Margaret Karram’s Christmas greetings
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Photo: © Pixabay – jhenning
A culture of peace for the unity of peoples
…We must be convinced that for the civilization of love to become a reality, we have to storm the world with a current of love. Otherwise, everything will remain like a dream, destined to die.
… Love! Teaching to love! The person who truly knows how to love, is the person who knows that he or she is sincerely loved. This is a human observation, but it is no less valid in the supernatural field. To know that we are loved! By whom? By the One who is Love. We must open the eyes of as many brothers and sisters as possible so that they might see and discover the treasure they possess, often without realizing it. They are not alone on this earth. There is Love. They have a Father who does not abandon his sons and daughters to their own destiny. He wants to accompany them, watch over them, help them. He is a Father who does not load burdens that are too heavy onto others’ shoulders. He is the first to carry them. In our case, he does not leave the renewal of society only to human initiative. But He is the first to be concerned with it. People should know this and turn to him, aware of the fact that nothing is impossible for him. We must believe, therefore, that we are loved by God so that we can throw ourselves with greater faith into the adventure of love, and work together with him for a New Humanity.
Then we must focus our interests on the human person and share with them misfortunes and successes, spiritual goods and material goods. And, to love well, we must not see the difficulties, corruption and sufferings of the world merely as social evils to be resolved. Rather, we must recognize in these the countenance of Christ, who did not disdain to hide himself beneath all human poverty.
Because of him – especially for those of us who are Christian – our greatest energies are channeled for the good of others. But since the love we are talking about is certainly not only philanthropy, or friendship or purely human solidarity, but is primarily a gift from Above, we must place ourselves in the best possible attitude to receive it, by nourishing ourselves on and living on the Word of God. …
Every person in their large or small world of daily activities – in the family, office, factory, trade union, immersed as they may be in local and general problems, in public institutions, all the way to the United Nations – can truly be a builder of peace, a witness to love, an instrument of unity.
Chiara Lubich
Photo: © Genfest 2024 – CSC Audiovisivi
Gen Rosso in Mongolia
Nearly 9,000 kilometres away from their home in Loppiano, Italy, the international band, “Gen Rosso”, visited Mongolia for the first time. Mongolia, an Asian nation nestled between Russia and China, is home to a small but vibrant Catholic Church led by the Apostolic Prefect, Cardinal Giorgio Marengo. With approximately 1,500 baptized Catholics among a population of 3.5 million, this visit marked a significant step in the community’s preparation for the Catholic Church’s Jubilee in 2025. Cardinal Marengo said, “A young Church, made up of young people, needs a youthful language to connect with people. I grew up with Gen Rosso’s songs. When someone suggested inviting you to Mongolia, I thought it was an excellent opportunity for missionary outreach in Gen Rosso’s style. Your art and lyrics have broad horizons, making it an ideal approach for a place like Mongolia, where the Church is in its early stages. This seemed like a golden opportunity.”
From 23rd November-2nd December, Gen Rosso engaged with hundreds of people, mostly young people, through various workshops in artistic disciplines like hip-hop dance, Broadway-style performance, party dance and choral singing. The workshops culminated in a concert held on 1st December in Ulaanbaatar, the capital.
The band recounted, “We envisioned a ‘participatory’ concert to which the young people we met during our stay in Mongolia could also contribute. Our goal? To encourage cultural exchange among young people and prepare them to help animate the 1st December concert. We sang mainly in English, with some songs in Italian and included at least one verse of the song, ‘Hopes of Peace’ in Mongolian. Our aim was to foster a culture of peace and fraternity rooted in sharing and unity.”
Other highlights included visits to an orphanage, encounters with homeless people and meetings with nomadic families. “It was deeply moving to spend time with them, to sing together with the children, to give hope to these people and learn about their cultures and traditions,” said Emanuele Chirco and Adelson Oliveira of Gen Rosso. The Band also met with local young artists to promote a culture of peace and fraternity through music and art. Gen Rosso, founded in 1966 in Loppiano from an inspiration of Chiara Lubich, the founder of the Focolare Movement, continues to spread these values through their music. Before leaving, they were warmly received by Italy’s Ambassador to Mongolia, Dr. Giovanna Piccarreta.
