Speaking from the stage of the Genfest 2024 in Aparecida, Edy, a Peruvian Catholic, accompanied by 13 other young people from various Christian Churches and Latin American countries, said, “Ikuméni has transformed the way we young people relate to each other, the way we look at each other and how we can have unity in diversity”.
But what is Ikuméni? It is a four-month training course in a leadership style based on the art of hospitality, cooperation and good practice. Edy continued, “A highlight was our final face-to-face meeting”. Pablo, a Salvadoran Lutheran, immediately intervened: “One thing that had a big impact on us was learning to generate cooperation initiatives together, which we call good ecumenical and interreligious practices, working alongside people from different Churches and religions, willing to serve in the challenges we face today in our cities and rural areas.”
Ikuméni offers young people various paths for implementing good practices: this is how initiatives for peacebuilding, conflict resolution, integral ecology and sustainable development, humanitarian issues and resilience have emerged, working together not only with people from different Churches, but also with civil society to care for one another.
“In my case, we started a peace-building initiative in the social sciences faculty of the university where I study,” shared Laura Camila, a Colombian who lives in Buenos Aires and is a member of a Pentecostal ecclesial community. She stressed, “We need to work together for peace, we really need it. So in collaboration with various Churches, initiatives were born to strengthen resilience by creating ecumenical and interreligious networks and workshops for dialogue and training in conflict resolution”.
The Ikuméni training itinerary is a scholarship program and therefore there is no cost for the participants who are selected to participate in the course. It requires a commitment of 4 hours per week and attendance in person at the regional Ikuméni meeting. Young people aged 18-35 years old who have completed secondary education are eligible to participate. It is organized by CREAS (Regional Ecumenical Advisory and Service Centre) with the collaboration of several organizations.
Enrolment is currently open for the 2025 program. All the information is available here: https://ikumeni.org/
Have a look at the video we filmed a few months ago in Buenos Aires during the team meeting.
A young girl in love with God who discovered she had bone cancer at the age of 17, yet, even in her illness, she never stopped being nourished by her love for God which was stronger than anything else. “For you Jesus. If you want it, I want it too!”
She was in the fourth year of school when she got to know the Focolare Movement. She then joined a group of Gen (New Generation) who are the young people of the Focolare. She did not talk about Jesus to others, she communicated him with her life. In fact, she said: “I don’t have to talk about Jesus, I have to give Him… first of all by being in an attitude of listening, but above all by my way of loving”.
“Chiara Luce is the name I thought up for you. Do you like it?” wrote Chiara Lubich, foundress of the Focolare Movement, in response to one of Chiara Badano’s letters. “It is the light of the Ideal that overcomes the world…”
Chiara Luce left for Heaven on 7 October 1990 pronouncing these final words before she died: “Mamma, ciao. Be happy, because I am”, as the climax of suffering lived in the radiant light of faith. Her short life now serves as an example to follow for thousands of young people all over the world. The Chiara Badano Foundation set up to keep Blessed Chiara’s memory alive and eternal, and to preserve the places associated with her, continues to receive many requests and reports confirming that Blessed Chiara Luce is known and loved all over the world, especially among young people.
On her birthday which is her liturgical feast day (Chiara was born on 29 October 1971) there will be an intense day of celebrations in Sassello (Italy) where she was born, to which everyone is welcome. It will also be possible to follow some of the events via live-streaming on Chiara Badano’s official website: Fondazione Chiara Badano.
For full details of the programme, please see the poster (at UTC time+1).
The young people of the Focolare Movement, in conjunction with the Genfest in Brazil, also organised 44 local editions of the Genfest in various countries around the world. Here are some pictures of the events in the various countries and some short testimonies from Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Egypt, Jordan, Slovakia and Korea.
Genfest 2024, an international event promoted by the young people of the Focolare Movement, took place in Brazil in July and was attended by over 4,000 young people from all over the world. This event was divided into three phases.
In the first, the young people volunteered in some social projects in various countries of Latin America.
In the second phase the young people gathered together in the big arena of Aparecida to experience two days of celebration and sharing testimonies of life.
In phase three they then divided into small communities according to their professional experience to put into practice the ideal of unity and fraternity of Chiara Lubich.
In early August in Trent, Italy, the Foco School, a Focolare Movement congress for the Gen3 boys and girls, the adolescent generation of the Movement, was held.
A total of 350 participants attended – ages 14 to 17 along with assistants ages 18 and older – from 19 nations with 12 different languages. A little over a week to deepen adolescent themes, experience in depth the relationship with God, discover how the Ideal of unity and universal fraternity is possible to live it and build it day by day despite the threat of wars in various parts of the world. There was also a Festival of peoples where each nation could represent itself through songs, dances, outfits, photos, and local food. A way to learn about each other’s culture and build a piece of a world that is more united and fraternal.
Here are some testimonies.
