May 12, 2021 | Non categorizzato
From the sharing of material goods to offering spiritual and emotional support, all efforts seem a drop in the ocean of the Covid-19 tragedy in India. Yet local communities continue to go ahead with faith in God and mutual trust. 
“It has been exactly one week since we tested positive. We are not looking up any information on the Internet and we are not allowing ourselves to watch the news or complain about anything. We are taking it one day at a time. Getting better. Your prayers, messages, good wishes and food full of warmth have continued to give us strength and we can feel the closeness and support of each and every one of you. We continue to offer thanks for the smallest blessings we have been given.” This WhatsApp message shared by a family from the Focolare community in Mumbai has been a ray of hope and courage in these dark times. Not a day goes by without receiving news of the death of colleagues, friends and sometimes even family members. This is in addition to the constant reminders through all the media of collapsing systems and families unable to assure dignity for their sick or deceased loved ones. With a population of 1.3 billion people, a high rate of cases was expected in India. For a whole year, until last April, the country managed to curb the spread through various measures, from strict lockdowns to contact tracing and mass vaccinations. But now the situation is worsening daily, as the virus mutates in various parts of the country and the public health system struggles to keep up with an unprecedented demand for medicines, oxygen and ventilators. During the pandemic, the Focolare community has worked tirelessly and relaunched a nationwide communion of goods to show solidarity and offer financial help to those who have lost their jobs or need funds for daily provisions. The Focolare’s Udisha project in India has been able to reach out to nearly 80 families in some of Mumbai’s low-income communities, providing them with food, medicine, school fees, books, house rent, electricity bills, etc. Amidst the raging second wave, some young people continue their work for the #DaretoCare project by serving home-cooked meals to the homeless once a fortnight. With the aim of saving lives, much of the effort and energy of the Focolare communities is now focused on health care. When an urgent request came from the Holy Family Hospital in Mumbai for oxygen concentrators for their 160-bed Covid ward, the community quickly found sponsors for two machines and is now looking for more. As the second wave continues to hammer home its full force, the Focolare families have felt the need to support each other more closely and have begun to connect daily to pray together for half an hour, finding much needed support in the pain, helplessness and even loneliness of some. As in the early days of the Movement, when the community in Trent (Italy) discovered that God is Love even in the raging of the Second World War, online prayer with the Indian community is becoming a powerful way of expressing their being one family, all equal and united in God’s love.
Annabel Dsouza from Mumbai, India
May 11, 2021 | Non categorizzato
If the United World Week 2021 has closed its doors, however, the commitment does not stop. The young people of the Focolare Movement, together with all the other promoters and partners of the #daretocare campaign, renew for the years 2021-2022 their commitment to “dare to care”, focusing on caring for the planet and for people, encouraging a true ecological conversion, taking responsibility for changing lifestyles, making them more sustainable, and trying to involve as many people as possible in this revolution. Over 800 events, more than 400 “Run4unity” races around the world, about 2,016 hours of streaming with insights on politics, migration, justice, rights, economics, health, ecology, dialogue, art. Not just theory. Not only experts. But many ongoing best practices, actions of sensitization and solidarity that have involved groups of young people, parishes, associations, families, the religious, entire communities, and even newspapers. All generations represented, with a special protagonism of children, who participated with actions of active citizenship. It was precisely on Europe Day that the United World Week 2021 concluded in Brussels, entitled “#daretocare”, this festival of fraternity that for 9 days engaged thousands and thousands of people from all over the planet, who witnessed and promoted the urgency of “dare to care”, that is, the need to make “care” the common denominator that can guide our actions as citizens and those