The President of the Vatican’s Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Tiziano Onesti, has called on world religious and political leaders to build “a culture of care, a pact of solidarity that brings health and peace, starting with the most fragile: children.” The proposal was made at the VIII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, currently underway in Astana, Kazakhstan. A delegation from the Holy See’s hospital is attending the international interfaith forum at the invitation of Kazakhstan’s parliamentary institutions.
“There are universal needs, common to every human being—such as health and the necessity to be safe, free from suffering and fear—that transcend differences in culture and religion,” stated Onesti. From this conviction stems the proposal to “work together on a Charter of Principles for the holistic care of incurable children.” President Onesti explained that such a document would affirm the dignity of every child, even when a cure is no longer possible, and would promote a comprehensive approach to care—encompassing medical, educational, relational, spiritual, and social support. “It is our hope,” Onesti concluded, “that at the next edition of the Congress we can jointly present the Charter as a shared commitment and a sign of hope for the future.”
The hospital’s participation in the congress also served as an opportunity to visit the University Medical Center facilities. Following an initial 2022 agreement, Bambino Gesù signed a new letter of intent with the center. Key discussion points included a proposal to establish a national epilepsy reference center in Kazakhstan, modeled on the one at the Italian hospital, and to develop local expertise in advanced diagnostics, treatment, and research. The plans also include implementing training programs for Kazakh healthcare workers.
On the sidelines of the religious forum, the Bambino Gesù delegation met with the Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, and the Apostolic Nuncio to Kazakhstan, Archbishop George Panamthundil.