Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERSVATICAN CITY, June 21 (Reuters) - Pope Francis met Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday and discussed a range of common concerns including peace, poverty, inequality and the environment, the Vatican said.
Underscoring this sentiment, the pope gave Lula a bronze sculpture with the inscription: "Peace is a fragile flower."
Pope Francis and Lula have both repeatedly called for a halt to the fighting and pitched their respective offices as potential peace brokers.
I think too few people are talking of peace," Lula told Corriere della Sera newspaper in an interview published on Wednesday.
Lula met a number of Italian leaders during his brief visit to Rome, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella.
Persons:
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Edgar Pena Parra, Pope Francis, Lula, Corriere, Jair Bolsonaro, Giorgia Meloni, Sergio Mattarella, Crispian Balmer, Andrew Cawthorne
Organizations:
General Affairs, State, Vatican, Handout, REUTERS VATICAN CITY, Corriere della Sera, Thomson
Locations:
Vatican's, Ukraine, Russia, Rome, Paris