of politicians. If the heart of the event, the main event, was in Brussels, there were many events organized in the rest of the world, in which everyone could participate, thanks to an interactive calendar: from France to Korea, from Bolivia to Sierra Leone, from the Philippines to the Holy Land. “#daretocare, people, the planet and our ecological conversion” And now, one would wonder, is it all over? Whatever happened to so much mobilization? The effort certainly doesn’t stop with the end of United World Week! In fact, the young people of the Focolare Movement, together with all the promoters and partners of the #daretocare campaign, renew for the years 2021-2022, their commitment to “dare to care”, focusing on people and the Planet, proposing an “ecological conversion”. That is, promoting and implementing integral ecology, through initiatives that can involve associations, organizations, institutions but also through our simple daily gestures, to break the logic of violence, exploitation, selfishness, typical of the culture of waste. Planet Pledge Separating waste, not buying fast fashion, taking part in solidarity initiatives for the disadvantaged of your city, avoiding the use of plastic items, cooking only as much as you can eat, treating other living beings with care, using public transport, turning off unnecessary lights… With the new campaign #daretocare we are all invited to make a commitment for the people and the Planet and to endorse it “publicly” through the website: http://www.unitedworldproject.org/daretocare2021/. Small actions can help generate big changes! Internationalization of vaccines And then, great scope for health. Strong was the call, the urgency, throughout the United World Week, to make the Covid-19 vaccine a common good for all, shared across borders. The young people, in fact, have reiterated their commitment to stimulate the governments of their respective countries to practice the internationalism of vaccines: “We call on EU leaders here in Brussels and all leaders around the world to seriously make Covid-19 vaccines accessible to everyone, no matter where they are. We pledge to continue to push for vaccine access for all”. Alongside this, as part of the new #daretocare campaign, the desire to “get our hands dirty” was born, reaching those peripheries of the world that have difficulty accessing care and assistance, especially in this time of pandemic. The appointment, for the development of this initiative, is set for May 20, on the eve of the Global Health Summit, at 13:00 (UTC+2), always on platform: www.unitedworldproject.org.
Tamara Pastorelli
Source: www.unitedworldproject.org
May 10, 2021 | Non categorizzato
Our love needs to be continuously revived by acts of love which are always more perfect, always more sincere. Chiara Lubich compares love for neighbour to a fire that is fuelled by love, to show our commitment to God and to our neighbour. Undoubtedly, we want to focus with greater conviction on our Ideal, which is all there, in mutual love. We want to strengthen our unity and do all in our power to spread it as far as possible. … Because fire—and it is a matter of fire—does not burn unless it is continually fed with wood or straw and so on. Similarly, our love needs to be continually revived by acts of love that are ever more perfect and sincere. And this is necessary not only for people who are at the beginning of the spiritual life or half way through it. Even people who have strived to practice charity for years and years can fall into a type of “routine” charity which loses the splendour and warmth of the flames, and slowly diminishes, becoming more and more hidden beneath the ashes. This is the case, for example, when in our daily lives, we no longer spontaneously declare unity with our brothers and sisters. This is the case when we notice that our charity loses its impact, its power to irradiate decreases, we are of little use to the Kingdom of God, there are fewer fruits: we have become lukewarm. For this reason, therefore, we must remind ourselves to enkindle the fire continually, to return again and again to being alive to love. Yes, because God doesn’t like those who are lukewarm, not at all: “… You are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (Rev 3:15-16). This is terrible. It shows the urgency of always returning to being “hot”, to having a truly fervent charity. Let’s go ahead then: let’s ask ourselves often: have we thrown wood on the fire? Is our love shallow or ardent? Have we used every opportunity to express our fervour to God and to our neighbour? Let’s … remember only these words: not lukewarm but ardent.
