Imagine discovering that a new form can be made from waste material, that is potentially there already, whereby waste is turned into “something” nice, useful and valuable that previously did not exist. Then, think about involving vulnerable individuals into this virtuous process, like women who served time in jail and now are having difficulties reintegrating back into society, finding a job and economic self-sufficiency. This is Project Lia’s mission, a non-profit association and social enterprise established in Indianapolis, Indiana (USA). «Here, these women who are trying to reintegrate back into society, learn how to create home furnishings and furniture, in an educating workplace, which is a space for mutual understanding and respect, where waste material is re-purposed, as well as people’s lives, through relations based on reciprocity and trust,” Project Lia founder and executive director Elizabeth explains. “We also provide learning opportunities about finance, communication, corporate ethics, health and wellbeing, in addition to promoting participation in community and social life.” According to statistics published in their website, taken from Bureau of Justice data, over the last three and a half decades, the female prison population in the US has grown by over 700%. In 1980, there were 12,144 women in State or federal prisons, but their number had risen to more than 100,000 in 2015. If we also add women held in local jails, out on parole or under house arrest, they are more than one million. “When these women get out of prison,” Elizabeth Wallin adds “they need to find a steady job and a home, while they are trying to rebuild their family relations. If we add the stigma that is associated to prison and racial discrimination, then it is very difficult for them to reintegrate into society and avoid recidivism.” For this reason, Project Lia elected to focus on women. By helping women, families and communities are strengthened indirectly: important studies show that these empowered women are “community-minded” and reinvest 90% of their income into their own families. At this point, we wonder what has inspired this project. “During a trip I made to Argentina,” Elizabeth tells us. “I participated in organizing a youth festival called No Te Detengas (“Don’t hold back”). This festival gathered more than 1,000 young people and was about the cages we lock ourselves in, out of fear, social pressure or because of situations of comfort or bias. When I got back to the States, I realized that, there, women who got out of prison were still held back by a bigger and system-wide cage. To me, Project Lia is an answer to the fear, pressure, comfort and bias of a criminal justice system, and a society, which keeps “holding ex-convicts back”, even after they served their sentence, without offering any possibility for real social inclusion.” To sum up, it is an inclusive project that aims to build bridges of true social solidarity. There is one last thing we are curious about: why did you pick Lia for a name? Elizabeth explains to me that: “Lia is the name of a woman who dedicated her entire life to building bridges between people of different race, culture, religion and social background. Her full name was Lia Brunet, she was about thirty years old and was one of Chiara Lubich’s first followers, founder of the Focolare Movement.” In 1961, Lia Brunet traveled to Argentina, where she founded the Focolare little town in O’Higgins, a community in the heart of the Pampas, where Elizabeth too was able to experience the ideal of a united world. Source:United World Project
In the foothills of two small mountains in the heart of Argentina, La Falda is a small provincial town near Cordoba, located on a gentle slope that is part of a well-known tourist circuit in the Punilla Valley. Up until four years ago, this is where the Bongiovanni family – Esteban, Victoria and their two sons – used to live. Then unexpectedly things changed, and they moved to San Marcos Sierras, just to the north. It was their generous way to respond to a request to live at Sierra Dorada Home, a refuge for minors who already carry too many serious problems on their young backs. Many of them have stories of being mistreated, violence, being abandoned or malnourishment. At the moment the refuge hosts 28 children. “Before we arrived, we feared the worst about children’s homes. Like the ones you see in the movies, where the kids and infants are beaten or mistreated. Instead, we found it quite different, more like a large family. We make an effort to improve their situations and remove all the violence they have inside and the conditions they’ve lived through, so that they understand that the normal thing at their age is to live in peace, play and study.” Founded close to 20 years ago by Julio and Patricia Lanciar, and supported by a nonprofit foundation that operates with a true Christian spirit in the province of Cordoba, the goal of the home is to improve the children’s living conditions and help them to reintegrate into their families or foster care. The Lanciars had nothing when they started, other than the hope to be able to improve many children’s situations. Little by little, thanks to the support of many, things grew. Today the Sierra Dorada Foundation manages four “home labs.” There is San Marcos Sierras (where Victoria and Esteban are), Embalse de