Lampedusa, symbol of immigration: of suffering and of welcome. The news of disembarkations never stop, just as the commitment of the Town and its inhabitants. It was here that “The Charter of Lampedusa”, was signed on the Island by hundreds of international associations and hundreds of citizens. A real and true handbook of respectful welcoming of the human rights of all the inhabitants of the world, “in all the Lampedusas of the world”, as the Mayor Giusi Nicolini affirmed.

This is the reason why the Town of Lampedusa was chosen by the Association Cities for Fraternity, as the winner of the 5th edition of the “Chiara Lubich Award for fraternity”. Inspired by the thoughts of Chiara Lubich, foundress of the Focolare Movement, the Association was born in 2008 proposed by the mayor of Rocca di Papa, Pasquale Boccia, on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Focolare Movement. Today it is made up of 133 Italian towns, and other local authorities, who adhere to the initiative, and have expressed the desire to create a network of dialogue and discussion between the towns and the local authorities with the fundamental objective of promoting peace, human rights, social justice and above all fraternity, through their actions and administrative deeds.

The Foremost Citizen of the Island encouraged the promoters to continue their actions that reinforce fraternity, because “we need to create and cultivate the sensitivity to these very important themes”. The aim of the Award, in fact, is that of highlighting every year, a Town that has particularly distinguished itself through actions and attitudes of fraternity.  The awarding took place in Ariccia (Rome) at the Chigi Palace, Saturday, February 8, 2014. Hosts of the event were, Emilio Cianfanelli, mayor of Ariccia, and Pasquale Boccia, mayor of Rocca di Papa and president of the Association Cities for Fraternity. The other promoter of the event, the Movement of Politics for Unity Italy, was represented by the President of the Italian chapter Silvio Minnetti.

Just as in the other editions, the awarding ceremony was preceded by a convention of reflection and formation. The themes that were presented this year included: “Economy and the Community rhyme with Fraternity? A comparison of the thoughts of Adriano Olivetti and of Chiara Lubich”. It was an excellent occasion to highlight the extreme relevance of some principles that are common to both Movements, the Community of Olivetti and the Economy of Communion.

The interventions of Melina Decaro, of the “Adriano Olivetti Foundation” Study Center and professor at the Luiss University of Rome; of Luigino Bruni, professor of Economics at the Lumsa  of Rome and coordinator of the International Commission of the Economy of Communion; and of the entrepreneur Giovanni Arletti, Vice President of the Association of Entrepreneurs of the Economy of Communion (Aipec) generated a great interest.