George Clooney was among a handful of Hollywood stars honoured by the Pope at a recent public appearance in Rome.
The actor and his human rights lawyer wife Amal Clooney attended the pontiff’s Un Muro o Ponte Seminary at Paul VI Hall during a trip to the Italian capital.
The event at the Vatican was held to promote the work of the Scholas Occurrentes foundation, an arts organization founded by Pope Francis to bring together children from different backgrounds, with the hope of achieving peace and understanding.
Druing the event the religious leader awarded medals to Clooney, Richard Gere, and Salma Hayek who have signed on to be ambassadors for one of the foundation’s art projects.
George is working together with the religious leader with his arts foundation, Scholas Occurrentes, an International Organization of Pontifical Right that connects technology with arts and sports, according to its website.
“This is a wonderful programme we are working on here,” he said in a speech to the Pope.
“Hatred…has to be taught. We aren’t born this way, we learn it.
“Inclusion is the only way we are going to make it.”
Hayek, who brought her daughter Valentina with her to meet the Pope, couldn’t contain her joy at the meeting.
“I can not love him more,” she wrote on Instagram. “When in Rome, speak with your hands. At least I made him laugh.”
