Pope John Paul II Visits United Nations

His Holiness Pope John Paul II visited the United Nations today, at the invitation of Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, and addressed the General Assembly at 11 a.m. During his stay at the UN, the Pope met high Government leaders attending the General Assembly session. He was greeted by a group of children from the UN International School, dressed in national costumes, who sang "Let There be Peace on Earth." He gave a separate address to the staff of the UN Secretariat and spoke briefly to representatives of the press and to non-governmental organizations, as well as UN delegates and dignitaries. The visit of His Holiness is the third Papal visit to the UN. Pope John Paul II previously visited the UN on 2 October 1979, at the invitation of then Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim. The late Pope Paul VI visited the UN on 4 October 1965, at the invitation of then Secretary-General U Thant.
Children from the United Nations International School receive a blessing from His Holiness Pope John Paul II (centre, in white robe), in the Visitor's Lobby of the General Assembly Building, today. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali is standing second from left; Leila Boutros-Ghali is third from left.