Pope Francis set to bring his message to world leaders at UN

From the world stage of the United Nations to an inner-city school, Pope Francis is emphasising themes that have shaped his popular papacy as he packs in encounters with the powerful and the poor in New York City.
His agenda for today reflects both his global stature and his of-the-people approach, while taking him from the solemnity of ground zero to the struggles of East Harlem.
It includes events as large as a processional drive through Central Park, as personal as meeting schoolchildren and immigrants, and as inspiring for the faithful as Mass for thousands in the Madison Square Garden arena.

Francis, who yesterday became the first pope to address a joint session of the US Congress, is now set to speak to world leaders gathered for a UN General Assembly summit to adopt new global goals to fight poverty and preserve the environment.
The Vatican has said Francis is expected to discuss the need for peace, the plight of refugees and the role of poverty and bad government in driving conflict and migration.
But inequality, poverty, the environment and religious persecution may also be among the issues he highlights for the international audience.

Francis has exhorted wealthy countries to "open doors" to migrants seeking better lives, a message that resounded in yesterday's speech to a rapt Congress.

He also touched on the conflicts that have sparked the greatest refugee crisis since World War II and, in some places, have spurred killings of Christians and other religious minorities by Islamic extremists.
The pontiff has expressed deep concern about those killings, but he cautioned in his speech to Congress that the world must be thoughtful about how it responds to extremism.
Francis is also scheduled to confer with UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon today and meet with UN officials and staffers.
While his visit marks the fifth time a pope has been to the United Nations, the Vatican's gold-and-white flag will be raised for the first time just before his arrival.

The General Assembly recently agreed to allow the UN's two observer states, the Holy See and Palestine, to fly their flags alongside those of the 193 member states.
The pope will head next to the 9/11 memorial, where two waterfall pools mark the outlines of the World Trade Centre's twin towers before they were felled by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
He's expected to meet relatives of some of the nearly 3,000 victims before heading belowground to the National September 11 Museum for an interfaith service.