The Seed Funding Program (SFP) seeks to support and encourage meaningful and promising initiatives in different parts of the world for the establishment of local and/or national ecological plans within Focolare communities. Its aim is to transform personal and community lifestyles so as to foster sustainable relationships between people and the planet through ecological and sustainable projects.
With its first launch in 2021–2022, the programme has already funded 15 projects in countries in four continents. Hundreds of young people submitted proposals for the 2025–2026 round. Of these, ten projects were selected: five will be developed in Africa, three in South America, one in the Middle East and one in Asia. For more information on the projects click here.
The Focolare and the environment
Inspired by the example of Pope Francis and encouraged to continue by Pope Leo and other religious leaders for the protection of our common home, the Focolare Movement has also decided, through the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, to develop its own EcoPlan with the goal of amplifying, connecting and expanding environmental work within the Movement. In this context, and with the sponsorship of FaithInvest and Mundell & Associates, the micro-financing initiative of the Seed Funding Program was created, promoted by the New Humanity NGO and carried out in collaboration with United World Community and EcoOne, two networks linked to the Focolare, which are committed to promoting environmental awareness and action through dialogue, education, and personal engagement.
The founder of the Focolare Movement, Chiara Lubich, believed that by addressing local challenges we cultivate the moral responsibility to face global ones. In 1990, in a letter to Rev. Nikkyo Niwano, President of Rissho Kosei-kai (Tokyo), she wrote: “By now, it has been demonstrated by many serious scientific studies that there is no shortage of technical or economic resources to improve the environment. What is missing is that additional measure of soul, that new love for humanity, which makes us all feel responsible for one another in the common effort to manage the earth’s resources intelligently, justly and with moderation. Let us not forget that God the Creator entrusted the earth to all human beings—not to one nation alone, nor to one group of people.”
From 28th-30th November, the“Restarting the economy”event will take place at the Mariapolis Centre in Castel Gandolfo (Rome, Italy), promoted by The Economy of Francis Foundation (EoF) with the support of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
It is the first time that the EoF Global Event is taking place far from its birthplace in Assisi and without the presence of Pope Francis. , President of the Foundation, views this as a positive evolution: “This is not a sign of distance, but an expansion of our mission. The spirit of Assisi is coming closer to Rome and to the Holy Father, to continue inspiring an economy committed to humanity and creation.” Msgr. Domenico Sorrentino , President of the Foundation, views this as a positive evolution: “This is not a sign of distance, but an expansion of our mission. The spirit of Assisi is coming closer to Rome and to the Holy Father, to continue inspiring an economy committed to humanity and creation.”
The EoF meeting in Assisi, September 2022
Over 600 young people, primarily women, representing 66 countries will attend and will include 80 second level students, alongside seasoned economists, philosophers, entrepreneurs, theologians, artists, and policy makers.
Is, “a sign that the commitment of young people to transform the economy is vibrant and full of potential for the future”, said prof. Luigino Bruni , Vice President of the Foundation and the original architect of the initiative. Then he explained the deeper significance of the theme: “‘Restarting the Economy’ is the EoF’s version of the Jubilee: a return to the original biblical sense with the liberation of today’s slaves (dependencies, usury, miseries), the remission of debts (touching upon the great theme of finance, both good and bad) and the restitution of land (addressing ecology, justice, and the critical challenges facing the Amazon, Africa, and our cities).”
During the event, the 2025 EoF Fraternity Report will be presented. It is the result of work carried out this year and is intended to be published annually: a measurement of the state of fraternity in the world, a concept dear to St. Francis and to Pope Francis. Paolo Santori, Chairman of the Foundation’s Scientific Committee, told us, “The report highlights how fraternity, a moral and social pillar, is also a decisive but still unmeasured economic component. Developing an innovative indicator based on international data, the study analyses the degree of fraternity within and between global economies (…) and invites us to rethink development, cooperation and collective well-being.”
The Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has accompanied the Economy of Francesco from the beginning, recognizing a strong harmony with its mission. Father Avelino Chicoma Bundo Chico, S.J., Head of Office of the Dicastery noted that, “Values such as the centrality of the person, social and ecological justice, solidarity, inclusion and cooperation represent a common ground on which a respectful accompaniment of the movement’s autonomy has been developed, all while supporting its growth and initiatives in recent years.”
Presentation of the event in the Vatican Press Room. From left: Luca Iacovone, Luigino Bruni, Monsignor Domenico Sorrentino, Rita Sacramento Monteiro, Father Avelino Chicoma Bundo Chico and Cristiane Murray .
