The theme <\/strong><\/p>\n\n At the heart of \u2018You are born to bloom, the courage to flourish\u2019, the title of the event, are the fragility, wounds and conflicts experienced by today’s children and young people, sublimated into an artistic, immersive and growth-oriented experience. <\/p>\n\n \u2018We believe that the conflict we often experience in the most difficult stages of life can become an opportunity to be reborn stronger and more aware of who we are,\u2019 explain Emily Zeidan, from Syria, and Marco D’Ercole, from Italy, members of the international team of young organisers of the festival. As Pope Francis told us, \u2018Conflict is like a labyrinth\u2019, we must not be afraid to go through it, because \u2018conflicts make us grow\u2019. But \u2018you cannot get out of the labyrinth alone; you get out with someone else who helps you\u2019. So, on May Day in Loppiano, we want to remind everyone of the beauty of each other, even in moments of vulnerability. <\/p>\n\n The theme of May Day in Loppiano is highly topical, considering that in Italy, one in five minors suffers from a mental disorder (depression, social withdrawal, school refusal, self-harm, anxiety, eating disorders, suicidal tendencies), according to data from the Italian Society of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry. Those under 35, on the other hand, experience job insecurity, are underpaid, suffer from territorial and gender inequality (\u2018Youth 2024: the balance sheet of a generation\u2019, EURES<\/a>), and do not feel understood by adults in their needs and experiences, particularly when it comes to fears and fragility, aspirations and dreams. <\/p>\n\n Pope Francis had great faith in us young people. He never missed an opportunity to remind us that the world needs us, our dreams, and great horizons to look towards together, in order to \u2018lay the foundations of social solidarity and a culture of encounter,\u2019 emphasise Emily and Marco. For this reason, \u2018You are Born to Bloom\u2019 will be a show created together, where the audience will not only be spectators but an integral part of the international town of the Focolare Movement. Narration: everyone who participates will be called upon to become a protagonist of the show, giving their best with others. <\/p>\n\n The programme <\/strong><\/p>\n\n In the morning, participants in the May Day festival in Loppiano will have the opportunity to explore their own fragility and beauty through art, motivational and experiential workshops<\/a> led by psychologists, trainers, counsellors, artists and performers. <\/p>\n\n Among these, the Gen Verde International Performing Arts Group<\/a> will prepare young people to take to the stage and be part of the cast of choreographies, choirs, theatre company and band in the final show. The Gen Verde workshops are part of the project \u2018M.E.D.I.T.erraNEW: Mediation, Emotions, Dialogue, Interculturality, Talents to foster youth social inclusion in the Mare Nostrum\u2019, Erasmus Plus \u2013 Youth \u2013 cooperation partnership. <\/p>\n\n The festival will culminate in the afternoon with the collective creation of a live performance: all participants will be an active part of the story, and there will be no distance between the stage and the audience. <\/p>\n\n Among the artists who have confirmed their participation are Martinico<\/a> and the band As One.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n \u2018You are born to bloom, the courage to flourish\u2019 is made possible thanks to the contribution of Fondazione CR Firenze.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n Loppiano’s May Day is an event of the 2025 United World Week <\/a>(1-7 May 2025), a global workshop and expo to raise awareness of fraternity and peace. <\/p>\n\n
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