May 12, 2021 | Non categorizzato
From the sharing of material goods to offering spiritual and emotional support, all efforts seem a drop in the ocean of the Covid-19 tragedy in India. Yet local communities continue to go ahead with faith in God and mutual trust. 
“It has been exactly one week since we tested positive. We are not looking up any information on the Internet and we are not allowing ourselves to watch the news or complain about anything. We are taking it one day at a time. Getting better. Your prayers, messages, good wishes and food full of warmth have continued to give us strength and we can feel the closeness and support of each and every one of you. We continue to offer thanks for the smallest blessings we have been given.” This WhatsApp message shared by a family from the Focolare community in Mumbai has been a ray of hope and courage in these dark times. Not a day goes by without receiving news of the death of colleagues, friends and sometimes even family members. This is in addition to the constant reminders through all the media of collapsing systems and families unable to assure dignity for their sick or deceased loved ones. With a population of 1.3 billion people, a high rate of cases was expected in India. For a whole year, until last April, the country managed to curb the spread through various measures, from strict lockdowns to contact tracing and mass vaccinations. But now the situation is worsening daily, as the virus mutates in various parts of the country and the public health system struggles to keep up with an unprecedented demand for medicines, oxygen and ventilators. During the pandemic, the Focolare community has worked tirelessly and relaunched a nationwide communion of goods to show solidarity and offer financial help to those who have lost their jobs or need funds for daily provisions. The Focolare’s Udisha project in India has been able to reach out to nearly 80 families in some of Mumbai’s low-income communities, providing them with food, medicine, school fees, books, house rent, electricity bills, etc. Amidst the raging second wave, some young people continue their work for the #DaretoCare project by serving home-cooked meals to the homeless once a fortnight. With the aim of saving lives, much of the effort and energy of the Focolare communities is now focused on health care. When an urgent request came from the Holy Family Hospital in Mumbai for oxygen concentrators for their 160-bed Covid ward, the community quickly found sponsors for two machines and is now looking for more. As the second wave continues to hammer home its full force, the Focolare families have felt the need to support each other more closely and have begun to connect daily to pray together for half an hour, finding much needed support in the pain, helplessness and even loneliness of some. As in the early days of the Movement, when the community in Trent (Italy) discovered that God is Love even in the raging of the Second World War, online prayer with the Indian community is becoming a powerful way of expressing their being one family, all equal and united in God’s love.
Annabel Dsouza from Mumbai, India
May 11, 2021 | Non categorizzato
If the United World Week 2021 has closed its doors, however, the commitment does not stop. The young people of the Focolare Movement, together with all the other promoters and partners of the #daretocare campaign, renew for the years 2021-2022 their commitment to “dare to care”, focusing on caring for the planet and for people, encouraging a true ecological conversion, taking responsibility for changing lifestyles, making them more sustainable, and trying to involve as many people as possible in this revolution. Over 800 events, more than 400 “Run4unity” races around the world, about 2,016 hours of streaming with insights on politics, migration, justice, rights, economics, health, ecology, dialogue, art. Not just theory. Not only experts. But many ongoing best practices, actions of sensitization and solidarity that have involved groups of young people, parishes, associations, families, the religious, entire communities, and even newspapers. All generations represented, with a special protagonism of children, who participated with actions of active citizenship. It was precisely on Europe Day that the United World Week 2021 concluded in Brussels, entitled “#daretocare”, this festival of fraternity that for 9 days engaged thousands and thousands of people from all over the planet, who witnessed and promoted the urgency of “dare to care”, that is, the need to make “care” the common denominator that can guide our actions as citizens and those