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United World Week 2020 – #InTimeForPeace

 
This year’s version of United World Week, which is promoted by Focolare Youth, will be online and its main focus will be Peace: disarmament, peace in the Middle East, a petition against the embargo in Syria, planetary solidarity during the Covid-19, stories about legality and justice from Asia to Africa. The main events will take place: • Saturday May 2 - 11.00am-12.00pm Launching of United World Week • Sunday May 3rd.- The Irish leg of a worldwide relay, 10.45 am-12.00 pm • Worldwide online meetings in more than 100 countries, among them those promoted by Focolare in Ireland: two webinars, on climate change and on the process leading to peace in all Ireland, Irish Run4Unity online, and “Time out for Hope”- a live stream of artistic performances and personal stories.

From 1 to 7 May each year, the United World Week is an opportunity to highlight what is already being done on the planet to build a more united and fraternal world.
Established in 1995, it is promoted by the Focolare Movement in collaboration with other groups, movements, associations all over the world.
The central theme will be “In Time for Peace”. The two main worldwide events and many other local ones will provide space for a marathon of ideas and testimonies from one side of the globe to the other to contribute towards universal fraternity, even at the time of Covid-19.
As Antònio Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations, says in his appeal for a global ceasefire: “It is time to put armed conflict on lock-down and focus together on the true fight for our lives (…) end the sickness of war and fight the disease that is ravaging the world. It starts by stopping the fighting everywhere. Now. Our human family needs it now more than ever”.

Conleth Burns from Armoy, who is spending a year in Rome to work for the Focolare United World Project and the United World Week, says: “We are doing our part to flatten the curve and to help people stay at home and so for the first time ever United World Week and Run4unity are being brought to you online.”

Disarmament, peace in the Middle East, a petition against the embargo in Syria, planetary solidarity during the Covid-19, stories about legality and justice from Asia to Africa are just some of the issues which will be covered.

People are invited to follow the multimedia marathon “In Time For Peace” on the website www.unitedworldproject.org. This website, promoting United World week, also provides information about the programme of local events and the necessary links to follow activities held at different times during the whole week in various countries such as Italy, USA, Australia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, to mention a few.

  • Main International Events:
    – Saturday 2nd May, at 11am, live streaming “#InTimeForPeace Web Event”: Cities all over the world will be connected and experiences, activities, debates and artistic performances will be shared.
    – Sunday 3rd May, from 11:00 to 12:00 the virtual Run4unity will be held in each time zone. This sports relay race will embrace the whole world through games, challenges, experiences and commitments and spread a symbolic rainbow of peace over the earth.
  • Main online events from Ireland:
    – Thursday 30th April 4:30pm “One World One Home”, webinar hosted by Dr. Lorna Gold on Climate Change (https://www.facebook.com/LLIIRELAND)
    – Sunday 3rd May 10.45 am-12.00 pm, Irish Run4Unity online, The Irish Leg of a world wide relay- live-streamed on the YouTube channel “Focolare in Ireland”.
    – Thursday 7th May 4:30pm “What can the world learn from Ireland’s journey to Peace”, webinar hosted by Conleth Burns (https://www.facebook.com/LLIIRELAND)
    – Friday 8th May “Time Out for Hope” 7.30 pm, artistic performances and personal stories live-streamed on the YouTube channel “Focolare in Ireland”

United World Week events may also be followed on the social media of United World Project.

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