Río Tercero, Rumipal and Salsipuedes, and a number of programs for host families, scholarships for volunteers, etc. Seated at table in the dining hall, Victoria and Esteban explain that “many people show great solidarity, especially when they build a rapport with the children. There are young people from overseas who undertake internships in social work, as well as Argentinian university students. “Our work begins when we take people in. From the moment they arrive, we try to include them, to give them love, just as a mother or father would. With the help of a staff of psychologists, we try to give their lives a certain order. Starting with using a toothbrush, to bathing every day, putting on clean clothes and teaching them to take responsibility for their school homework.” Smiling, Victoria chooses one of the dozens of stories she could tell. “A few weeks ago, we all went to a hotel where we had been invited for the weekend. I hadn’t made my bed, thinking that we were in a hotel. But then I realized that the children had left their rooms completely in order, and even the bathrooms were impeccable. So I ran back to my room to make my bed, because I realized that I was the only one who hadn’t. “We try to live well our calling to serve. Yet it is certainly not always necessary for everyone to leave everything, their city, their home and go and live in a children’s refuge. Anyone can do this anywhere with whoever you find next to you. It can begin with the smallest things, such as giving an elderly person your seat on a bus, or driving without road rage. It’s the small things that start and spread good deeds.” Esteban adds: “We understood that God would never abandon us if we do things well, without expecting anything in return, with humility and trust. “And the truth is that by doing so… it works.” Source: United World Project
The organising committee of the “Italian Week” regarded Chiara Lubich as one of the most admired and respected women in Italy and, therefore, someone who should be remembered. The ten day Italian “carnival” that took place in the Canadian capital of Ottawa between June 6 – 25 focused on a number of famous people from Italy such as Giacomo Puccini, Sophia Loren, Vittoria de Sica and Alda Merini: it was a great surprise that the committee decided to include Chiara Lubich such names. When the Focolare community hear about this proposal, they asked themselves how best to present the charism of unity in a multicultural and multifaith society that is constantly in search of ways to peacefully respect diversity. The community also reflected upon the challenge of relating to the aboriginal people – a challenge that seems to be on going, marked by contradiction and with social consequences. Fernando and Lucie explain, “While we were preparing, we heard that a group of Muslims from Montreal had recently participated in a Congress in Castelgandolfo, organised by the movement. These Muslims are students of Doctor Mohammad Shomali. They were very happy to work together with us and offered to share their experiences.” They continue, “On June 16, the San Marco hall in the centre of Little Italy, Ottawa, began to fill with people of many different origins – from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and, obviously, from Italy and Canada. The Apostolic Nuncio, Luigi Bonazzi, was present as was Minister Fabrizio Nava, representing the Italian ambassador.” A range of experiences illustrated the relevance of the Chiara Lubich’s charism to today’s society. The first to speak was Jacques, a focolarino in Toronto and a “pioneer” in the spreading of unity in Canada. Then there was Anne, the manager of a tour company intriguingly called “Spiritours” who spoke about the economy of communion as a means of putting the gospel into practice at work. She was followed by Maria, a Brazilian focolarina living in Montreal, who recounted an experience of meeting with aboriginal people from Wati in the Gran Nord. Last year, responding to a request by the local Church, she and four other people spent a month with these people. Then there was Edwige who comes from Togo but is now living in Rimouski, in the province of Quebec. She was one of the first students at the Sophia University Institute in Loppiano and now, having completed her course, puts “the person at the centre” of the work she is doing in another university. She recently received a commendation that is normally given only to professors. Then Fatima and Moustafa shared their experience of dialogue between Muslims and Christians and of meeting Chiara’s charism. Fatima said, “One of the most important things I have learned is that unity is a gift from God and that harmony in diversity is an expression of unity.” Lastly, Monsignor Luigi Bonazzi, the nuncio in Canada, spoke. He confided that he had met the foundress of the Focolare movement on several occasions and that, many years ago, in 1975, he had made a pact with her to always “remain up” no matter what difficulties he faced. He said that this pact had sustained him during many years of intense diplomatic activity. The day concluded with the proposal first made by Chiara Lubich in 2000 in Washington, namely, to live the “art of loving.” Through this event – widely publicised by social media – the seed of the spirituality of unity has been scattered in a distant land and promises to bear new fruits.