of politicians. If the heart of the event, the main event, was in Brussels, there were many events organized in the rest of the world, in which everyone could participate, thanks to an interactive calendar: from France to Korea, from Bolivia to Sierra Leone, from the Philippines to the Holy Land. “#daretocare, people, the planet and our ecological conversion” And now, one would wonder, is it all over? Whatever happened to so much mobilization? The effort certainly doesn’t stop with the end of United World Week! In fact, the young people of the Focolare Movement, together with all the promoters and partners of the #daretocare campaign, renew for the years 2021-2022, their commitment to “dare to care”, focusing on people and the Planet, proposing an “ecological conversion”. That is, promoting and implementing integral ecology, through initiatives that can involve associations, organizations, institutions but also through our simple daily gestures, to break the logic of violence, exploitation, selfishness, typical of the culture of waste. Planet Pledge Separating waste, not buying fast fashion, taking part in solidarity initiatives for the disadvantaged of your city, avoiding the use of plastic items, cooking only as much as you can eat, treating other living beings with care, using public transport, turning off unnecessary lights… With the new campaign #daretocare we are all invited to make a commitment for the people and the Planet and to endorse it “publicly” through the website: http://www.unitedworldproject.org/daretocare2021/. Small actions can help generate big changes! Internationalization of vaccines And then, great scope for health. Strong was the call, the urgency, throughout the United World Week, to make the Covid-19 vaccine a common good for all, shared across borders. The young people, in fact, have reiterated their commitment to stimulate the governments of their respective countries to practice the internationalism of vaccines: “We call on EU leaders here in Brussels and all leaders around the world to seriously make Covid-19 vaccines accessible to everyone, no matter where they are. We pledge to continue to push for vaccine access for all”. Alongside this, as part of the new #daretocare campaign, the desire to “get our hands dirty” was born, reaching those peripheries of the world that have difficulty accessing care and assistance, especially in this time of pandemic. The appointment, for the development of this initiative, is set for May 20, on the eve of the Global Health Summit, at 13:00 (UTC+2), always on platform: www.unitedworldproject.org.
Tamara Pastorelli
Source: www.unitedworldproject.org
May 10, 2021 | Non categorizzato
Our love needs to be continuously revived by acts of love which are always more perfect, always more sincere. Chiara Lubich compares love for neighbour to a fire that is fuelled by love, to show our commitment to God and to our neighbour. Undoubtedly, we want to focus with greater conviction on our Ideal, which is all there, in mutual love. We want to strengthen our unity and do all in our power to spread it as far as possible. … Because fire—and it is a matter of fire—does not burn unless it is continually fed with wood or straw and so on. Similarly, our love needs to be continually revived by acts of love that are ever more perfect and sincere. And this is necessary not only for people who are at the beginning of the spiritual life or half way through it. Even people who have strived to practice charity for years and years can fall into a type of “routine” charity which loses the splendour and warmth of the flames, and slowly diminishes, becoming more and more hidden beneath the ashes. This is the case, for example, when in our daily lives, we no longer spontaneously declare unity with our brothers and sisters. This is the case when we notice that our charity loses its impact, its power to irradiate decreases, we are of little use to the Kingdom of God, there are fewer fruits: we have become lukewarm. For this reason, therefore, we must remind ourselves to enkindle the fire continually, to return again and again to being alive to love. Yes, because God doesn’t like those who are lukewarm, not at all: “… You are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (Rev 3:15-16). This is terrible. It shows the urgency of always returning to being “hot”, to having a truly fervent charity. Let’s go ahead then: let’s ask ourselves often: have we thrown wood on the fire? Is our love shallow or ardent? Have we used every opportunity to express our fervour to God and to our neighbour? Let’s … remember only these words: not lukewarm but ardent.
