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MAGNA CARTA OF VALUES FOR A NEW
CIVILIZATION
PREAMBLE
After two years of intense work on the topic,
"Towards a Magna Carta of Values for a New
Civilization," we, youth from 20 countries who
constitute the World Youth Parliament, present our
findings by means of this document to make our voice
heard, as well as to make known our personal commitment
to living out these values that we consider to be
fundamental for building a new civilization, a new
civilization which responds to our highest aspirations
and which reflects in its every structure the great
dignity of human beings, as well as their potential for
creating and restoring reality. Therefore, this document
gathers the conclusions of the work we have done. It
expresses some theoretical principles that we share
concerning the topics addressed, and voices various
commitments we have assumed in order to put into
practice the solutions we have found. We hope that all
those persons who identify with the principles and
commitments herein expressed, will join us in making
this their own this Magna Carta of Values, and we also
express our openness to all types of suggestions and
contributions which may enrich it.
_________________________
The masculine pronouns “he,” “his,” and “him,”, as well
as the words “man,”, “men,” and “mankind,” in reference
to the human being, the person, or the human race, are
intended to refer also to “she,” “her,” “hers,” and “men
and women.” These traditional terms have been chosen
strictly for the sake of aesthetic flow of the language
and denote no gender prejudice.
I THE HUMAN PERSON OPEN TO TRANSCENDENCE
The Human person is a subject open to more than
himself and open to "others.” He is always related to a
love that transcends him, that defines and constitutes
him. This relational nature places every person,
consciously or unconsciously, in possession of an ideal
and a model that governs his highest aspirations and
motivates his actions. From this foundation the person
enters into relationship with his peers, with whom he
constitutes a family, a society, and a civilization.
I. 1. Man’s love for God and his authentic vital
spiritual experience have always been motivation for the
development of civilization, with positive repercussions
in culture and in society. We understand that man’s true
love for God, as lived by Christ, necessarily includes
the love for all persons and excludes all forms of
fanaticism and egoism.
We are committed to
promoting and devoting time to developing the spiritual
life, both personal and communal, to find the best way
we could give purpose to our actions and what could be
our life.
I.2. Every person (from conception until death) is a
singular, irreplaceable being whose inviolable dignity
constitutes the foundation of undeniable rights such as
life, health, education and civil liberty, among others.
The death sentence, torture, abortion and any form of
violence go against this dignity of the person.
We commit ourselves to
promote dialogue and to defend the dignity of the
person, especially of the weak and innocent (unborn,
children, people with disabilities, aged, immigrants,
the poor etc.) to direct our steps towards a
civilization of love, promoting a culture of life and
not of death.
I. 3. There exists a moral conscience inscribed in
every human being from birth – independent of his
religious belief. For this reason he is able to
recognize and assume ethical behavior on both a personal
and a communal level. We reject all forms of moral
relativism.
We try to promote and to
deepen dialogue with persons of different beliefs and
cultures in order to share our vital experiences and to
promote the points that we have in common, avoiding all
forms of fanaticism and ideology that go against a
person’s integrity and/or commit an outrage against the
common good.
I.4. Authentic, vital living of love, and the
possession of transcendent values as referents, bring
people to behave more generously, giving them the
strength necessary to combat injustice and to withstand
the suffering that this struggle implies.
We recognize in the
person of Christ the model of generous love that always
acts to seek the maximum good of all people, accepting
the sacrifice implied by this commitment, knowing how to
forgive and to love others over and above one’s personal
interests, or to deny oneself legitimate goods for
others that are greater or that can be extended to other
persons.
I.5. The vital experience of spirituality is
reinforced when we join with other persons who are
trying to live out the same values.
We will seek to share our
vital experience of goodness and to promote the family
and communal dimension of spirituality.
II FAMILY
The family is an irreplaceable reference point
for the person and the community, because it is where
human beings first experience love and self-giving, in
married love and in the generation and care of children.
This is why the family is the “cell” of society, the
rock on which all individualistic or collective
ideologies are defeated.
II.1. The family is the environment where the person
begins to develop and grow. A previous reflection and
commitment are required in order to constitute a family
in a responsible manner, which involves giving and
receiving love, formation and affection among all the
members..
