“LIFE DOES NOT BELONG TO US”: MINISTER FLORES HERNÁNDEZ SPEAKS OF DIPLOMACY WITH A SOUL - Cristina Di Silvio - ETHICA SOCIETAS-Rivista di scienze umane e sociali

The ethics of care, from the climate crisis to humanitarian corridors, putting people at the center before interests

Abstract: Alberto Flores Hernández, US Minister to the UN, proposes a radical vision for international politics centered on human dignity. In an exclusive interview, he emphasizes how conflicts, climate crises, and forced migrations demonstrate that life is a good to be protected rather than managed at will. Hernández highlights the importance of humanitarian corridors, civilian protection, and concrete multilateral actions, even in the most complex geopolitical contexts like Ukraine, Yemen, and Ethiopia. The climate crisis is interpreted as a direct threat to life, requiring preventive interventions to reduce future conflicts. Diplomacy, according to the Minister, must integrate compassion, care, and the meaning of life, moving beyond simple strategic logic, educating new generations, and valuing collaboration among professionals on the ground. The key message is that a wise and lasting international policy must be a custodian of life, rather than a mere instrument of power.

Keywords: #AlbertoFloresHernández #UN #DiplomacyWithASoul #HumanDignity #HumanitarianCorridors #CivilianProtection #ClimateCrisis #ForcedMigration #InternationalConflicts #InternationalPolitics #Compassion #EducationForLife #GlobalSecurity #HumanRights #UNMediation #UkraineCrisis #YemenCrisis #EthiopiaCrisis #DiplomaticCollaboration #CultureOfCare #CristinaDiSilvio #EthicaSocietas #EthicaSocietasJournal #ScientificJournal #SocialSciences #ethicasocietasupli

Alberto Flores Hernández, Ph.D. Minister to the UN, Permanent Vice President Abroad and, concurrently, Member of the Senior Advisory Council of the Vietnam and World Foreign Affairs Agency (VWF). Global Advisory Council Member of the World Leaders Consortium. https://worldleadersconsortium.com/global-councils. LinkedIn Profile.

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A Diplomacy with a Soul: Life as a Strategic Imperative

While the world faces conflicts, climate crises, and forced migrations, Alberto Flores Hernández offers a radical yet profoundly concrete perspective: life is not our property, and international politics must place human dignity at its center.

From Concept to Diplomatic Practice

In an exclusive interview, Hernández emphasizes how global reality—from the war in Ukraine to the refugee crisis in the Sahel, passing through climate disasters and humanitarian emergencies in the Middle East—daily demonstrates that life is a gift to be protected, not a commodity to be managed at our leisure. “This means humanitarian corridors, civilian protection, and multilateral actions aimed at safeguarding those who risk being forgotten by strategic interests,” the Minister explains. “Diplomacy must have a soul.”

Diplomacy and Forgotten Conflicts

The Minister stresses that the protection of life must enter every negotiation, even when geopolitical interests diverge. “In Ukraine, we promote safe humanitarian corridors and assistance for civilians trapped in occupied territories. In Yemen and Ethiopia, we support UN initiatives for mediation and humanitarian protection, ensuring that aid reaches those who need it most, regardless of political contingencies.”

The Climate Crisis: A Human Problem Before a Political One

The climate crisis, Hernández warns, is one of the main drivers of forced migration and local conflicts. “Famines, droughts, floods, and desertification are forcing millions of people to migrate. Protecting life today means preventing future crises and armed conflicts tomorrow.”

He Who Seeks Death Shall Never Find It

The Minister cites the philosophical principle that he who seeks death shall never find it, reaffirming the importance of creating conditions that allow people to choose life: protection, inclusion, mental health, and education. “It is not just philosophy: it is concrete, life-saving policy.”

Building a Culture of Care

In a world obsessed with competition, profit, and numbers, Hernández argues that success should be measured in lives saved and communities protected. “Globally, care is as strategic as national security.”

Spirituality and Transcendence in the International Debate

It’s not about religion, the Minister clarifies, but about the meaning of life: without transcendence, life is reduced to consumption and death becomes seductive. “Safeguarded lives are not numbers, but families, communities, civilizations. Compassion is a practical guide for international policy.”

Educating for Life: A Global Priority

Refugees, survivors, activists: they all teach us one fundamental thing. “When you are close to the abyss, you discover that life is the only thing that matters. Educating for life means preparing new generations to resist, to respect, and to build just and resilient societies.”

Esteem and Collaboration: The Value of the Team

The interview closes with a personal touch. Hernández highlights the collaboration with Dr. Cristina Di Silvio, currently in Warsaw, acknowledging her value: “Working alongside Cristina over the years, sharing analysis and diplomatic strategies, has been a privilege. I greatly value her commitment, her expertise, and her ability to turn theory into concrete action. It is thanks to collaborators like her that diplomacy can truly be ‘with a soul’.” Di Silvio responds: “It is an honor to work by his side and contribute together to a more human and just world.”

A Warning for the 21st Century

Flores Hernández’s message is clear: accepting that life does not belong to us and understanding that he who seeks death shall never find it, represents the first step towards a wise, compassionate, and enduring diplomacy. An invitation to rethink international politics as the custodian of life, rather than an instrument of power.