Chiara Lubich
(Taken from a telephone conference call, Rocca di Papa, February 28th 1991)
May 8, 2021 | Non categorizzato
David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, spoke on 7 May 2021 at the opening of the International Forum “DareToCare”, the central event of United World Week 2021. The President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, spoke to a group of young people at the opening of the International Forum “DareToCare-Osare prendersi cura” in Brussels, Belgium. “Caring is a beautiful concept – a beautiful image – it is the goal of politics. Politics can have no other goal than to care for people, to care for communities and to care for cities. I believe that this project is a real sign of hope for the future.” The young people who spoke to the President are following courses in international relations, politics, peace studies and communication in Italy, the Czech Republic, Poland, Belgium, Colombia, Hungary and Rwanda. Their questions to the President focused on issues such as democracy, Europe’s accession to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, reception, integration and humanitarian corridors and the climate crisis. “We know that politics can do many things,” Sassoli said, “but it certainly cannot achieve much without active citizens and, especially, young people. Therefore, at this very difficult time, if we want to think about and prepare for the challenges of the future, the participation of young people is decisive and important.” The International Forum that opened in Brussels is part of the United World Week 2021, the event promoted in the first week of May by the Youth for a United World of the Focolare Movement. Each year, a continent is chosen to host and prepare the central event. This time it was Europe’s turn. And Brussels, capital of the European Union, is at the heart of the events broadcast via the web. The Forum began at the Atomium, the monument which is the symbol of Brussels and was erected for the Universal Exhibition held in the Belgian capital in 1958. Prophetically, the theme of that Expo was ‘For a more humane world’. It was here, at the heart of Europe, the young promoters of the “DareToCare” campaign spoke of their commitment to ensure that in the world there is more care, more inclusion and more fraternity. They also launched their appeal for a world that respects the dignity of all human beings and respects the identity of each people and community. Rita, Febe and Johnny, young people of different ethnicities from Belgium and Luxemburg presented a brief history of the development of the “DaretoCare” campaign since its launch in June 2020: this included testimonies and details of various actions and initiatives that have taken place in all five continents. Burundi, El Salvador, Myanmar, Italy and Colombia featured in this virtual tour of the world: in these places, people have found the most diverse ways to care for their communities and countries, to live out political commitment and active citizenship. Then, the young people of Porto, Portugal, involved in the “Daretocare” campaign were able to inform European leaders, gathered in their city for a Social Summit, about the “Appeal to Care”. The text includes the following: “On behalf of all those involved in the #daretocare campaign, we ask EU leaders gathered in our country this weekend – and leaders from around the world – to answer our call and ‘dare to care’. […] To strengthen social rights across Europe, […] that the Conference on the Future of Europe should have the goal of uniting the peoples of Europe, putting care at the heart of this European project and ensuring that the Covid-19 vaccine becomes a vaccine for all, a global common good shared by all across all borders.”
Tamara Pastorelli
For further information: www.unitedworldproject.org/uww2021
May 7, 2021 | Non categorizzato
For the past twenty-two years “Together for Europe” has been bringing together more than 300 Christian Communities and Movements of different Churches – including the Focolare Movement – spread throughout the continent. There will also be many initiatives this year from 7 to 9 May. 
Sunday 9 May is Europe Day, an event that aims to highlight how peace and unity are indispensable for Europe. The date marks the anniversary of the historic Schuman declaration made public in 1950 on the occasion of the speech by the French parliamentarian, one of the founding fathers of the European Union. This is the context for the “Together for Europe” initiative, a reality that for twenty-two years has been bringing together more than 300 Christian Communities and Movements of different Churches, including the Focolare Movement. “Together for Europe” aims to respond to the need for a “culture of reciprocity” where different individuals and people can welcome, get to know and reconcile with one another, and learn to value and support each other. Major European events have been staged over the years – taking place in Stuttgart (Germany) in 2004 and 2007, then simultaneously in 152 cities around the continent in 2012 with a focus on Brussels (Belgium) and in 2016 in a central square in Munich/Bavaria (Germany). From 7 to 9 May 2021, ‘Together for Europe’ will be presented as a series of events taking place in Austria, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, France, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Italy. Among the various initiatives is the European prayer on 9 May entitled “My Europe: 45 minutes for Europe” where young people will meet online and animate an event with music, short reflections and prayer groups (in English). Young people and adults are also coming together from different European countries to make short video clips explaining their vision of a united Europe. In the Chapel for Europe in Brussels, Belgium several Movements of “Together for Europe” are preparing for an event which will be broadcast online on 8 May 2021 from 16:00 to 17:30 on the theme of “unity and reconciliation”. Also on 8 May, the young people of the Focolare Movement, as part of United World Week, whose theme this year is “dare to care”, will hold a webinar exploring the Christian roots of “care” with Canon John McLuckie, Rector of the Scottish Episcopal Church and 14 young people from 4 different Communities and 7 European countries. In Italy there will be a rich online symposium “For the Earth and People” exploring the link between integral ecology and a fair economy in contributing to building the “common home”. Starting with Graz, the Austrian group will network with Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and Italy to get to know each other better and deepen a conversation that unites us all. At the conference in France, Jean-Dominique Giuliani, President of the Robert Schuman Foundation, will speak on the theme of “Europe: what reasons for hope? ” How did the idea of a Europe Day come about? Where is the soul of Europe? What is Europe telling us today? These are some of the questions and topics that will be discussed in a video session in the Netherlands on 9 May. Germany, the Czech Republic and Switzerland will also be joining other events celebrating Europe. The aim is to take up the important challenges facing the continent of Europe, putting to good use the charisms of the Communities and Movements for the good of humanity, through multiple initiatives in favour of reconciliation and peace, the protection of life and creation, a fair economy, solidarity with the poor and the marginalised, the family, the good of our cities and fraternity within Europe.
