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In a message to participants of the annual European House-Ambrosetti
Workshop, which gathers some 200 top managers, economists, and
politicians from around the world, he called for new models that
would be more inclusive and reduce social inequality.
He also urged "an ecological retooling" of the economy to save
the environment and reduce wasteful consumption.
"It (the pandemic) has called into question the scale of values
that sets money and power over all else," he said.
"It has toppled the shaky pillars that supported a certain model
of development," he said, adding that social and economic
uncertainties had made many people open their eyes to inequality
and environmental blight.
He said economics should be the expression of a society that
"refuses to sacrifice human dignity to the idols of finance
(and) uses financial resources not to dominate but to serve".
Francis, who has said any eventual COVID-19 vaccine must not be
hoarded by rich countries, is believed to be preparing an
encyclical letter - the highest form of papal writing - on what
he believes the post-pandemic world should look like.
The event, which takes place in the northern lakeside town of
Cernobbio each September, is Italy's version of the annual Davos
Economic Forum in Switzerland. This year, it is taking place
mostly virtually because of the pandemic.
Apart from a host of Italian ministers, participants include
French President Emmanuel Macron, 2016 U.S. presidential
candidate Hillary Clinton and former U.S. national security
advisor John Bolton.
(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Frances Kerry)
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