Sofia, Italy: “I decided to attend the Foco school to have a more intimate relationship with Jesus. From this school I learned the way to always love the people around me. I can better cope with moments of difficulty and pain by feeling closer to Jesus.”.
Veronika, Croatia: “I experienced a united spirit that flows from the desire for peace and community, which is based on prayer and dialogue with God. After listening to the testimonies about the violation of peace, about the struggle to keep peace in oneself, in one’s family, in one’s country, the desire to do everything to keep peace in these places was awakened in me.”.
Naomi, India: “I attended the Foco School to improve my relationship with God. At the end what I took home was how I can take comfort during times of difficulty or pain by thinking of Jesus forsaken on the Cross. But I also discovered the power of reconciliation through confession. I will always try to use my whole self to propagate the Gospel and make my city a place of love.”.
Tomás Portugal: “During the Festival of Peoples, I was proud to show our country and at the same time learn about the cultures of other countries. After this school, I miss everything I experienced there, but I also want to live what I learned there every day.”.
Emanuel, Croatia: “At Foco School, I enjoyed the Festival of Peoples. We were able to learn about different cultures and traditional dishes. I met many friends there and tried various specialties. I would gladly relive this experience 100 more times.”.
Gloria, Brazil: “I have felt changes in my relationship with God. At first I could not connect with Him and feel Him in people, but I know that after all the experiences I have heard and reflections I have experienced, I can easily feel Him in every situation. Also, I have learned to help people I don’t like, to help people with problems and to identify God in everyone.”.
Sarahi, Mexico: “I realized that even though we live in different countries and even on very distant continents, the Ideal of unity can always be lived. It was a very good experience especially to learn about other countries’ culture, food, their clothes, some words and traditions. What I took away from the school is that first of all I stopped being afraid of confession and this made my faith in God grow. Daily Mass has helped me a lot, I hope to continue going every Sunday of my own free will.”.
Sebastian, Croatia: “I liked it when we represented our countries at the Festival of Peoples: everyone showed some tradition of their country. It was a lot of fun when we played soccer in the evening and got to know each other like that. My favorite moment was the final party where we sang and had fun. My life changed after the school, now I try to live the gospel by loving the people around me.”.
Silvia, Italy: “After the school my life turned around and I began to see the world with different eyes. It was the most meaningful experience of my life and made me want to be able to resemble what Chiara Lubich always wanted from the Gen.”.
Anna, Italy: “I highly recommend Gen who have not yet attended a Foco School to do so! You will have a lot of fun, I can guarantee.”.
Jakov, Croatia: “At Foco School, I understood the importance of unity. When I arrived, everyone was welcoming, it felt like one family. Rarely have I experienced this feeling before, maybe never. Also, I understood how to love and want everyone, regardless of who they are and their background. I would like to experience more such encounters, it was an unforgettable experience.”!
Julia, Brazil: “I take home the immeasurable love of Jesus for me and for everyone, as well as the hope and the feeling of wanting a united world to become a reality. Seeing that Jesus loves each one of us and being able to feel his love at Foco School was one of the most beautiful experiences I have had and I will definitely take it with me. I found hope and faith again. Now the challenge will be to bring the love and unity I felt at school into the “real world,” at home, at school, with my friends. But it is the memories and the love of what I learned in that experience that will push me to not give up and to fight for a united world.”!
Maria Teresa, Italy: “I participated in the Foco School as I felt a desire to know more about the origins of the Focolare movement. From this School I take home the hope for a better future for our generation. My life has improved because I have realized that I have to look at it from a different perspective, make every obstacle a launching pad! Being very insecure, I am always afraid to play the violin in public. In fact, when I was proposed to play at the school I was a little unsettled. Then one day there was a talk about how each of us can give to others our own talent or quality, which Chiara Lubich calls a “pearl.” So I decided to give my pearl to others, and while I was playing with another Gen, a group of boys and girls came up to accompany us with singing, giving us support. I lived Luke’s Gospel passage (Luke 6:38) “Give and it will be given to you.”.
Elena, Italy: “At the end of this school, I take home what I understood during a day dedicated to Jesus in his pain, abandoned on the Cross. It also affected me deeply because, thanks to the testimonies of the Gen, I was able to understand how to overcome pain through love.”.
Tomás, Portugal: “I brought home the discovery of Jesus forsaken, the power of prayer, as well as confession. I will carry God’s love wherever I go, I have strengthened my faith, I have learned a lot from this school.”.
Genfest 2024: Together to care
Amazon, land of caring and the future 
Genfest 2024 concludes second phase: a yes to peace
Let us not be at peace until we bring about peace!
Phase 3 of Genfest 2024 has come to an end, but it is only the beginning…
‘Start Here and Now’ the new single by Gen Verde
An original condominium
Genfest: the road comes into existence 
Mariapolis Ginetta and Polo Spartacus: the courage to change
From the “tri-national” community – a future of fraternity for Latin America
CEU: different flowers in the same garden
UNIRedes: hope for Latin America and the world
