In the Muisne district, Esmeraldas, the ‘Sunrise’ project, set up by the Focolare Movement with the support of AMU (Action for a United World) and the Economy of Communion, brings together more than 500 young people in ecology clubs located in towns and villages along the coast. These clubs are not only concerned with ecology, but also with the integral development of the person as a response to the many risks to which they are exposed.
The world today lacks unity. To give just a few examples, we see this in the divisions that sometimes exist within families, among neighbours and between Churches and communities. It seems that polarisation prevails over understanding. This is a consequence of the growth of individualism that drives people to decide and act on their own behalf in a way that benefits their interests and personal prestige. This gives little value to the needs and rights of others.
And yet, it is possible to experience unity. It is a journey that always begins by taking small steps and with a “yes” that we say within: yes to welcoming, yes to forgiving, yes to living for others. It is not about grand projects but about small but faithful actions that, over time, transform a life, a community or an entire environment. And when that happens, we realise that fraternity ceases to be an ideal and becomes a visible reality and hope for all.
Martin Buber considers unity to be relationship. He states that it is the space of encounter, that exists between You and I, a sacred place where differences do not disappear but are mutually recognised. For him, unity arises when two realities allow themselves to be touched and shaped by the other and not when one imposes itself. This “between” can be understood as a space that welcomes diversity and, precisely for this reason, becomes a source of communion. Hence, for Buber, “All true life is encounter” (Ich und Du, 1923).
Therefore, in other people – whether friends, family members or just someone we meet along the way – we can discover the great ‘opportunity of relationship’. Other people ‘save us’ and enable us to go beyond our fears when we feel overwhelmed by a difficult situation.
Living for unity means walking together despite our differences, transforming them into treasures rather than obstacles. It is an invitation to move from simple coexistence to encounter, where reciprocity enables what belongs to each person to become new because the relationship means it is shared. Unity, understood in this way, is not the sum of the two nor is it fragility that causes us to lean on others: it is strength that generates the hope that there is still a tomorrow. Diversity is no longer disunity, but mutual richness. It is feeling that what happens to others also resonates in me. ‘Union does not consist in equality, but in harmony,’ Rabindranath Tagore reminds us.
This month, may we experience the joy, light, life, peace and hope that come from unity that is lived
If we are one, we see things differently.
Photo: © JGC-CSC Audiovisivi
THE IDEA OF THE MONTH is currently produced by the Focolare Movement’s “Centre for Dialogue with People of Non religious Beliefs”. It is an initiative that began in 2014 in Uruguay to share with non-believing friends the values of the Word of Life, i.e. the phrase from Scripture that members of the Movement strive to put into practice in their daily lives. Currently, THE IDEA OF THE MONTH is translated into 12 languages and distributed in more than 25 countries, with adaptations of the text according to different cultural sensitivities. dialogue4unity.focolare.org
On 28 October 2025, a commemorative event entitled “Walking Together in Hope” was held in the Vatican, in the Paul VI Hall, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Conciliar Declaration Nostra Aetate on the Church’s relationships with all the other religions.
A moment to celebrate six decades of friendship and collaboration between followers of various world religions through testimonies of faith, dialogue and cultural events, and to gather the fruits of this journey. Here are some reflections that were shared immediately after the event.
Assisi is not only the city of Saint Francis; it has become the beating heart and the home of all those who wish to seriously live out the values of integral ecology. Inspired by the Canticle of the Creatures, the poem written by Saint Francis, a project was born here that is changing the way we relate to the planet: ASSISI Terra Laudato Sì (ATLS). Inaugurated on 22nd April 2024, ATLS is not a place made of bricks, but a true “ecosystem” where we can meet, recharge our spiritual batteries and put our commitment to our common home into practice.
This significant project is founded on the four inseparable dimensions of integral ecology identified by Pope Francis: care for nature, justice for the poor, engagement in society and inner peace. It is a contemporary response to the call we feel to “go and repair our common home.”
The Ecosystem of Volunteering: Laudato Sì and Focolare in Action
ASSISI Terra Laudato Sì offers an intensive programme of Laudato Sì Retreats and, above all, a Volunteer Programme that enables people to live an immersive experience by offering their time to others. The activities are animated by a shared desire and a strong spirit of “synodal” exchange among the various partners.
An example of this collaboration comes from the Focolare Movement, confirming an important charismatic partnership. Cristina Calvo, an Argentinian focolarina, volunteered for 40 days, actively participating in the methodology and content of ATLS. Hosted at the Sanctuary of San Damiano, along with friars, visitors and school and parish groups, she shared not only liturgical moments but also the contemporary relevance of the lives of Saint Francis and Saint Clare, highlighting their prophetic connection with the Encyclical Laudato Sì.
Cristina described this opportunity as an “immense gift from God,” a concrete demonstration that gentle collaboration and modest hospitality are a winning formula for a lived experience in favour of Creation.
If you too feel a strong call to contribute and wish to live the values of integral ecology in a unique spiritual setting, the invitation is simple: “Come and see!” You can register right away for a Retreat or to become a Volunteer on the website AssisiLaudatoSi.org.
By Carlos Mana
Founded in 1997, the initiative ‘They have evicted Jesus’ originates from a reflection by Chiara Lubich, foundress of the Focolare Movement, who, struck by the absence of any reference to the true meaning of Christmas, invited people to bring Jesus back to the heart of it.
All over the world, thousands of Gen 4 – the children of the Focolare Movement – have responded to this appeal and every year they produce small plaster statues of the baby Jesus, which are then given to people passing by on street corners during the Christmas period. The donations received are used for projects aimed at those children who are in need or who live in countries at war in various parts of the world.