According to Rita Sacramento Monteiro and Luca Iacovone of the event staff, the program at Castel Gandolfo “will be divided into plenaries featuring international guests such as Sabine Alkire, Jennifer Nedelsky, Paolo Benanti, Massimo Mercati and Stefano Zamagni; thematic workshops; spiritual and creative moments and the EoF Fair, a large exhibition of projects and experiences from within the EoF movement. Particular emphasis will be given to two dedicated sessions: Prophetic Voices for a New Economy, in which young people from different backgrounds will recount experiences of change already underway and Extraordinary Ideas for the Economy of Francesco, a review of short inputs giving voice to business ideas, social initiatives and innovative research, selected through international calls.
The 80th anniversary of the United Nations offered the opportunity to hold an international event in Nairobi, entitled “Cities, Communities, Care-Youth in Action for Sustaining Peace”. The conference gathered many young Africans and representatives from all over the world, protagonists of a renewed momentum towards the construction of peaceful and resilient societies, capable of shaping the future of the African continent, with the vision of a united world at heart.
The high point was the presentation of the “Charter of Commitments”, a document promoting peace through intercultural dialogue, artistic initiatives and community programmes, recognising young people as key “peace influencers” and agents of change. At the heart of the vision presented is the adoption of the values of ubuntu, the African philosophy that calls for sharing and reciprocity, as the foundations of a caring society. Young people encourage the United Nations and the African Union and appreciate their role in supporting and collaborating with local governments, civil society actors, religious institutions and youth organizations, in promoting solidarity, justice and equality, both locally and globally. The Charter advocates concrete actions for more welcoming cities, sustainable development, new impetus for youth entrepreneurship and a new African vision, free from borders and barriers. It stresses the urgency of greater inclusion, training and youth participation in decision-making, at all levels.
This appeal comes at the end of the event organized by New Humanity, the NGO of the Focolare Movement. It took place in the Mariapolis Piero in Nairobi. Partners included: UN Habitat (the UN agency for urban development), UNEP (the United Nations environment agency), the Laudato Sì Movement in Africa, Greening Africa Together, Living Peace International, Africa Interfaith Youth Network, International Sociological Association, ASCES University Center of Caruarù in Brazil and all the social, political and cultural expressions of the Focolare Movement.
Peace, Urban Development, Environment and Leadership of Communion
According to the youth leaders gathered in Nairobi, this new perspective can only be achieved through the creation of permanent mechanisms of collaboration both locally and internationally – a true effort of building and consolidating networks. The event saw the participation of thirty international speakers, eight round tables, six live link-ups and eight video testimonials, from cities of five continents, with a constant focus on dialogue with young people. The topics addressed touched on peace, urban development, care for the environment and new forms of leadership of communion.
Greetings
The conference was opened by video messages from Felipe Paullier, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs and Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement. Paullier, after recalling that Nairobi is one of the three main headquarters of the United Nations, said that “every war is a defeat for humanity, a failure of dialogue. Young people are not only victims of today’s crises: they are creators, leaders and builders of peace”. And, he added, there are more than 2 billion young people “ready to be equal partners in the construction of our common future”. A clear message for everyone: relying on a generation that “resists hatred, rejects indifference and chooses peace as a daily responsibility”, it is possible to start from cities and communities, because it is “in neighbourhoods, schools, places of worship and local communities that cooperation becomes tangible”.
Margaret Karram ha voluto ricordare l’iniziativa, ormai decennale, di formazione ad una leadership di comunione che è stata avviata dall’Istituto Universitario Sophia e dal Movimento Politico per l’Unità con il programma “Together for a New Africa”. Il percorso, nel suo ultimo ciclo triennale, ha impegnato 140 giovani di 14 Paesi africani, accanto a tutors e docenti, che nei giorni che hanno preceduto il Convegno hanno tenuto la loro Summer School annuale in modalità ibrida, per raccogliere e discutere gli esiti delle loro azioni locali. Altro programma ricordato dalla Presidente dei Focolari, che raccoglie da un anno 150 giovani di 60 Paesi del mondo, attivi in ambito politico e nella società civile, è “One Humanity, One Planet: Synodal Leadership”. Giovani “che si formano e lavorano per attuare buone politiche e generare impatto sociale, con una visione ispirata alla cultura dell’unità.”
