United in the fight against poverty
At first glance, the pope and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg don't seem to have much in common. But the 32-year-old billionaire's philanthropic work alone provides common ground, which is why Pope Francis met with Zuckerberg for a private audience at the Vatican.
They discussed how communication technology could benefit the fight against poverty, the Vatican announced in Rome on Monday. During the 20-minute meeting, they also discussed how people could be encouraged to develop a "culture of encounter". The 79-year-old Pope is very media-savvy. He has a profile on Twitter and Instagram. However, the head of the Catholic Church does not have a Facebook account. The Pope also likes to use social networks in his speeches. He has already called the constant streaming of information via the internet "spiritual pollution". He always advises young people not to only communicate on Facebook and the like, but to meet in person. On the other hand, he always emphasizes the benefits of the new media.
Zuckerberg comes from a Jewish family and is one of the richest people in the world. His charitable commitment is likely to please the Pope, who is particularly concerned about the poor and disadvantaged: The American and his wife have promised to donate their entire Facebook stake during their lifetime. Zuckerberg also met the Italian head of government Matteo Renzi in Rome. He also wanted to speak to students at the University of Luiss. On his Facebook page, he also posted pictures of himself jogging in front of the Colosseum and attending the wedding of the founder of the music platform Spotify, Daniel Ek, on Lake Como. (SDA)
Photo: Keystone
