Program: 2 May – Communion & Law Seminar: “Law as a Tool for Integration in a Multicultural Society” 5 May – Meeting with His Grace Msgr. Charles J. Scicluna, Archbishop of Malta – “Dialogue or Dialogues? A style of life” : a talk to to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the Diocesan Ecumenical Commission. 7 May – Participation in the Forum: “The State of Europe”
“The refugees are not numbers that fill the news but are people to be welcomed in their human dimensions as women and men who have been denied sentiments and projects.” This was the conviction reached by the 18 youths of five European and Middle East countries that gathered in Bad Urach (Germany) from 12 to 17 March for the second phase of the Host Spot project, promoted by New Humanity and Starckmacher together with other associations, and co-financed by the Erasmus+ (EU) programme. Host Spot targets two objectives: Host focuses on hosting programmes, and Spot on the achievement of brief video-documents to influence public opinion. 
In the first phase of the project held in Jordan in August 2016, the youths had gathered from the live recounts of the Syrian and Iraqi refugees – guests of the Jordan Caritas – the dramatic stories of their forced migration, documented with video shoots. It was an experience that made them realize the true reasons that had pushed them to leave their own countries, the risks they had incurred during the exodus, and the precarious arrival in the new land. The idea of spreading this painful situation had already dawned in the days of Amman. The youths began to be convinced that bringing this information to light could give the undergoing discussion, centred mostly on political strategies and economic-social costs, a truthful vision of the migration phenomenon, and that they could give their concrete contribution through a public awareness campaign. The Bad Urach meeting focused on developing in the youth, the technical competences in the field of communication and production of social documentaries. Some experts were present and worked in direct contact with the refugees. The refugees furnished them with a lot of information on the situation in Germany, and the European hosting system. This was an important contribution to the diffusion of correct knowledge of the situation, often reported by the media in a partial and manipulated way. 
The young participants had brought with them their own cultural heritage and the vision of migration lived and faced in their countries. They got involved in the game through an exercise of reflection and listening, to receive and comprehend the philosophy of the others, convinced that the contribution they could have given in those days, though small, could have brought about some changes. The success of this phase of the program consisted in the achievement of an international learning session in an atmosphere of sharing among youths of various languages and cultures. Through workshops, seminars, and debates, a lot of prejudice and stereotypes were disproved, with the discovery that despite the diversities, there are many values in common. As a concrete result, three video spots were produced to be shared with the peers of their countries, to encourage them to make similar experiences, and thus become promoters of change. The third and last step of the project will be held in Egypt at the end of October 2017. On Facebook
https://vimeo.com/148206157
If we could look at the world from a distance with a powerful zoom lens, the way that astronauts do, we would see our planet in peace and even without frontiers. At a close distance instead, the images available transmit details of all sorts of divisions, hatred and abuse. At times, the risk of observing our history and our planet from too far or too near is that reality can be distorted and judgments decoyed. So as not to lose sight of the direction humanity is moving towards, what should the right distance be? Upon questioning themselves on the transformations of the contemporary era, the fields of economy, sociology, natural sciences, and philosophy all converge on some principles, like interdependence – what comes about in one place may have consequences elsewhere. Each fragment or portion of humanity reveals its greatest potential in belonging to a common destiny. We will not save ourselves alone, nor can we be satisfied to be enclosed within a shell, if all around there is diffused suffering. «The world should convince itself that it is called to unity» was the challenge that Chiara Lubich launched to the Youths for a United World in 1985. For more than 20 years the youths for a united world have nurtured themselves with this vision of the common good, and work to make it a reality. Attracted by the infinite possibilities for fraternity, the possible sole destiny for history and contemporary humanity, hundreds of youths of various nationalities are on their way to Loppiano (Italy). Their initiatives at planetary level, will converge in the United World Week which since 1995, has been a showcase of the actions for fraternity underway throughout the world. These are actions that in turn merge into the United World Project with the objective of calling the attention of civil society and the international institutions to a culture of fraternity.
