Salma Hayek Makes Pope Francis Laugh at Awards Ceremony With Hollywood Actors in Rome
Pope Francis met with and praised on Sunday top Hollywood actors George Clooney, Salma Hayek, and Richard Gere for their work toward a Vatican initiative aimed at helping poor communities.
Catholic News Agency reported that the actors were presented with the "Olive Medal" of peace award by the Scholas Occurentes initiative, which they helped promote.
Francis told the actors at Paul VI's Synod Hall that it is their responsibility to "help the world recover the language of gestures."
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The education initiative, founded in Argentina, the pontiff's home country, uses technology and sports to promote the integration of communities, and is aimed at helping lift people out of poverty. It has its headquarters in Vatican City, Argentina, Spain, Paraguay and Mozambique, and operates in 82 countries.
Francis warned that the "world is cruel," and encouraged virtues such as patience and tolerance.
"To build a new world, a better world, we must banish all kinds of cruelty. And war is cruel. But this kind of war more cruelly still rages because an innocent," he said, reflecting on the fight against poverty.
The actors agreed to serve as ambassadors for one of the foundation's arts projects, Reuters noted.
"Important values can be transmitted by celebrities," said one of the organizers, Lorena Bianchetti.
The Associated Press noted that Clooney attended the event with his wife, Amal, a human rights lawyer.
Hayek shared her impressions of meeting the pope on Instagram, noting that the Roman Catholic Church leader also greeted her young daughter.
"I cannot love him more," she wrote. "When in Rome, speak with your hands. At least I made him laugh."
Francis has teamed up with some of the world's most famous celebrities on a number of projects close to his heart, including actress and director Angelina Jolie, as well as actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio.
DiCaprio met with Francis at the Vatican back in January, where they exchanged environment-message gifts, looking to raise awareness for the fight against climate change.
DiCaprio was shown kissing the pope's ring during the encounter, and presented the Vatican leader with an art book from Dutch Renaissance painter Hieronymus Bosch, alongside a check for his charity.
DiCaprio later described his meeting with Francis as an "incredible honor."
"He's been inspiring and revolutionary, to come out and be outspoken about the issue of climate change and endorse the scientific community," DiCaprio said at the Screen Actors Guild awards in January.