“It’s been three years since I’ve been to Tonadico, in the Primiero Valley (Northern Italy), and here we are again. With us are some Hindu friends, who have come from India for a pilgrimage to the sources of the charism of unity. These are longtime friends, largely from the academic world, with whom we’ve shared moments of study and life for years. The most recent was in January, when I went to Mumbai. It’s a joy to meet again. They are fascinated by Chiara Lubich, and they want to know her mystical experience deeply. And is there any better place than Tonadico, where Chiara had an extraordinary light-filled experience in 1949? Our meeting begins with profound sharing, in a great atmosphere of family. Mysticism unites the great religions at their core. The way that each religion follows, with the means it has available, all lead to the heart of the Mystery, which is the same for all of them. The paths and tools are diverse, but the point of arrival is the same. For this reason, we all converge on mysticism and find ourselves united there. Although the language of the faiths and ways of expressing ourselves are quite different, the symbols are shared: sun, flame, gold, nothingness, everything… through these we understand each other. We know that Jesus is “the Way,” yet he, in ways that only he knows, can be a “wayfarer” with us all and lead everyone to the Father. And then it was time to wish each other a good trip!” Fr. Fabio Ciardi is professor at the “Claretianum” Institute of Theology of the Consecrated Life in Rome and director of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate Center of Study. He currently directs the Abba School, an interdisciplinary study center that Chiara Lubich founded in 1990 with the contribution of Bishop Klaus Hemmerle (April 3, 1929–January 23, 1994), the renowned theologian and philosopher. Fr. Ciardi aims to go into depth in the charism of unity from different points of view. Source:Blog P.Ciardi
“I come from a country in Central America, El Salvador. It’s a small country, rich in history and natural resources, but afflicted for many years with political instability, injustice and poverty that have produced overwhelming violence and social upheaval, as every neighbour appears as a threat to everyone else. In recent years, the violence has intensified to point of creating a complete lack of mutual trust among the citizens. It was a situation that makes one feel quite helpless. In 2014, I lived for a while with some other young people from the Youth For A United World in a small Focolare town in Argentina, known as Mariapolis Lia. Everyone in that place tried to live the Golden Rule: Do to others as you would have them do to you. It made me see how beautiful it would be to create a society where everyone took care of one other. Yet, when I went back to El Salvador, I found myself once again facing the internal struggles in my country. The situation was really bad, more violent if that was even possible. Every moment was filled with danger both day and night, always risky to leave the house. You never knew whether or not you’d return home at night. Because of the situation, my parents and my sister decided to leave. But, thinking more about what to do, we decided to stay so that we could be a light in that dark place, during such dark times. During that period I read an article from the Youth For A United World in the Middle East, which told of how they decided to stay there in spite of the war in order to be able and willing to help the people wounded in the daily attacks. Their experiences made me think and strengthened my resolve to stay in El Salvador, to go out and meet the suffering of my own people. That was how my friends and I decided to launch a campaign that we called: ‘Change Your Own Square Metre’ with the goal of building peace in our local environment. We know that the problem in our country is complex, but we can make a difference if we begin from our own life with the people we meet every day, with our own daily activities. Personally, for example, I try to help my classmates with their difficult Mathematics Exam or to build positive relations with the neighbors around my house. All of it had a wider impact on the society as well. We got others involved in constructing a local park, a pretty place with painted walls. We launched a campaign to collect books and send them to cities that charge a high fee for renting them in the schools. Then collaboration was begun with other movements that visit the elderly in public rest homes, and with institutions that provide food and shelter to the homeless. Adults helped us in collecting food and allowing us to cook it in their homes. It was amazing how the food was always enough for everyone to have some! Perhaps we won’t be up to the task of changing our country all at once, but one square metre at a time we will certainly do it!”
“My name is Jean Paul. In 2015, while waiting for a bus to return home, I met a young man at the bus station. He arrived in one of the most dangerous areas of the city with his brother. I felt that it was risky for him to travel in that area alone at night so I suggested that he spend the night at my place. The bus didn’t arrive so eventually, we decided to walk home. On our way we were attacked by six men. They beat us up and threw me into a canal – they probably thought I was dead. I was unconscious for an hour. When I woke up, I realized that I couldn’t move my body from my chest down to my legs. I screamed, then this new friend came to help me. He was not as badly hurt as I was. With the help of some people, I was taken to a nearby hospital. The love I had shown to this new friend saved my life. If he hadn’t been there I would have died. He had returned my generosity with love. After a week in the hospital, I was transferred to Kigali, Egide’s town in Rwanda. There, the doctors discovered I had a serious spinal injury. I had to stay in bed and couldn’t move because I was paralyzed and in so much pain. I felt his pain as if it were in my own. However, I was amazed that he kept smiling after what had happened to him. He gave joy and hope to all of us who visited him. I would say that he radiated light