Bernie Sanders is taking a break from campaigning to speak at the Vatican

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last updated 8 April 2016

As soon as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) wraps up his April 14 debate with Hillary Clinton in New York, he'll be jetting off to Rome. The Democratic presidential candidate plans to take a brief hiatus from the campaign trail days ahead of the New York primary to attend a conference on social, economic, and environmental issues hosted by the Vatican, where he's been invited to speak. Sanders says he is the "only American public official speaking at the gathering," The Washington Post reports.

"I am grateful to the Vatican for inviting me to talk about an issue that is very dear to my heart, which is how we create a moral economy that works for all of the people rather than just the top one percent," Sanders said. "I will also in my remarks be addressing the planetary crisis of climate change and the moral imperative to make sure we leave this planet in a way that is healthy and habitable for future generations."