itself a means of contributing to the common good.”[4]
Thank you, Mr. Chair.