VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has said that everyone has the right to work, adding that a job should not be a gift reserved for those who can benefit from nepotism.

  The pontiff made these remarks during a private audience for groups of the Policoro Project set up by the Italian bishops' conference 20 years ago to promote youth employment.

  "Work is not a gift kindly given to a few people with the right connections," Francis said.

  "What does a young unemployed person do? He falls down, and gets sick.”

  “The young people of today are victims of unemployment, some of them have already stopped looking for work and they are resigned to continued rejection or indifference from a society that rewards the usual privileged, who are corrupt”, said the pontiff. 

  “My request is to continue to promote initiatives of youth involvement in the community.”

   The pope also appreciated the fundamental goals of the Policoro Project, "a major initiative to promote youth, a real opportunity for local development on a national level.”

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