Lorenzo Russo
May 6, 2021 | Non categorizzato
An international training course on human rights, sustainability and fraternity, consisting of lessons, practical activities, interaction and opportunities to discuss experience. Education in Global Citizenship – Solidarity of Service has already made a very positive debut and has involved 91 teachers and educators: it will be repeated this year. This course is aimed at all those who work in education and who want to learn about civic activity with a particular focus on practical solidarity of service. One of the course objectives, therefore, is to train participants to become promoters of active and global citizenship, to encourage critical thinking and to enable young people to promote learning based on solidarity. The course is organised by AMU, Action for a United World, in partnership with CLAYSS, the Latin American Centre for Service Learning and in collaboration with the Focolare’s Youth for a United World. On line lessons will begin on 8 September 2021 and finish in January 2022. Ther will be a total of 80 hours of teaching and interactive methods will be used throughout. 60 hours will be dedicated to lessons on a variety of topics (which will not be streamed but live); the other 20 hours will be used to help prepare for the final assignment. Each module will be presented using videos, texts and in-depth analysis of the subject matter. During the course, each participant will be supported by a specialist tutor who will be available for personal consultation and periodical video calls. Each module includes activities that enable students to gain skills in understanding how the contents can be applied within their own educational context. The on line platform will also include opportunities for participants to dialogue and compare experiences. The internationality of the course makes these sessions extremely helpful and interesting. Students who complete the 80 hours of teaching will be awarded a certificate by AMU at the end of the course. The feedback from those who followed the course in past has been very positive. Participants were particularly appreciative of the teaching style which succeeds in enabling both teachers and students to become active citizens. They felt the on line facility worked very well and that tutors were professional and very supportive; they were also readily available and worked with dedication and imagination. Past students also said that the internationality of their group was culturally enriching. In conclusion, this is a course, rich in content, which will enable teachers and educators to deepen their knowledge and broaden their skills in citizenship and help others to become active citizens. Further information
- AMU is an accredited body of MIUR – Italian Ministry of Education – (DM 170/2016) for the training of educational workers. It recognises Teachers’ Cards.
- – The course is already on the SOPHIA University Institute website – identification code no. 55400 for those who wish to enrol throught the Institute. However, we remind you that you must enrol also through the following link.
- – Discounts are available for those who enrol before 20 June 2021 and for groups bookings and university students. Students from developing countries may apply for grants.
To find out more, visit the AMU website at the following link.
Laura Salerno
May 5, 2021 | Non categorizzato
On 2 May, as part of United World Week 2021, a streaming event was held to mark the 25th anniversary of the Politics for Unity Movement (MPPU). A close link between generations to imprint the coefficient of universal fraternity on political relations and institutions. An “Call Towards a Politics of Quality” launched. At the Angelus, Pope Francis greeted the anniversary. Experienced politicians together with young people at their first political experience were the promoters of a streaming event on Sunday 2 May. The event, the result of months of shared work and part of the programme of the United World Week 2021, to celebrate 25 years since the founding of the Politics for Unity Movement (MPPU). Eight simultaneous languages, more than 500 listening points from all over the world and 4000 live views. In addition to the richness of the topics at the centre of the convention, there was also the unexpected and joyfully welcomed encouragement of Pope Francis, who during the Sunday Angelus addressed all the adherents of the MPU “founded by Chiara Lubich”, wishing them “good work in the service of good politics”. The live programme first of all reviewed some witnesses of the birth of the Political Movement for Unity, the moment when the founder of the Focolare Chiara Lubich founded it on 2 May 1996, meeting in Naples (Italy) with a group of politicians of different affiliations. This was followed by a number of stages in the journey of the MPPs around the world, up to the initiative that has reached its conclusion on this occasion: the Call Towards a Politics of Quality. Citizens, administrators, legislators, officials and diplomats, scholars and members of civil organisations in 25 countries of the world have cooperated in the drafting of this text: an interesting international deliberative process has resulted in a “call for action”, an appeal for action addressed to politicians in cities, parliaments, international organisations and all those involved in political action, to support the irreversible path of peoples towards unity and peace. A “politics of quality” – for the authors of the appeal – is a