Pope Francis (File photo)
ROME – Pope Francis on Saturday received the 'It's Journalism' prize, Vatican sources told Ansa.
The prize was presented to the Pope in the Apostolic Palace during an audience with the delegation of the prestigious award founded by veteran Italian journalists Indro Montanelli, Enzo Biagi, Giorgio Bocca and Giancarlo Aneri in 1995.
"You must know that, even before I became Bishop of Rome, I used to refuse the offer of prizes," said the pope in receiving the award.
"I never received any, I didn't want them. And I have continued to do the same as Pope," he continued.
"But there is a reason that has led me to accept yours, and that is the urgent need for constructive communication, which favours the culture of encounter and not of confrontation; the culture of peace and not of war; the culture of openness to the other and not of prejudice," said Francis. (ANSA)