Chiara Lubich
(Taken from a telephone conference call, Rocca di Papa, February 28th 1991)
May 8, 2021 | Non categorizzato
David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, spoke on 7 May 2021 at the opening of the International Forum “DareToCare”, the central event of United World Week 2021. The President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, spoke to a group of young people at the opening of the International Forum “DareToCare-Osare prendersi cura” in Brussels, Belgium. “Caring is a beautiful concept – a beautiful image – it is the goal of politics. Politics can have no other goal than to care for people, to care for communities and to care for cities. I believe that this project is a real sign of hope for the future.” The young people who spoke to the President are following courses in international relations, politics, peace studies and communication in Italy, the Czech Republic, Poland, Belgium, Colombia, Hungary and Rwanda. Their questions to the President focused on issues such as democracy, Europe’s accession to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, reception, integration and humanitarian corridors and the climate crisis. “We know that politics can do many things,” Sassoli said, “but it certainly cannot achieve much without active citizens and, especially, young people. Therefore, at this very difficult time, if we want to think about and prepare for the challenges of the future, the participation of young people is decisive and important.” The International Forum that opened in Brussels is part of the United World Week 2021, the event promoted in the first week of May by the Youth for a United World of the Focolare Movement. Each year, a continent is chosen to host and prepare the central event. This time it was Europe’s turn. And Brussels, capital of the European Union, is at the heart of the events broadcast via the web. The Forum began at the Atomium, the monument which is the symbol of Brussels and was erected for the Universal Exhibition held in the Belgian capital in 1958. Prophetically, the theme of that Expo was ‘For a more humane world’. It was here, at the heart of Europe, the young promoters of the “DareToCare” campaign spoke of their commitment to ensure that in the world there is more care, more inclusion and more fraternity. They also launched their appeal for a world that respects the dignity of all human beings and respects the identity of each people and community. Rita, Febe and Johnny, young people of different ethnicities from Belgium and Luxemburg presented a brief history of the development of the “DaretoCare” campaign since its launch in June 2020: this included testimonies and details of various actions and initiatives that have taken place in all five continents. Burundi, El Salvador, Myanmar, Italy and Colombia featured in this virtual tour of the world: in these places, people have found the most diverse ways to care for their communities and countries, to live out political commitment and active citizenship. Then, the young people of Porto, Portugal, involved in the “Daretocare” campaign were able to inform European leaders, gathered in their city for a Social Summit, about the “Appeal to Care”. The text includes the following: “On behalf of all those involved in the #daretocare campaign, we ask EU leaders gathered in our country this weekend – and leaders from around the world – to answer our call and ‘dare to care’. […] To strengthen social rights across Europe, […] that the Conference on the Future of Europe should have the goal of uniting the peoples of Europe, putting care at the heart of this European project and ensuring that the Covid-19 vaccine becomes a vaccine for all, a global common good shared by all across all borders.”
Tamara Pastorelli
For further information: www.unitedworldproject.org/uww2021
May 7, 2021 | Non categorizzato
For the past twenty-two years “Together for Europe” has been bringing together more than 300 Christian Communities and Movements of different Churches – including the Focolare Movement – spread throughout the continent. There will also be many initiatives this year from 7 to 9 May. 
Sunday 9 May is Europe Day, an event that aims to highlight how peace and unity are indispensable for Europe. The date marks the anniversary of the historic Schuman declaration made public in 1950 on the occasion of the speech by the French parliamentarian, one of the founding fathers of the European Union. This is the context for the “Together for Europe” initiative, a reality that for twenty-two years has been bringing together more than 300 Christian Communities and Movements of different Churches, including the Focolare Movement. “Together for Europe” aims to respond to the need for a “culture of reciprocity” where different individuals and people can welcome, get to know and reconcile with one another, and learn to value and support each other. Major European events have been staged over the years – taking place in Stuttgart (Germany) in 2004 and 2007, then simultaneously in 152 cities around the continent in 2012 with a focus on Brussels (Belgium) and in 2016 in a central square in Munich/Bavaria (Germany). From 7 to 9 May 2021, ‘Together for Europe’ will be presented as a series of events taking place in Austria, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, France, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Italy. Among the various initiatives is the European prayer on 9 May entitled “My Europe: 45 minutes for Europe” where young people will meet online and animate an event with music, short reflections and prayer groups (in English). Young people and adults are also coming together from different European countries to make short video clips explaining their vision of a united Europe. In the Chapel for Europe in Brussels, Belgium several Movements of “Together for Europe” are preparing for an event which will be broadcast online on 8 May 2021 from 16:00 to 17:30 on the theme of “unity and reconciliation”. Also on 8 May, the young people of the Focolare Movement, as part of United World Week, whose theme this year is “dare to care”, will hold a webinar exploring the Christian roots of “care” with Canon John McLuckie, Rector of the Scottish Episcopal Church and 14 young people from 4 different Communities and 7 European countries. In Italy there will be a rich online symposium “For the Earth and People” exploring the link between integral ecology and a fair economy in contributing to building the “common home”. Starting with Graz, the Austrian group will network with Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and Italy to get to know each other better and deepen a conversation that unites us all. At the conference in France, Jean-Dominique Giuliani, President of the Robert Schuman Foundation, will speak on the theme of “Europe: what reasons for hope? ” How did the idea of a Europe Day come about? Where is the soul of Europe? What is Europe telling us today? These are some of the questions and topics that will be discussed in a video session in the Netherlands on 9 May. Germany, the Czech Republic and Switzerland will also be joining other events celebrating Europe. The aim is to take up the important challenges facing the continent of Europe, putting to good use the charisms of the Communities and Movements for the good of humanity, through multiple initiatives in favour of reconciliation and peace, the protection of life and creation, a fair economy, solidarity with the poor and the marginalised, the family, the good of our cities and fraternity within Europe.
Lorenzo Russo
May 6, 2021 | Non categorizzato
An international training course on human rights, sustainability and fraternity, consisting of lessons, practical activities, interaction and opportunities to discuss experience. Education in Global Citizenship – Solidarity of Service has already made a very positive debut and has involved 91 teachers and educators: it will be repeated this year. This course is aimed at all those who work in education and who want to learn about civic activity with a particular focus on practical solidarity of service. One of the course objectives, therefore, is to train participants to become promoters of active and global citizenship, to encourage critical thinking and to enable young people to promote learning based on solidarity. The course is organised by AMU, Action for a United World, in partnership with CLAYSS, the Latin American Centre for Service Learning and in collaboration with the Focolare’s Youth for a United World. On line lessons will begin on 8 September 2021 and finish in January 2022. Ther will be a total of 80 hours of teaching and interactive methods will be used throughout. 60 hours will be dedicated to lessons on a variety of topics (which will not be streamed but live); the other 20 hours will be used to help prepare for the final assignment. Each module will be presented using videos, texts and in-depth analysis of the subject matter. During the course, each participant will be supported by a specialist tutor who will be available for personal consultation and periodical video calls. Each module includes activities that enable students to gain skills in understanding how the contents can be applied within their own educational context. The on line platform will also include opportunities for participants to dialogue and compare experiences. The internationality of the course makes these sessions extremely helpful and interesting. Students who complete the 80 hours of teaching will be awarded a certificate by AMU at the end of the course. The feedback from those who followed the course in past has been very positive. Participants were particularly appreciative of the teaching style which succeeds in enabling both teachers and students to become active citizens. They felt the on line facility worked very well and that tutors were professional and very supportive; they were also readily available and worked with dedication and imagination. Past students also said that the internationality of their group was culturally enriching. In conclusion, this is a course, rich in content, which will enable teachers and educators to deepen their knowledge and broaden their skills in citizenship and help others to become active citizens. Further information
- AMU is an accredited body of MIUR – Italian Ministry of Education – (DM 170/2016) for the training of educational workers. It recognises Teachers’ Cards.
- – The course is already on the SOPHIA University Institute website – identification code no. 55400 for those who wish to enrol throught the Institute. However, we remind you that you must enrol also through the following link.
- – Discounts are available for those who enrol before 20 June 2021 and for groups bookings and university students. Students from developing countries may apply for grants.
To find out more, visit the AMU website at the following link.
Laura Salerno