policy that is “better every day”, a policy that is “gentle” and “strong” at the same time, entrusted to women and men who know how to look at the deepest and most shared values of humanity, competent politicians who know how to plan for the long term and who are accountable for their mandate, who do not use people for electoral calculations, who activate processes by recognising the self-organising capacity of communities, who are on the side of the victims but do not abandon the guilty. Of course, there are thousands and thousands of emergencies to deal with,” said Adelard Kananira, from Burundi, also on behalf of the young politicians interviewed on the programme, “but we know that today the emergency that challenges us all is that of the vaccine as a common good. No time was wasted, therefore, and under the direction of the Mppu team and the young promoters of the United World Week, a strong international initiative was launched in the days immediately preceding the event: for universal access to vaccines and their widespread production, also in view of the WTO meeting and the G20 meeting on global health. “This is the response we want to propose, touching established systems with an action-sign for those in the world who do not have access to health care, because we believe that the good of others, even those we do not know, is our own good,” says Klara Costa, from Brazil, from the Focolare’s Youth for a United World Movement. “Taking care of each other: this is the concrete sign of a politics of quality. We have tried to witness this in the places where the pandemic is most serious,” said Mario Bruno, president of the International Centre of Mppu. “We met the operators of a hospital ship, the ‘barco papa Francisco’, which is bringing health care to those populations in Parà, Brazil. It is them that we want to reach as soon as possible with the vaccine’. Closing the appeal – and the streaming – was therefore the drawing of a high politics, anchored to reality and full of ideal strength at the same time, a politics that knows how to act “to love and heal the world”. We start again from here.
Edited by the Mppu International Centre
To review the event in the various languages click here
May 3, 2021 | Non categorizzato
Thank God you exist!” These are the heartfelt words Chiara Lubich addressed to young people on the occasion of World Youth Day 2,000. The following excerpt from her talk highlights the courage, freedom and hope that characterise young people and the specific contribution this generation can make to bring about “a new world, a better, happier world, one that is more worthy of the human person and more united”. … I know from experience that young people have something special, which represents a great hope for the world. Although you may be immersed, like everyone else, in the evils of our times, you, young people often have hearts and minds with antennas that can detect special wavelengths which others are not able to perceive. Your very age makes you free to entertain noble aspirations such as peace, justice, freedom, and unity, to dream of achievements which would appear utopian to others, to foresee in the third millennium the dawning of a new world, a better, happier world, one that is more worthy of the human person and more united. We thank God that you exist! But what do I want to say to you now? My words are an echo of the words of Jesus which the Pope repeated to young people in 1995: “As the Father sent me, so I send you” (Jn. 20:21). It’s an invitation to bring the light of truth into today’s society; to take up the challenge of what the Pope called a “new evangelization”. A “new evangelization”!! Why is it “new”? And what does “new” mean? It has a number of meanings and I will tell you about one of them. You know that nowadays words are no longer enough. Young people, in particular’ don’t want to listen so much to teachers as to witnesses; they want to see facts. Well then, evangelization will be “new” if those who proclaim the Gospel are first of all genuine, authentic Christians, if they are the first to live what the Gospel teaches, so that people can say of them what was said of the first Christians: “See how they love one another and how they are ready to die for one another.” Furthermore, evangelization will also be “new” if they love all other people, without distinction. And it will be “new” furthermore if these Christians love in practical ways by engaging in works that help give food, clothes, and shelter to those in need. And finally, it will be new – and this is important – if they speak and announce the Gospel only after doing all this. Christians of this kind, I assure you, make the life of Jesus attractive to people today, who grow in love for him, and so the kingdom of God spreads beyond all expectations and the Church is strengthened and grows. It grows so much that these Christians can look far into the future, as Jesus did when he called everyone to universal fraternity, praying to the Father: “That they may all be one”. It might seem a wild dream, but it’s possible because it is the dream of a God. And they believe in it. There are thousands, indeed millions of young people from all nations who are moving towards this very goal. It is to them that John Paul II said: “People who look to the future are the ones who make history: the others are just in tow…[1] Dear young people, today the Pope’s words are addressed to all of you. Don’t disappoint him, don’t disappoint us. I wish you this with all my heart.
