Bono calls for 'world without hunger' in Milan Expo message

U2 frontman 'inspired' by Pope Francis, asks 'who isn't?'

U2 frontman and humanitarian activist Bono Vox on Thursday appealed for a "world without hunger" in a video message shown at the pavilion of the Italian farmers' group Coldiretti at Milan Expo.

    In the statement, broadcast during the presentation of the book Terra e Cibo (Earth and Food) by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Bono said he wanted to work with Pope Francis in defence of the poor and vulnerable. 

"Give this humble message to Pope Francis, of whom I am a great fan - and who isn't?' Bono said. 

"Pope Francis, your solidarity with the most vulnerable people has truly inspired me and many of us beyond words, beyond music, and we want to work with you on this," he continued.

    Bono also appealed for unity among peoples "like a human family".

    "Left and right together, rich and poor. All peoples, all religions," he said.

    "Together we can build a human family with food for everyone, in support of the renewed Jubilee to which his holiness Pope Francis has called." 

Bono recalled how the Church played a central role in the Jubilee 2000 campaign for debt cancellation, which led ultimately to the cancellation of over 100 billion dollars of debt owed by the world's poorest countries. 

"The alliance between the music and faith communities was truly special," he said. That campaign "succeeded in creating a bigger movement, a sort of non-partisan transatlantic group that went beyond the cancellation of debt to call for better and more effective aid for the world's poorest people," he said. Bono concluded by calling on world leaders to "defeat corruption" in order to ensure greater funds for aid to poor countries.

    "Only a third of aid reaches the poorest nations and corruption drains these scant funds, food and medicine for the world's poorest people," he said.

    "If we can find the money to strengthen the world's poorest, especially women and children, things will really change. Our entire dignity is at stake," Bono concluded.

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