LIVE STREAMING EVENT 1 maggio: http://live.focolare.org/uww2013/

Video of May 1st meeting at Loppiano

The explicit motto “Let’s Bridge” of the Genfest in Budapest last September, was chosen by the Youth for a United World of the Focolare Movement as the title for the United World Week 2013. The main event will be the 01^st May with 4 major gathering locations: Jerusalem, a symbol of peace; Loppiano, which had always been linked with the Youth for a United World’s history; Mumbai, on the route to interfaith dialogue; Budapest, the capital that hosted 12,000 youth for the Genfest. During the 01^stMay event, there will be live link-ups among these 4 cities to render visible this worldwide network that is already in place.

To be bridges then, to build bridges of brotherhood on the United World Project (UWP) guideline, which was launched precisely at the Genfest. In these months, many youth have undertaken this journey in various parts of the world, recognising the “brotherhood afoot” in their own lives and around them, increasing activities and initiatives to raise public awareness in their own countries, contributing as active citizens to bring about a culture of peace and dialogue that welcomes diversity and multiculturality. Such as in Chicago, where the Youth for a United World together with the Mosque Cares association met at the Ephraim Bahar cultural centre to prepare 150 meals, “survival kits” and a selection of men/women clothes to distribute to the homeless in the neighbourhood. Or as in Montevideo, where a Youth for a United World delegation from Uruguay together with some professionals involved in the field of education, were received by María Paz Echeverriarza, responsible for the area of Education at the UNESCO Representation for the governments of Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. It was an occasion to present the UWP and to share about the network that has emerged  around the Nueva Vida social project, which has seen the successful onset of small businesses, despite the context of marginalisation. And also the “Goodwill Week” in Serbia: in an alternative cultural centre, the youth held forums on social initiatives, film projections, initiatives to help people in difficulties, which also included a blood drive, besides the collection of provisions.

The United World Week will be an occasion to take stock of the situations, and many activities will simultaneously take place during those days in various parts of the world. In the Holy Land, 120 youth from various countries will meet together from the 24^th April to the 02^nd May. There’s a intense programme planned that includes a “Forum on universal brotherhood” at the University of Bethlehem with Muslim and Christian speakers, a meeting with the mayor Vera Baboun, an interfaith evening, a desert outing, workshops in singing, music, dance, and percussion with the Gen Rosso and the Gen Verde who will be present for the occasion. These workshops will showcase together in a concert planned for the 29^th April in Haifa. The 01^st May event will end with a flashmob at the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem where Jews, Christians, and Muslims will meet up.

However, the project will continue, and the subsequent phases will take place in Africa, and precisely at Nairobi, where the Sharing with Africa site will kick-off with the “Inculturation School” on the value of the person in African tradition.

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More information:

Be the Bridge website