The World - News from June 8, 1989

Pope John Paul II urged world leaders to take advantage of an emerging “moral awakening” to jointly combat international problems ranging from drugs and AIDS to poverty and pollution. The Pope, speaking to diplomats in Copenhagen on the seventh day of his trip to Scandinavia, said the 20th Century has brought war and “seemingly intractable sources of suffering,” including AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). “Yet many will agree that the world is living through a moment of extraordinary awakening,” he said. “The old problems remain and new ones arise, but there is also a growing awareness of an opportunity being offered to give birth to a new and better era.” The Pope will leave Denmark today for his final stop, Sweden.