We commit ourselves to
seek to maintain in our families relationships of trust,
love, affection, attentiveness and mutual help, so that
all the members feel edified and supported by one
another. It is also necessary to transmit affection to
one another, not just taking it for granted, but
expressing it concretely.
II. 2. It is important that the family be founded on
the marriage of one man and one woman, with children and
members of different ages who share their lives, giving
each one the respect which he or she deserves.
We commit ourselves to
value all the members of our families in every
situation, giving them honour and demonstrating an
attitude of service or mutual support.
II. 3. The relationships among all the members of the
family must be marked by an authentic love, overcoming
the generation gap and possible personal interests.
We commit ourselves to
avoid allowing any member of the family to be considered
an instrument for satisfying the needs or interests of
others. We will seek to relate with each other with a
true sentiment of gratitude, making a determined effort
to live in solidarity, admitting our mistakes and being
empathetic and cooperative.
II. 4. It is worthwhile to struggle for the unity and
solidarity of the family, avoiding any kind of
separation. The relationships within the realm of the
family should always be promoted so that the bond among
the members may be strong and not broken.
We commit ourselves to
defend fidelity and unity, to practice forgiveness and
self-denial as ways of solving conflicts. This does not
mean we should not try to educate people and help them
to change anything in their behavior that could be
harmful to a healthy shared life. We will seek to
dedicate time to our families without allowing our
professional work or other areas of life to cause a
deterioration in our communication, dialogue, or the
friendship among the members.
II. 5. Keeping in mind God and spirituality in family
life strengthens the family to be able to handle the
difficulties of life.
We commit ourselves to
live spiritual values that govern our family
relationships in such a way as to increase our love,
solve our problems and do good for others.
II. 6. All the members of the family should be
treated equally and should have the same opportunities,
especially concerning education, decision making,
freedom and justice, respecting their individualities
and needs.
We commit ourselves to
love, respect and become tolerant with each of the
members of the family, whatever our sex, age or
intellectual skills are.
III INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
How we treat one another is an indicator of the
quality of all levels of human relationships. We
construct a true civilization according to the way we
treat one another. Human passions are often the causes
of social injustice.
III.1. Friendship greatly affects society. Although
our personal relationships can be more intense and
intimate with some people, an authentic civilization is
founded on being open to all human beings, bound
together as brothers and sisters, in spite of
differences.
We commit ourselves to
practice friendship in a generous and unbiased way, and
to love others for who they are and not for who we would
like them to be, without discrimination or prejudices,
with respect and trust commit ourselves to seek unity,
empowering communication and dialogue in all areas.
III. 2.Forgiving offenses helps to reconstruct
relationships when they are lost, between the one who
forgives and the one who offends.
We commit ourselves to
promote a culture of forgiveness as a solution to a
great deal of problems, not only in personal
relationships but also en societal and judicial realms,
knowing that forgiveness demands repentance, authentic
effort and sacrifice to change our attitudes and
behaviors.
III. 3. It is necessary to defend the priority of the
value of human relationships, made possible by God, with
respect to other types of good (economic, material,
etc.).
We intend to make good
use of time in order to grow in our lives and in
relationship with God and others, without allowing the
rush, our eagerness, and the need to be effective and
productive to eat away at human relationships.
III.4. Placing God at the center of our lives is a
sign of humility based on love.
We commit ourselves to
practice the value of humility in each of the
relationships that we establish daily with all those who
surround us, with sincere love in the image and likeness
of that which God offers each of us.
IV SOCIETYSociety is a set of human
relationships and of cultural and associative resources,
based on common values and ideals that preserve a
relative autonomy and independence with regard to the
widest forms of collective existence. The whole life of
a person does not develop within a family or a political
society; rather there is a whole series of intermediate
links – from simple friendships to the most complex
group or communal relationship – that can constitute the
"connective fiber" of society, if they are truly
characterized by the accomplishment of human fellowship.
IV. 1. The engine of personal and social history is
the love that is reflected in values and virtues such as
fellowship, solidarity and taking care of others, which
help us to grow integrally.
We want to promote the
dignity of those who are most in need, through the
exercise of solidarity, becoming conscious that we are
all responsible for everyone.
IV. 2. Effort and personal change are two key aspects
of the progress of a civilization.
