On Friday, September 25, 2015, the World Summit opened at the United Nations in New York City with a keynote address delivered by Pope Francis in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted by the member states later in the day.
“In this land, the various religious denominations have greatly contributed to building and strengthening society. It is important that today, as in the past, the voice of faith continue to be heard, for it is a voice of fraternity and love, which tries to bring out the best in each person and in each society. Such cooperation is a powerful resource in the battle to eliminate new global forms of slavery, born of grave injustices which can be overcome only through new policies and new forms of social consensus.”