These are perspectives that define the commitment of the entire Focolare Movement, already “culminated in the document ‘Together To Care’ delivered to the UN a year ago”, explained the President, drawing on “initiatives such as Living Peace, which involves over 2 million young people worldwide”; together with “AMU with almost 900 cooperation projects, they testify to a concrete and widespread commitment”. In this context, she welcomed the effort to “shape a common path with which to redefine urban life, enhancing and strengthening social ties” adding: “African cultures have a lot to teach us about this important aspect”. Her invitation to rediscover in the heart of cities “communities of solidarity and reconciliation not perceptible to the human eye”: “‘invisible cities’ that in their smallness, day after day, contribute to building a world network of peace and that show that another world is possible” was striking. She concluded by emphasizing reciprocity as the key to change, which Chiara Lubich had already highlighted in 1997 at the UN Glass Palace: “reciprocity is a goal that can bring us closer, help us grow, that can become a reality when we take the first step towards the other, whoever they may be and whatever their beliefs, to understand their reasons, to seek a connection and to establish a relationship.”
Africa’s Challenges and UN Habitat’s contribution
Among the guests, Christelle Lahoud of UN-Habitat stressed that Africa, the continent with the youngest and fastest urbanizing population, represents both a crisis and an opportunity. Peacebuilding is strengthened when young people can actively participate in decision-making processes, contributing to the creation of safe and inclusive urban spaces. With an urban population estimated to reach 70% globally by 2050, cities are called upon to respond to growing challenges, including inequalities, forced migration, and climate emergencies, which put pressure on social cohesion and resources.
Lahoud highlighted how young people are already playing a leading role in the co-creation of more resilient urban spaces by assessing risks, collecting data and influencing local policies, collaborating with administrations and authorities to shape cities that reflect the real needs of communities. Cities, therefore, become a reflection of how societies live together, build trust across generations and pursue collective well-being, in tune with the ubuntu philosophy.
International experiences and engagement in cities around the world
Experiences from cities such as Bethlehem, Beirut, Kinshasa, Trent, Manila, Pajule, Koper and Medellin helped give the event an international dimension, demonstrating that social and cultural transformation can come from the grassroots, through collaboration between civil society and institutions. Testimonies such as that of Agnes Aloyotoo, a candidate in the elections in Uganda and Jonathan Masuta, president of one of the youth federations of the African Union, showed how the new generations are already active in giving young people a voice in executive decision-making.
The message coming from Nairobi is clear: trust in youth leadership is the key to building more just, caring and peaceful societies, starting from cities and local communities. A strong determination to act as a network, both locally and internationally and to promote a culture of peace based on responsibility, collaboration and the inclusion of the new generations is the take away from this event.
Presentation of the 2024 Assessment of Communion in Action held in Rome (Italy) on 6 November 2025. The video is in Italian with a speech in English. I sottotitoli sono stati The subtitles were generated automatically; you need to activate them and choose the language.automaticamente, occorre attivarli e scegliere la lingua.
The first round of collecting suggestions for the election of the President, Co-President, and General Councillors from the various parts of the world was completed on the 7th of November 2025, in preparation for the upcoming Assembly. The phase of gathering ideas and proposals for topics to be addressed during the Assembly was also completed. What are the next steps? How will these proposals be organised?
Various proposals have arrived from all over the world, specifically from the 15 zones that make up the Focolare Movement. These proposals include both the results of community and individual reflection. The Zonal Commissions of certain areas have already summarised their ideas. All the proposals we have received will be read carefully, grouped by topic and summarised to make them easier to read. As the Preparatory Commission of the Assembly (CPA), we are already working on this. Certain subject areas will group together their proposals that have been examined and summarised so that they can then be presented to the Assembly. This is a path of real discernment, in which communion among us will be essential in the process of making operational choices. In receiving the fruit of this work, the Assembly will have the task of examining the ideas, considering new ones if it deems necessary, and voting to outline the guidelines for the next five years of the Movement’s activity. Of course, it is important to emphasise that all the proposals that we, as CPA, have collected will be included in a “book of proposals”, a document that the participants in the Assembly will be able to read personally or during the various meetings. Therefore, none of the contributions that have been given to us during this precious time will be lost but will be part of a handbook to help us continue walking together.
During this time, proposals for amendments to the General Statutes were also collected. Can you explain the criteria used to carry out this work?