in that very difficult situation. When I saw him, I knew that he needed someone to look after his needs on a daily basis. JP’s close friend from Burundi stayed and cared for him for a month, but he needed to go back to school to study. I offered take his place. This wasn’t easy because I had a small job that sustained me financially. I decided to leave my job and help Jean Paul full time. My mother couldn’t understand how I would leave my job for this. She told me that even a small job is a good start in making a better future. However, I was determined and she let me go. I asked God to guide me in how I could love JP with all my heart. All our friends, families from all over Rwanda & Burundi always showed their unity by visiting us. And because of their love for us, we found strength to go ahead together. After a few months, I had an operation. The doctor told me that I would never walk again. In a month, we had to move to a rehabilitation centre so that I could start my physical therapy. The therapy was very hard but I didn’t give up. I exercised with all my strength and in the end, I was able to walk again. What a miracle! I started to walk with two crutches, and within a year, I could walk with one. Our relationship soon caught the attention of JP’s family, the nurses, the doctors and the other patients because I am Rwandese and he is Burundian. Throughout the time we spent together at the hospital and the rehabilitation centre, J.P suffered much but he still kept on smiling. Many people, including myself were astonished by his attitude, courage and determination. In fact, with the help of the entire family of Youth for a United World and our friends who visited us, we were able to overcome all sufferings and live beyond all borders. During that time, our friends and family of the Y4UW took turns to give us food. Soon after, an NGO discovered our situation, and promised to give us meals every day. Then Jean Paul asked me to always go around and distribute this food to those who really needed it. I did it with joy, informing those I gave the food to, that this was a gift from another patient. It’s been a year since I left the rehabilitation. I thank God He kept me strong and gave me the courage not to quit. I have also been able to forgive those who beat me up. I’m convinced that forgiving them has not only given me peace but in some way, helped me to recover faster. I want to thank my friends and family of the Y4UW, who helped raised the money to pay for my treatment. After all the time we spent together, I received funding to go back to school and at the same time, I found a better job than the one I left behind. I thank God for helping JP to recover because no one thought that he would ever walk again on his own! I learned that the one who gives everything he can, out of love, is never alone.”
Imagine discovering that a new form can be made from waste material, that is potentially there already, whereby waste is turned into “something” nice, useful and valuable that previously did not exist. Then, think about involving vulnerable individuals into this virtuous process, like women who served time in jail and now are having difficulties reintegrating back into society, finding a job and economic self-sufficiency. This is Project Lia’s mission, a non-profit association and social enterprise established in Indianapolis, Indiana (USA). «Here, these women who are trying to reintegrate back into society, learn how to create home furnishings and furniture, in an educating workplace, which is a space for mutual understanding and respect, where waste material is re-purposed, as well as people’s lives, through relations based on reciprocity and trust,” Project Lia founder and executive director Elizabeth explains. “We also provide learning opportunities about finance, communication, corporate ethics, health and wellbeing, in addition to promoting participation in community and social life.” 
In the foothills of two small mountains in the heart of Argentina, La Falda is a small provincial town near Cordoba, located on a gentle slope that is part of a well-known tourist circuit in the Punilla Valley. Up until four years ago, this is where the Bongiovanni family – Esteban, Victoria and their two sons – used to live. Then unexpectedly things changed, and they moved to San Marcos Sierras, just to the north. It was their generous way to respond to a request to live at 
Fernando and Lucie explain, “While we were preparing, we heard that a group of Muslims from Montreal had recently participated in a Congress in Castelgandolfo, organised by the movement. These Muslims are students of Doctor Mohammad Shomali. They were very happy to work together with us and offered to share their experiences.” They continue, “On June 16, the San Marco hall in the centre of Little Italy, Ottawa, began to fill with people of many different origins – from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and, obviously, from Italy and Canada. The Apostolic Nuncio, Luigi Bonazzi, was present as was Minister Fabrizio Nava, representing the Italian ambassador.” A range of experiences illustrated the relevance of the Chiara Lubich’s charism to today’s society. The first to speak was Jacques, a focolarino in Toronto and a “pioneer” in the spreading of unity in Canada. Then there was Anne, the manager of a tour company intriguingly called “
“It’s been three years since I’ve been to Tonadico, in the Primiero Valley (Northern Italy), and here we are again. With us are some Hindu friends, who have come from India for a pilgrimage to the sources of
“I come from a country in Central America, El Salvador. It’s a small country, rich in history and natural resources, but afflicted for many years with political instability, injustice and poverty that have produced overwhelming violence and social upheaval, as every neighbour appears as a threat to everyone else. In recent years, the violence has intensified to point of creating a complete lack of mutual trust among the citizens. It was a situation that makes one feel quite helpless. In 2014, I lived for a while with some other young people from the Youth For A United World in a small Focolare town in Argentina, known as 
