Vatican City (Fides Service) - "I encourage IFAD to continue its efforts to eliminate poverty and hunger, urging everyone to overcome obstacles which are fruit of particular interests, barriers and selfishness of all kinds. The anniversary celebration of the institution of the Fund should be an opportunity to confirm direct commitment, to be transformed in concrete actions, that makes every person feel responsible not for something, but for someone, that is man who asks for his daily bread". This is part of a message sent by Pope John Paul II to Mr Lennart Bage, President of IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishing of this United Nations department. The Papal message was carried by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican Secretary of State, who read the text to the assembly gathered on 19 February at the FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation headquarters in Rome. "The institution of IFAD as an agency of the United Nations system recalls that to eliminate hunger and malnutrition it is necessary to have an efficacious programme which favours the circulation of technology in the agricultural sector and the distribution of available funds - the message continues - The results of the work of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, although concentrated in the sector of agriculture and food supplies, are part of a comprehensive plan to fight poverty and they are accompanied by the conviction that this goal is a response to the millions of people who wonder about their hope for life" See message in Italian at www.fides.org. SL (Fides Service 20/2/2003 EM lines 24 Words: 314)