Better work “After an accident I lost a good job, and my wife’s salary was not enough for my family to get ahead. Yet Providence did not forget us, helping us to find small bits of work just at the right times so we could pull ourselves up. In the evening, together with the children, we prayed for help – not just for ourselves, but for all those in need. Six months after the accident, just when the economy in our country took a critical turn, I found a job that was better than the one I lost.” J. L. – Uruguay The next room “I was in the hospital, lying in darkness because of my health and the medicine I was taking. I didn’t know what to do to get out of it. I heard a bell ringing; someone in the next room was calling the nurse. I got up to see if I could lend a hand. All that was needed was to give someone some water. I stopped beside his bed, showing interest in his life and trying to listen deeply to his words. I don’t know how, but suddenly I felt lighter.” T. d. M. – Italy An unexpected gift “Having been married for 50 years, we have lived through – as Ecclesiastes says – times of joy and pain. One evening, in particularly tight circumstances, we were counting how much money we had left and pondering what we could buy to give the children something to eat. In that moment a friend called – he wanted to pass by after having received two turkeys as a gift to give us one. It’s so true that we have a Father in heaven who never abandons us.” T. e R. – Poland Change of plan “I travel often for work, so I have to make a detailed schedule of what I’m doing, while staying ready to change my plans. I was surprised, in fact, when I realized that something unexpected, if it’s taken from the hands of God, becomes something better than what I had planned myself. This “making space for God” is not just for when I travel, but in many other circumstances, and it is a true lesson on staying vigilant. Seeing the beautry of God’s plans, even if it costs me to lose mine, I have to say that the “invisible director” knows how to point the way to my true fulfilment, my true happiness.” T.M. – Poland
Every year, spring blossoms a few days earlier in order to remember Chiara Lubich. March 14th is celebrated with a variety of new and annual events in every part of the world, each with a style all its own to remember the Focolare foundress on the anniversary of her death – or better – her birth to Heaven that happened in 2008. In 2017 this special day was interwoven with another event, the 50th anniversary of the New Families, which is a branch of the Focolare Movement that embraces 800 thousand families from around the world who strive to live the spirituality of unity and spread values of universal brotherhood in their local environments. The powerful title, Chiara Lubich and the Family, was meant to express the special care and attention the foundress gave to a “daring, beautiful and demanding” calling whose “immeasurable and precious values could change the world and transform it into a family, if those same values were applied to humankind.” “Here, in front of you, I seem to see Jesus who looks at the world, looks at the crowds and pities them,” Chiara Lubich had said in her historic founding address on July 19, 2967. “Because, of all the portions of the world, the most broken part has been placed on your shoulders, the part most like Jesus Forsaken. (…) May this pity not remain at the level of the sentiments, but be transformed into works.” 
Works that can now be seen: cultural projects, support for minors, seminars for families, help for separated couples, social and educaitonal projects that highlight universal family values from within the great human family. Concrete action is the main characteristic of a family, the basic cell of society, and this was strongly underscored in the two Synods that dealt with the topic of the family. The contents of those Synods then came together in Pope Francis’s Apostolic Exhortation, The Joy of Love. The joy of love that the pope speaks of is well represented by the thousands of voices and it is on the faces of the people and families that converged on Loppiano, Italy, from all five continents last March to attend the event, three days to learn the art of reciprocity. “Married life is like a ship,” one family from Peru commented, “if you try to row by yourself it takes a lot of effort.” It is the art of loving that gives strength to the family to regenerate, through trust, forgiveness, individual responsibility, creativity, acceptance and supportiveness. The event at Loppiano was the pivot point for many other events around the world, beginning with last year’s January 27th inaugural event in Cairo, Egypt, and then for many successive events in Panama, Croatia, Italy, Uganda, Tanzania, USA, Brazil, France, Kenya, Panama, Lithuania, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Burundi, Singapore, and more. Practical experiences were presented and seminars on the themes of education, the relationship of the married couple, acceptance, stories from daily life and hidden acts of heroism in war zones, solidarity in moments of difficulty, support for disadvantaged populations, together with workshops, shows, festivals and public prayer services. Although it is difficult to list them all and describe the main characteristic of each one, it would be impossible not to recognize in these festive family gatherings in collaboration with other movements, Church, Religious and civil institution representatives –“seeds of communion for the people of the Third Millennium,” which were prophetically foretold by Chiara Lubich in 1993.
“Journeying together. Christians on the way towards Unity” is the title of the 59th edition of Ecumenical Week which will be held 9-13 May 2017, at the international conference centre in Castel Gandolfo (Rome), with the participation of around 700 Christian representatives of 70 Churches and Ecclesial Communities from 40 countries.
