United World Week (UWW) aims at fostering peaceful relationships, nurturing mentalities based on reciprocity betweens different populations and cultures, promoting respect for the dignity of each man and the identity of every community and population. UWW strives to contribute to an ever more united world, involving as many young people as possible. The idea took life in 1995 and UWW now takes place every year all around the globe.

The opening of United World Week this year on 29^th April will take place during an International Meeting for young people when, at 9pm CET, there will a live internet linkup: http://live.dev.focolare.org/smu/. 7 days full of social, cultural and sports activates will follow. There will be a constant news feed on: www.mondounito.net.

On the evening of 30th April at Rome’s Circus Maximus Young People for a United World (YPUW) will hold a prayer vigil in preparation for John Paul II’s beatification on 1^st May in St. Peter’s Square. Among the participants in the YPUW’s International Meeting currently underway there is a delegation from the Buddhist movement Rissho Kosei Kai.

United World Week will draw to a conclusion on 8^th May with another planetary linkup: Follow the Light, a day of celebrations with young people all around the world. This event, the climax of UWW, will take place in the home town of the young girl, Chiara Luce Badano, who was proclaimed blessed on 25^th September last. The event can be followed on http://www.gmutorino.it/