VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 26, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI has expressed the hope that women in the tourism industry can come to receive the respect they deserve.
The Pope said this in a message sent to the secretary-general of the World Tourism Organization, on the occasion of the 28th World Day of Tourism. The letter was sent in the Holy Father's name via his secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.
With the theme of "Tourism Opens the Door for Women," Cardinal Bertone said "the day is a felicitous and important opportunity to reflect on the various aspects of the issue, not only with regard to the complex reality of contemporary tourism but also the more general consideration of the acceptance in practice of the needs that derive from the dignity proper to women."
The cardinal noted that some 46% of the work force for the tourism industry is made up of women.
"These women have roles that differ but that nonetheless must never be in opposition to the dignity proper to every woman," he said.
However, Cardinal Bertone noted that despite the "massive and functional female presence," the problem of discrimination persists.
Gender roles
He affirmed: "The cause of this negative phenomenon is to be sought in the strong prejudices that nourish the endurance of stereotypes and of the traditional attribution of subordinate roles according to gender.
"And this is true everywhere, but particularly in those parts of the world where the moral, cultural and civil consideration of women relegates them to conditions of minority and pronounced injustice."
Still, the prelate noted, the phenomenon of tourism enables an "encounter of mindsets," which, he said, "increasingly internationalizes models of life and opens people to different customs. All this implies the possibility for positive developments."
Cardinal Bertone encouraged every tourist to "feel challenged in conscience by this responsible commitment to the safeguarding and promotion of women."
He added that only by overcoming "discrimination will it be possible to make tourism a trump card for appropriately combining the management of the tourist’s life with the guarantee of quality of life for the residents."
"In this way," the cardinal added, "tourism could become an authentic and shared enjoyment of leisure time and nature, the experience and practice of a hospitality suited to creating a culture of acceptance and the search for beauty, and wisdom with which the biblical and Christian tradition abounds."
ZE07092609 - 2007-09-26