Chiara Lubich
[1]. John Paul II, Homily during Mass at the conclusion of the Genfest 1980, in L’Osservatore Romano” May 19-20, p. 1.
Apr 30, 2021 | Non categorizzato
Orthodox Christians are celebrating Easter this year on Sunday 2 May. Delia Surdu, a focolarina belonging to the Romanian-Orthodox Church describes her preparation for this feast. The Orthodox Church celebrated Palm Sunday on 25 April, leading into Holy Week culminating on 2 May with the feast of the resurrection of the Lord. Delia Surdu is an Orthodox focolarina, living in the focolare community house at Velletri, near Rome, Italy. We asked her how she is living Holy Week in these pandemic times: “I must say this is a rather unusual Holy Week because of the world situation. But it’s far better than last year, when we were in total lockdown here in Italy, so we could only follow our services via internet. Today, we thank God we’re able to take part, even if they will be much shorter than usual! In these times, when we meet so much suffering caused by the pandemic and many other factors, so much lonelines … I feel we’re closer to Jesus Christ Crucified and Abbandoned. And by looking at Him, without turning our gaze away, looking at the patience with which he accepted suffering, the love with which He gave His life for us, we’ll receive strength and rise up together with Him!” In your focolare community, you’re the only one belonging to the Orthodox Church. The others are Catholic. How are you all living the preparations for this Easter “Together! We’re ready to declare to one another once more: Christ is risen! We celebrated Catholic Easter together on 4 April, and now we’re living another Pascal Triduum together, according to the Romanian Orthodox Church tradition. They’ll even be helping me make our traditional Easter food, because they’ve all learnt really well how to do it! Since I came to this focolare community, one of the greatest joys has been preparing our ‘sarmale’ (cabbage and mince rolls) together with a Korean focolarina, and exchange all the Easter greetings we have in my Church’s tradition! We’re one family, so one person’s celebration is everyone’s celebration!” What originally drew you to the spirituality of unity of Chiara Lubich? And today what inspires you to build universal fraternity? “I got to know the Focolare Movement when I was 14 years old. What struck me first was the discovery that the words of Sacred Scripture could be lived by anyone, even a girl like me, simply in every day life. In particular I was strongly drawn by the words: “That all may be one” (John 17:21) and I decided to live to contribute towards its realisation! Chiara’s ideal of unity inspires everything I do every day: in my job working with disabled children, in my free time, at home in my focolare community, in my Church etc. I try to see in everyone a brother or sister to love, with whom I can walk together towards universal fraternity”. Can you tell us something of your own experience of dialogue, in your daily life with people from other Churches? “Living with people who belong to a different Church to my own is a personal enrichment. Rather than dialogue, I’d say it’s a life lived together, with everyone striving to love the others and so drawing out the best of ourselves and the beauty of our own traditions, discovering the best and the beauty of each other’s Church. For example, I’m so impressed by the commitment of the Catholic focolarine to many social actions they support in society. And they in turn are touched by the sense of Mystery they find in our way of living our faith as Orthodox Christians”.