Regarding this consultation, we must first of all take into account the need that has arisen to study our General Statutes in greater depth, in order to better understand what is more closely linked to the historical moment in which they were written and what is instead linked to the charism. For this reason, following the indications of Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement, we are currently focusing on certain topics that are guiding us in gathering proposals for amendments to the General Statutes. For example, the application of the provisions of the Decree of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, dated the 3rd of June 2021, which reduces terms of office to a maximum of 5 years. Another element that should not be overlooked are certain needs that have emerged in the life of the Movement, for example, bearing in mind the major local reorganisation that has taken place in recent years in various geographical areas, which leads to a greater sense of responsibility among all those belonging to the Movement, the possibility of further reducing the number of councillors elected during the Assembly, and the consideration of certain proposals that emerged during the previous General Assembly in 2021.
How does one practically move on from the proposal to the actual amendment of the Statutes?
As already mentioned, we are aware that it will not be possible to address a full-scale change in the General Statutes, but we will focus on certain aspects that cannot be postponed. Therefore, through the Preparatory Commission of the Assembly, a participatory process is taking place to gather proposals from around the world and it is being carried out in the various geographical areas where the Focolare Movement is present. Margaret Karram has now entrusted the study of these proposals to a special commission, which will make the appropriate evaluations. This commission, composed of individuals with expertise in various fields, will prepare a draft, which will be added to the study conducted in previous years by another commission appointed after the 2021 Assembly. This will provide the President and the upcoming Assembly with the necessary elements to discern whether these proposals are true to the charism, to Canon Law, to the present situation of the Work of Mary, etc. Next March, the proposals will be presented to the General Assembly, which has the task to deliberate and approve them. Any amendments approved by the Assembly will then be submitted to the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, which we depend on as a Movement. The Dicastery may or may not approve them. Only after this approval will they be implemented.
The Preparatory Commission of the Assembly (CPA), composed of members of the Focolare Movement from different continents and vocations, at its first face-to-face meeting in April 2025. Photo Javier García – CSC Audiovisivi
The method that will be used at some stages of the General Assembly will be inspired by that of the “Conversation of the Spirit”. Can you explain what this consists of?
This method, the conversation in the Spirit, which was used during the Synod, is a way of discerning. It is a tool that we have also suggested to be used in the Zonal Assemblies, but in the light of the charism of unity. It is not merely a technique for peacefully resolving issues between people who think differently. It is something very profound that involves everyone and is implemented through several essential steps, starting specifically with personal preparation. Each person, entrusting themselves to the Father, praying in silence and listening to the Holy Spirit, prepares their own contribution to the topic they are called to discern. Next, it is necessary to make space for other people in an atmosphere of profound sharing: starting from what others have said, each person can share what has resonated most deeply within them and, at the same time, what they find most difficult to accept. Based on what has emerged, dialogue begins in order to discern and gather the fruit of the conversation in the Spirit: to recognise insights and convergences, identify disagreements and obstacles, and allow new questions to emerge. It is very important that in this dynamic, space is given to what are called “prophetic voices”, those insights capable of reading the past in depth, and that everyone, in this community dimension, can feel that their thoughts have contributed to the result of the work. For this reason, everything must be preceded by the Pact of Mutual Love, indicating the steadfast will to really walk together towards God, helping each other, forgiving each other and starting over whenever necessary. In this way, the conversation in the Spirit will make the required discernment easier. It will be useful to “recognise” God’s presence in the complexity of historical events, to “interpret” them in the light of the charism of unity, and to have the courage to believe in the possibility of “implementing” what has been decided.
In addition to the participants with voting rights, a number of guests will also be present at the meeting, but they will not be able to vote. Why is their presence important?
The actual Statutes of the Work of Mary envisage the presence of a certain number of participants at the Assembly who are invited directly by the President because their contribution is considered valuable and greatly enriching. These are people who participate in the Movement in various ways and forms: people belonging to various Churches, followers of various religions, people of no religious affiliation or of different cultures, experts in various fields. With their experience, they can help in discerning different aspects. Their presence allows us to broaden our vision and horizons. In this way, the Assembly can better represent the Movement in its diversity, making it more capable of living for “may they all be one”. These participants will be involved like the others in the plenary discussions and group work. The only difference is that they will not be able to vote, but voting is only one aspect of the Assembly. The Assembly is above all intended to be a profound experience of unity in order to reflect and discern together on the future of the Movement, by listening to the Holy Spirit.
The first round of collecting suggestions for the election of the President, Co-President, and General Councillors from the various parts of the world was completed on the 7th of November 2025, in preparation for the upcoming Assembly. The phase of gathering ideas and proposals for topics to be addressed during the Assembly was also completed. What are the next steps? How will these proposals be organised? 