We commit ourselves to
promote to establish the most important values and
virtues, without allowing ourselves to be overwhelmed by
fears, difficulties, lack of hope and motivation. We are
against to seek pleasure for the sake of pleasure, to
want results without sacrifice. We consider that
authentic achievements in life imply personal and
communal effort.
IV. 3. Differences of gender, origins, ethnic groups,
color, beliefs, opinions, languages and cultures are a
potential source of wealth.
We commit ourselves to
respect differences and to take an interest in getting
to know one another, without considering them to be an
obstacle to coexistence.
IV. 4. Every person has the right to integral health
care, so that he or she will not be abandoned or
marginalized.
We wish to promote health
care and treatment or therapy that truly respects the
dignity of the human being and his physical,
psychological and spiritual welfare.
IV.5. The role of society is to promote a peaceful
culture and collaboration, through the active
participation of the greatest possible number of people
under the bond of love.
We want to recognize that
society is indispensable in the management of social
conflicts (local, national, international) through
non-violent methods with the aim of finding a social
justice and equity.
IV. 6. Sports, the arts and culture are vital areas
where we offer others the gifts that we have received
and where we develop as persons.
We commit ourselves to
make creative use of our abilities so as to make others
happy, giving the best of ourselves with honesty and
authenticity.
V POLITICS
Man is marked by the need for communion with
others so as to create a broader community where
everyone can contribute to the common good and benefit
from it; a superior good to which everyone can achieve
individually. The nature of the common good, which is
first of all “a relational good” and one of communion,
requires broad participation, one that is free and
responsible, by the people in the community; and an
authority capable of unifying and directing the energies
of everyone, not despotically, but rather with an
authentic spirit of service.
V. 1. Political authority, in all its manifestations,
should be based on an authentic spirit of service, and
moral authority.
We commit ourselves to
exercising our tasks in society in a way that always
protects the good of others with a true spirit of
responsibility.
We also believe that it
is just to be grateful for the good use of power,
especially when it implies a difficult and
little-appreciated service.
V. 2. Since the political society belongs to
everyone, although some have been elected as
administrators, everyone has the right to participate in
collective decisions. On the other hand, participation
is also a duty: insofar as it is possible, we must take
part in the life of the community with a sense of
responsibility.
We commit ourselves to be
agents of positive change in the environments where we
live, not limiting ourselves to criticism, but rather
proposing constructive solutions in every sphere.
We aim to promote an
internal democracy within the political organizations
that favors opportunities for growth among young persons
based on their performance.
We will make an effort to
create room for authentic participation and promote
shared responsibility in everything that concerns common
life. In this sense, we value democracy as the most
participatory form of government.
V. 3. Institutions cannot be an end in and of
themselves, but rather they must be oriented towards
achieving the common good respecting and promoting
essential human values, always linked to a moral
responsibility and to service to the community.
We believe that politics,
more than a profession, is an expression of love for
service dedicated to others.
We believe that political
entities should not invade a person’s or a community’s
freedom, but rather function from the perspective of the
principle of subsidiarity.
VI WORK
Work is not only an inescapable activity, which
seeks to ensure the survival of the human being, but
brings to life a world of personal and social
relationships that affect the welfare of all and the
growth of each individual in a personal way.
VI. 1. Work promotes the
dignity of human beings and their integration into
society.
We
will seek, whenever possible, to provide people access
to a dignified job in accordance with their abilities
and needs.
VI.2. Work is not only a
service, it is a gift that enriches fellowship. Work is
not a good for trading, but should guarantee the right
to a proper compensation.
We
seek to foster in the workplace a sense of gratitude
towards people who do their work, even though they are
paid to do so, as the value of the person and his
activity cannot be measured by how much s/he earns or
the position s/he holds.
VI.3. Work is a service,
so that everyone—not just my family and I—may have
access to necessary goods.
We
commit ourselves to promote a spirit of service in our
working environment, avoiding an individualistic point
of view. We reject the pursuit of professional growth at
the expense of others.
VI.4. Work is
collaboration. It is not possible to achieve
authentically positive results if we do not work as a
team and share our skills, capabilities and objectives.
We
commit ourselves to promote positive interpersonal
relations in the workplace - given that we share with
our colleagues as much time or more than we do with our
families - emphasizing companionship over repetitive
work and routines, or all-out competition.