Lorenzo Russo
Apr 28, 2021 | Non categorizzato
The 25th edition of the United World Week (1-9 May 2021) promoted by the young people of the Focolare Movement gets underway. Central event in Brussels (Belgium). David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, will speak. Covid -19 Vaccine as a global common good, the UN treaty for the prohibition of nuclear weapons, global strategies to welcome migrants, legality, civil economy and integral ecology will be focal points during the 25th edition of United World Week (1-9 May 2021), an international event promoted by the Youth of the Focolare Movement and streamed on the multilingual platform www.unitedworldproject.org. The main item on the programme of this international event will take place in Brussels from 7th to 9th May. David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, will participate in the International Forum. Care as political action and response to ecological challenges The “culture of care”, expressed by the slogan #DARETOCARE, is at the heart of this project. It consists of a campaign of awareness and action, in which young people have realized that the road to build a better future lies in the ability and courage to care, also as a political paradigm, understood as a service to every person and in very social sphere. The first phase of the campaign promoted “care” in our behaviour as citizens and in our political actions; the second phase, which will start with United World Week 2021, will focus on the “care” of the planet and the challenges of integral ecology. This year’s programme: May 2: The Politics for Unity Movement, which celebrates its 25th anniversay, proposes an online event during which it will launch “An appeal for a new quality of politics”. May 7-9: An international Convention streamed from Brussels (Belgium); citizens and politicians will be able to share ideas, discuss and work together in an online agora. May 7: In a face-to-face meeting with youth, David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, will be the main speaker. Peace, politics, welcoming migrants and ecology will be discussed. Others scheduled to take part in the United World Week events are: the economists Jeffrey Sachs, Sir Partha Dasgupta and Luigino Bruni; Simone Borg, Professor of Environmental and Resources Law at the University of Malta; Lorna Gold, Professor of Environment, Sustainability and Social Justice, at the National Maynooth University, Ireland; Catherine Belzung, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Tours, France; Pasquale Ferrara, diplomat and ambassador; Giuseppe Gatti, magistrate of the National Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Directorate; Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare Movement; Fr. Luigi Ciotti, founder of Libera. United World Week is an international event promoted by the Focolare youth. Since 1996, it has involved young people and adults, institutions and associations to raise world-wide awareness on the issues of peace and brotherhood and to promote concrete actions and commitments. Info and contacts: Tamara Pastorelli (+39) 347 0064403 Focolari Communications Office – Stefania Tanesini – (+39) 338 5658244 ————————————————————————————
PROGRAMME
May 1 15.00: “May Day at Loppiano“, live from this small town of the Focolare Movement. This is a regular event in which thousands of young people from all over Italy and also from other parts of the world participate. 21.00: Concert by the Gen Verde international performing arts group. May 2 From 11.00 to 12.00, in every time zone there will be a virtual “Run4unity”, a non-stop sports relay race with games, challenges, testimonies and commitments, to symbolise a rainbow of unity and peace on earth. 14.00: The Politics for Unity Movement, which celebrates its 25th anniversay, proposes an online event during which it will launch “An appeal for a new quality of politics”. May 4 17.00: “Female sport experiences”, with Lucia Castelli, Maddalena Musumeci, Dona Neide, Patricia Furtado, organised by Sportmeet Association. May 5 16.00: “The Economy of Francesco”, young people in dialogue with Indian economist Sir Partha Sarathi Dasgupta. May 6 19.00: Città Nuova (New City) presents “La legalità del Noi al tempo del COVID 19” (The ‘Us’ lawfulness at the time of COVID 19). Giuseppe Gatti, magistrate of the National Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Directorate, the economist Luigino Bruni, the journalist Gianni Bianco and Fr. Luigi Ciotti, founder of the Libera Association will take part. May 7 13.00: Youth in dialogue with David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament.
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May 7-9 World Forum #daretocare at Brussels (Belgium)
May 7 12.00 (UTC+1): “Dare To Care International Convention” from Brussels. In this opening show, set up with collaboration of the Sylvester TV Productions Company, there will be stories, best practices, ideas, inspirations “to dare to care” from all over the world. 13.00: Youth in dialogue with David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament; 14.00: The Economy of Francesco, Policies & Happiness and Care’s proposals May 8 14.00: “A vaccine for all, a Common Good the whole world needs”, with Jeffrey Sachs, economist and essayist (USA), and Catherine Belzung, psychologist and professor of neuroscience at the University of Tours (France). 21.00: Concert by the Gen Rosso international performing arts group. May 9 12.00 (UTC+1): “#daretocare for People and the Planet”, presented from Brussels in collaboration with the Sylvester TV Productions Company, will launch the second phase of the #daretocare campaign. It will focus on the challenges of integral ecology, with inspiring experiences and actions from different parts of the world. 15.00: “Care and COP26” with Simone Borg, Professor of Environmental and Resources Law at the University of Malta; Lorna Gold, Professor of Environment, Sustainability and Social Justice at the National University of Maynooth (Ireland); Pasquale Ferrara, Diplomat and Ambassador.
