“All too much violence exists in the world and our societies”, said Pope Leo XIV today as he met the representatives of the movements and associations that launched the Arena of Peace in Verona a year ago: “Children and young people need to be able to experience the culture of life, dialogue, and mutual respect. Above all, they need the witness of men and women who embody a different and non-violent way of living”. The Pope encouraged the commitment “from below” of popular movements that “with the creativity and ingenuity born of a culture of peace” are “pursuing projects and activities at the concrete service of individuals and the common good”. “The path to peace demands hearts and minds trained in concern for others”, he explained, reaffirming that “the road to peace involves everyone and leads to the fostering of right relationships between all living beings”. “Whenever those who have suffered injustice and violence resist the temptation to seek revenge, they become the most credible agents of non-violent peacebuilding processes”, the Pontiff said: “Non-violence, as a method and a style, must distinguish our decisions, our relationships and our actions”.