This journey marked a significant milestone for Mongolia’s Catholic community. When Pope John Paul II established the Prefecture in 2002, the Church in Mongolia had just over a hundred faithful and a small number of religious and priests. Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, a Consolata Missionary, arrived in 2003 and has witnessed the steady growth of the community. In 2023, Pope Francis made a historic visit to Mongolia, bringing a message of hope.
At the end of the tour Cardinal Marengo said, “It has been a wonderful experience of friendship with Gen Rosso; we felt united by the common denominator of Jesus. We immediately felt a connection. I was also struck by the brotherly care with which the Band members related to one another. I was certain that when they went on stage, they would deliver an experience of beauty and depth that would inspire reflection.”
Lorenzo Russo
For more information and upcoming events featuring Gen Rosso, visit: www.genrosso.com
New Humanity NGO elevates GenFest proposals at UNAOC Global Forum
In a world marked by war, crises, and polarization, dialogue and cooperation remain the only paths to peace. With this conviction, New Humanity NGO joined the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Global Forum that convened its Group of Friends at Cascais, Portugal, from November 25th to 27th. Under the theme “United in Peace: Restoring Trust, Reshaping the Future — Reflecting on Two Decades of Dialogue for Humanity,” the event brought together diverse stakeholders—including religious leaders, academics, youth, media, and civil society representatives. High-profile attendees included António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of Portugal, the king Felipe from Spain, several current foreign ministers and previous prime ministers of European countries.
New Humanity NGO of the Focolare Movement and member of UNAOC’s Multifaith Advisory Council highlighted the organization’s commitment to fostering a just and united society, where faiths are spaces of encounter and collaboration. Rooted in decades of grassroots initiatives, New Humanity bridges local action with international diplomacy to tackle global challenges and promote peace. This participation underscored the importance of multilateral efforts to restore trust and reshape a future of harmony and collaboration among international institutions, religious organizations and the private sector.
Our commitment
During the Global Forum, Ana Clara Giovani and André Correia, youth representatives of the Focolare Movement, along with Maddalena Maltese, the main representative of the New Humanity NGO in New York, presented the document “Together to Care – For Our Human Family and Our Common Home.” This document represents a commitment by the Youth for a United World (Y4UW) to the Pact for the Future, approved by the United Nations last September.
At Genfest 2024, a gathering of 4,000 youth from around the globe held in Brazil, eight hubs of innovation were launched to foster the unity of the human family and care for our common home. These eight United World Communities have consolidated and developed proposals and projects inspired by the spirituality of unity of the Focolare Movement, in alignment with the principles of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights and the UN’s Pact for the Future. These initiatives focus on areas such as sustainable development, climate action, the promotion of peace and human rights, intercultural dialogue, social cohesion, and youth empowerment.
These projects and proposals form the core of the document presented in Cascais. It opens with a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, acknowledging his tireless efforts to champion peace and sustainable development. Among the key proposals are the establishment of a High-Level Youth Forum to integrate youth perspectives into global decision-making, and preparations for the UN’s 80th anniversary and COP 30, showcasing youth-led solutions for urban sustainability and climate justice.
Presented to Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative for UNAOC, and Felipe Paullier, High Representative for Youth Affairs, the document received enthusiastic support. Both leaders recognized New Humanity’s long-standing contributions and expressed interest in further analyzing the proposals. This engagement underscored the pivotal role of youth in shaping policies for a just and sustainable future, strengthening the connection between grassroots actions and international diplomacy.
Next Steps
To expand the reach and effectiveness of this work, United World Ambassadors, a youth network, will play a pivotal role in connecting grassroots initiatives to international frameworks like the United Nations, ensuring that local actions resonate globally.
New Humanity remains committed to bridging grassroots initiatives with high-level organizations, advancing its mission to promote fraternity, dialogue, and sustainable development. The connections established during the UNAOC Global Forum will be instrumental in strengthening the impact of our projects and amplifying the voices of youth worldwide.
Ana Clara Giovani and Maddalena Maltese
To download the document, in English, click on the image