VI.5. Work cannot be the
reason of our life. Many times we allow ourselves to be
carried away by incessant activity and we are
overwhelmed by problems that arise, by the things we
must do and the projects to complete.
We
want to live and promote an authentically human vision
of work that will not prevent us from realizing our
deepest vocation; enjoyment of the here and now, the
beauty of our surroundings, and the people with whom we
share our lives.
VII ECONOMIC
RELATIONS
The world of the
economy is composed of a series of personal
relationships with the immediate objective --not the
final goal-- of the exchange of goods. It is true that
an economic relationship has its own specific structure
and values, but it remains primarily a form of
interpersonal relationship.
VII.1. The goods we
possess are for sharing with others, not for enjoying
them selfishly according to a materialistic and
consumeristic view of life.
We
commit ourselves to the correct, social, and ethical use
of our material goods and according to a set of values
that link us socially and jointly, without prejudice to
economic development.
VII.2. We must link
economic growth with human development: There is no real
economic growth if it harms human relationships.
We
favor the diffusion of new evaluation criteria
(environmental, social, etc.) that connect economic
growth with human growth; and the creation of economic
entities which aspire not only to the production of
material goods, which not only aspire to produce
material goods, but also promote and benefit
interpersonal relationships.
VII. 3. Extreme poverty
and excessive consumption, due to the poor distribution
of wealth and the inequality of opportunities are an
injustice. Love of neighbor leads to examination of our
own levels of consumption, and material possessions, and
to measure our own needs with the needs of others.
We
will be conscious that everything has its cost and that
the cost may be very high and result in harm to other
persons, and thus we will be able to defend and promote
solidarity and fraternity, honestly considering the
dignity of persons and human relations above money or
economic relations.
VII. 4. Solidarity and
fraternity lead us to seek new creative avenues for
corporate life and the production of material goods.
We
want to work for a re-imagining of life in service-based
enterprises towards the common good, new forms of aid
distribution, the reciprocity of hospitality, and
creative responsibility and participation by all.
VII.5. It is a common
misconception that one's wealth is dependent on the
poverty of others, or that in business one cannot
practice ethics and values.
We
pledge to promote the bond of communion and trust among
people, and not cutthroat competition, as the engine of
the economy, in respect for ethics and human values.
VIII EDUCATIONAL RELATIONS
Education is the relationship that seeks the
integral formation of the person, as a function of his
or her ultimate vocation and the good of the family and
of society. It gives persons the tools and skills needed
to impact positively on their own lives, that of others
and society in general.
VIII.1. The education of the person must not be
reductive or segmented, but integral, to include the
care and respect for all dimensions of the human being
(physical, psychological and spiritual).
We pledge that our
educational actions will always be focused on support
and enhancement of the capabilities of others in order
to meet their personal aspirations to perfect
themselves.
VIII.2. Education, above all, has to develop the
person’s ecstasy, i.e., his ability to go beyond himself
and to relate with others.
We commit ourselves
always to make generosity the means and the goal of our
actions in education, and we are convinced that in this
respect, the good example of the educator is always very
effective, even more so than his words and the
discipline that he teaches.
VIII.3. Formal education is a right and must be
guaranteed, without any type of discrimination.
We
pledge to promote real access to enrollment in schools
for children and young people, especially for the most
unprotected of society. Moreover, we will support
efforts to alleviate the lack of education wherever it
is found among of adults.
We pledge to guarantee an
education that is humanistic, scientific and
characterized by solidarity. We are aware that by
educating the children of today, we prevent
discrimination against the men of tomorrow.
VIII.4. Educating is the duty of families, schools
and society in general. Adults who are models and serve
as referents to children deserve gratitude and respect
for their effort, which is an authentic exercise of
generous love.
We commit ourselves to
the proper appreciation of education and to action with
a true sense of responsibility, with a sense of true
self-giving and gratitude, each one accepting the task
that corresponds to him with authentic self-giving and
gratitude, and without usurping the indispensable role
of the family.
VIII.5. A person’s studies must serve as formation
and orientation in fundamental values, not just prepare
him to use technologies and to fulfill the material
needs of society. This is why each person has to choose
a major from the perspective of his true vocation.
We will seek the proper
balance between humanistic and scientific-technological
studies, and promote academic research focused on the
solutions to problems that affect the human being,
taking care of and evaluating the person’s formation and
not only his knowledge, helping him to discover his
authentic personal and social vocation.
