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.
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 recalled the decade-long initiative to form a leadership of communion that was initiated by the Sophia University Institute and the Political Movement for Unity with the “Together for a New Africa” program. In its most recent 3-year cycle, the course, involved 140 young people from 14 African countries, together with tutors and teachers, who in the days leading up to the Conference held their annual Summer School in hybrid mode, to collect and discuss the results of their local actions. 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”. Young people “who train and work to implement good policies and generate social impact, with a vision inspired by the culture of unity.”
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.
The participation of the new generations in the path that leads to the 2026 General Assembly of the Focolare, aims to be an integrated process, which progresses through different forms of involvement. The young people of the Movement around the world have been invited to take an inclusive and active commitment in their local communities. For this reason, a document has been prepared that presents what emerged at the last Assembly in 2021. This document invites adolescents and young people worldwide to reflect on three key questions. 1: What have we managed to achieve in our local area based on the proposals from the last Assembly? 2: What do we want to achieve in the future and to what do we want to commit? 3: What is a desire or dream you have for the Movement over the next five years?
This is an indispensable process for uniting generations and giving continuity to their journey towards unity. Communities have been encouraged to create moments of communion that foster dialogue and the development of proposals, so as to enhance the leadership of young people, rooted in their real lives and their particular sensitivity.
Special attention has also been given to the participation of the children of the Focolare Movement, who have been asked to respond through drawings to the question: What can we do to help make the world more united? These drawings will be displayed in the halls where the participants in the Assembly will meet so that they can inspire and speak to the hearts of many.
Turn on English subtitles – The original is in several languages.
Let’s take a look at some scenes that are typical of today’s world. …
We can observe … in countries that have experienced recent changes, people who are rejoicing in their newfound freedom. Alongside them are people who are fearful, disappointed and depressed because they have seen their ideals collapse. …
And what if we were to see scenes of racial strife with massacres and human rights violations … Or unending conflicts like those in the Middle East, with the destruction of homes, people wounded and dying and the continuous falling of deadly bombs or other lethal weapons? … … Let us ask ourselves again: what would Jesus say in the face of such tragedies? ‘I told you to love one another. Love one another as I have loved you’.
Yes, that is what he would say looking upon these and the most dire situations of the world today.
But his words are not merely regret for what has not been done. He really and truly is repeating them to us today. For he died, but he rose again and, as he promised, he is with us every day until the end of the world.
And what he says is of immense importance. Because this sentence ‘Love one another as I have loved you’ is the true key to solve of every problem. It is the fundamental answer to overcome every human evil. … …
Jesus defined the commandment of love as ‘mine’ and ‘new’. It is typically his, having given it a unique and very new content. He said, ‘Love one another, as I have loved you.’ And he gave his life for us.
Our life is therefore at stake if we love like this. And a love ready to give our life for our brothers and sisters/neighbours is what He is also asking of us
Friendship or kindness towards others is not enough for Him; neither is philanthropy nor solidarity alone. The kind of love He asks for is not limited to non-violence.
It is something active, very active. It asks us no longer to live for ourselves, but for others. And that requires sacrifice, effort. It asks everyone to become … like little daily “heroes” who, day after day, are at the service of their brothers and sisters/neighbours, ready to give even their lives for them. …
This mutual love among you will indeed produce fruits of infinite value, because where there is love, God is there and as Jesus said: ‘Where two or three are gathered in my name (that is, in his love), I am there among them’ …
Jesus himself will work with you in your countries, because in a certain way, he will return into the world, wherever you meet, and you will make him present by your mutual love, by your unity.
And he will enlighten you about all that needs to be done, he will guide you, he will support you, he will be your strength, your ardour, your joy. …
So, keep love among you and sow love in many corners of the earth among individuals, among groups, among nations, using every means, so that the invasion of love, which we often speak of, may become a reality, and so that the civilisation of love we are all longing for, may take root, thanks also to your contribution.
This is what you are called to do. And you will see great things happen.
In October 2024, the Together WE connect project began in Bethlehem. It is a training initiative of the Focolare Movement for young people and teenagers with the aim of building a better future by strengthening a wounded social fabric. The three-year programme began with five schools in the Bethlehem and East Jerusalem district, reaching about 300 students aged 13-15 years old.
The programme included training sessions and activities using interactive methods designed to engage and stimulate young people in ways that speak to them, such as theatre, music, photography and sports workshops. In the first year, the programme focused on three themes: self-awareness, self-esteem and personal development. Then it tackled conflict management and openness to others through group work. The final theme was intergenerational dialogue. Each topic was linked to an action of the “Dice of Peace” so that each topic addressed led to concrete practice by creating new relationships.
The international music groups, Gen Rosso and Gen Verde made an important contribution through art, music, dance and theatre.
During the first week of May 2025, an event was held to celebrate these months of work. Before this event, Gen Verde and Gen Rosso held three days of workshops with a hundred of these young people. The participants commented afterwards, “It was an extraordinary experience and we are grateful to God, and to all those who have collaborated, for its fruits”.
How did the project begin?
From the Holy Land they told us: “For some time, we wanted to give our contribution in a way that would truly impact society, by promoting activities which had continuity. Some time ago the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Card. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, had said: “we must really work so that in schools, in institutions, in the media and in places of worship the name of God, of brother and companion of life resonate”. This encouraged us to focus on schools, on young people. We are all aware of the situation in which we find ourselves, in which humanity finds itself today. How many difficulties, how much suffering: we wanted to offer our contribution so that young people can have a different perspective from the one they see every day”.
This is how the Together WE connect project was born. Its goal is to awaken hope, nourish faith and promote a spirituality rooted in the Gospel among the younger generations and to form the women and men of the future, who can be promoters of reconciliation and dialogue, young leaders of a new culture of cooperation, fraternity, sharing and active citizenship – a culture of care and encounter.
Here are some impressions from the students: “I thank you with all my heart because what we did makes us feel important, and that our existence and our opinions matter”. “The first thing we learned were values: love, humility, forgiveness and helping each other. In class we felt like one family, we understood each other better and helped each other more. I also realized how I can be a light for others and I understood that “Focolare” is not just a word but a way of life”. “I really liked the “Together We connect” activity, there were new people, it was nice and I grew stronger in myself”. “I got to know myself and others better through this project.” “I learned methods for resolving conflict, listening and dialogue”. “I am personally very sensitive, and this project made me love life more”. “It was a useful and fun project, for example the dialogue between the generations, when I did it with my grandmother I learned things I didn’t know before”.