Gianni Caso was born in 1930, in Roccapiemonte, Italy. With much sacrifice he completed his Law studies while working as a court clerk. Because of his strong Catholic background he was invited to take charge of the Catholic Action Youth Group in Naples. After graduation, during military training, he met a focolarino who gave him a Città Nuova magazine, and in 1959 he attended the Mariapolis in Fiera di Primiero. In a passionate speech given by Bruna Tomasi, who was a member of the first group that followed Chiara Lubich, Gianni discovered a vital connection in the ideal of unity to his own vocation as a lay person. In 1968 he was a judge in the Trentino-Alto Adige Region of northern Italy where he was working in the Focolare’s nascent New Humanity Movement. He later became a member of the civil and criminal high court of Rome and moved to the international centre of the Movement in Rocca di Papa. During the 1970s acts of extreme violence were perpetrated against Italian State institutions, which turned into an armed conflict with the terrorists. During those years Gianni was appointed judge rapporteur and drafter of the appeal sentence in the first and most important of five court cases for Aldo Moro, leader of the Christian Democracy who was murdered in 1978 by an armed terrorist group known as the Red Brigade. Gianni was escorted to court each morning by an armed guard and accompanied back to his home each evening. Once home, Gianni went to Mass with his own car. One evening, instead of following his usual route, without giving much thought to it, he went home by another way (he said it was sort of an “inner inspiration”). By doing so he avoided being kidnapped by terrorists who were lying in wait for him.
Gianni Caso with Chiara Lubich
PULSE – THE EVENT – 1 st May 10:00-12:30 (CET, UTC 1)
PULSE – THE MEETING, 29 Aprile 2017, Replay the streaming event: part 1 – part 2
Flickr Gallery
Everybody knows that young people’s hearts beat at a faster pace. Their energy overflows on the world around them. From April 29th to May 1st their hearts will be beating even faster. This experience isn’t be advisable for anyone suffering from the fear of being contaminated by another culture, or the fear of finding similarities among cultures, or suffering from an inclination towards drama and violence. It will be an excellent experience, however, for anyone who would like to travel full speed ahead in the discovery a new world where peace is the law of the land. The Focolare town of Loppiano which, since 1973, has welcomed throngs of young people in the first days of May, will provide a space for encounter and reflection for youth from different groups and movements that include Youth for a United Word, New Horizons, Rondine, La Pira International Centre, Non Dalla Guerra, Living Peace, Sophia University Institute, Dancelab, EcoOne, Economia disarmata, Bargiana and Sportmeet. Many testimonies will be presented from Syria, Ecuador, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq. Six workshops dealing with welcome and integration, social involvement, art, peace, sport and communications. Four forums on: peace and religious traditions, economy and politics, peace education and nature. Two of these will be conducted by the Living Peace International Project and by the Economia Disarmata group. The first workshop emerges from the experience of Carlos Palma, an Uruguayan who was teaching in Egypt, in 201. Through his experience with his students – and against the dramatic backdrop of conflict and war – a complete Peace Education course was born that has spread to more than a hundred countries with the participation of nearly a thousand schools, groups and associations. Up until now it has engaged more than 200 thousand children, adolescents and young people in different parts of the world. The second, the Economia Disarmata (Disarmed Economy), has for some years already been presenting peace education courses. This time it will present: “Objection to war: in the footsteps of Fr Milani” with a visit to Barbiana, guided by the writings of the Italian priest on war, peace and conscientious objection. 
It will be a high-speed journey of discovery (and decision-making) regarding what can be done to change the course of history, becoming links in that global network known as “United World Project” that has engaged the Young For Unity since 2012, together with other associations and groups. The idea is to link the different “fragments of fraternity” and make them part of a network. May 1st will bring the meeting to a close, but not the rhythm. Once again, the annual gathering in Loppiano will open its doors to many young people from more than 40 countries who intend to show the real heartbeat of humanity: the endless number of activities in favour of peace and brotherhood that far more silently than wars fill the lives of individuals, groups and entire populations. They will share their ideas through music, dance, word, testimony and discussions on politics, economy, art, religion, culture and social engagement in favour of peace. Afterwards, until May 7th, the 21cnd edition of the Week of Unity will begin with “Pulse – Change Your Heart; Change the World”. Ever since 1996 this project has been involving many people in large and small series of projects on all the continents, genuine showcases of authentic brotherhood. The May 7th Run for Unity will bring the United World Week to a close with a worldwide relay marathon. You can sign up at the run4unity website. #UnitedWorldWeek2017 – #4peace – #PULSE – #ChangeYourHeartChangeTheWorld – #MeetingY4UW – #PrimoMaggioLoppiano2017 – #run4unity2017
https://youtu.be/5Bc3pj_p0FY