VIII.6. Excessive competition in academics can affect
the spirit of education, leading students to value only
their individual performance and feel the need to be
always at the head of the class.
We desire to promote
cooperation and team spirit in academics, which in the
long run will benefit all.
VIII.7. Every person has a different pace, style and
facility for learning; some experience personal
difficulties that may lead to discouragement and to
quitting school or work.
We pledge to change the
competitive person into the person who unites with
others, helping anyone who experiences difficulties in
academic life or in other areas, lending a hand to
continue striving to reach their goals.
VIII.8. Christ elevated to a supreme degree the
generosity of all the great teachers, laying down His
life for His disciples. His vision of the human person
merits consideration as an authentic program of life
that allows us a deep and confident relationship with
our neighbor.
In our educational work,
we commit ourselves to living the attitudes of the
person of Christ. We value every effort to study and to
delve into His thought, just as is done with all
thinkers who have enriched mankind.
IX COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
Communication (come together), in the
multiplicity of its forms, is reciprocal action that has
its beginning and its end in the communion between
people (as evidenced by its root, composed of "cum" -
together - and "munus" - obligation, debt, gift).
Information technology, use of mass media, internet,
social networks, mobile communication and advertising
are fundamental issues.
IX. 1. Information requires truthfulness and
transparency at all levels to counter any type of
manipulation and instrumentalization.
We commit ourselves to
seek truth in every form of communication, avoiding
lying and selfishness. We believe that truth, on the
other hand, must always be joined to charity, not only
in content but also in how we express ourselves.
IX. 2. Giving and receiving information is an
obligation—one cannot conceal news to influence the
opinions and decisions of others—and a human
right—everyone is entitled to express his or her
opinion, with mutual respect.
We pledge to defend
freedom of speech and opinion, provided there is respect
for others, without yielding to the temptation to
control information and consciences, dictated by the
desire for power.
IX.3. The media, very important tools for human
development, must be accessible to guaranteeing the
existence of different points of view marked by ethics.
We are committed to
promoting the responsible administration of the
technological means at our disposal, so as to make them
accessible to all and able to fulfill their function of
building relationships, and positively cultivating
people not creating barriers and divisions.
IX. 4. Some aspects of the use of television,
computers, phones and the internet harm our quality of
life. We think we control these media, but in reality
they often imprison us within a context of empty and
superficial messages.
We commit ourselves to
responsible and critical use of communications media,
not allowing them to enslave us, but letting them truly
serve our personal and social goals.
X ENVIRONMENT
Nature is indispensable for human life, and must
be protected and cared for responsibly, maintained and
restored so that future generations may enjoy it.
X. 1. It is essential to take care of nature,
avoiding waste and reckless exploitation of its
resources.
We are committed to
protecting the environment through the wise use of
natural resources and taking advantage of all available
means so that our actions may promote sustainability.
X. 2. All of us have the right to live in a clean and
healthy place; moreover, we have the obligation to
promote it.
We are committed to
preventing the pollution of ecosystems, properly
managing the waste we generate, and being advocates for
a healthy environment for all.
X. 3. Agreement is needed between the political and
economic forces of all countries to promote sustainable
development, that we use our potential without putting
the wellbeing of our planet at risk.
We propose to seek
suitable solutions that guarantee a sustainable and
equitable development to benefit the planet.
X. 4. Much of the damage that man inflicts against
nature is caused by an overuse of resources.
We commit ourselves to
avoid overuse of resources and to promote a culture of
respect for the environment through dialogue and
communication.
X. 5. All living creatures deserve respect.
We assume the
responsibility of respecting living creatures and to
promote their defense.
New York, Friday August 13th
Conclusion
We feel satisfaction and immense gratitude for the
fact that this Magna Carta has been unveiled at the
United Nations Headquarters thirty years after this
distinguished institution heard the voice of the Founder
of Idente Youth, Fernando Rielo Pardal.
This text will always be alive, with a labor of
continuous reflection and study. We hope that many
generations of young persons will contribute the wealth
of their experience and sensitivity to these lines that
are born today like a cry of hope from whose who are
also the hope of the world.
The Scientific Committee - WYP
Published by
Lombar Key srl,
Bologna Italy October 2010
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