The outcome of the recent British referendum is one of the many symptoms of a fragmented Europe. It confirms that functional measures are not enough to convince about a common membership. This crisis calls for reflection and bold proposals. It is the right time for the Together for Europe edition, a clear, public manifestation of efforts for the renewal of the continent. It will take place in Munich from June 30 to July 2, 2016 Those familiar with Together for Europe know that this is not an event but a process towards unity in diversity that started in 1999. It involves a growing number of Movements and Communities – to date more than 300 – a confident minority, that comes from various Churches in different European countries. Through encounter and reconciliation, this process has produced its effects: communities and movements experience encounter and discover complementary; mutual trust brings change. Programme. On June 30 and July 1, 1500 leaders and collaborators will take part in a congress held at the Circus-Krone-Bau. Apart from plenary sessions, the programme consists of 36 forums and round tables. Cardinal Peter Turkson is expected to be one of the main participants. An outdoor rally, open to the public, will take place on July 2 at the central Karlsplatz (Stachus) in Munich. Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, the Catholic Cardinals Kurt Koch and Reinhard Marx, the Evangelical Bishops Frank Otfried July and Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, the Orthodox Metropolitan Serafim Joanta are among the main speakers representing the different Churches, while Maria Voce (Focolare Movement), Gerhard Pross (YMCA Esslingen), Andrea Riccardi (Sant’Egidio), Michelle Moran (ICCRS), Walter Heidenreich (FCJG Lüdenscheid) and P. Heinrich Walter (Schoenstatt Movement) will be the speakers that come from the Movements and Communities. Youth have been offering their active, convinced and creative contribution towards this programme. Pope Francis and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I will be present through their video messages. The programme can be followed in 7 languages through a streaming broadcast (www.together4europe.org). Topics on the agenda include integration and reconciliation, solidarity with the weakest, sustainability and environment protection, Christians and Muslims in dialogue, marriage and family and economy. These are meant to stimulate a responsibility that goes beyond Europe, because the continent “has an experience of two thousand years of Christianity with ideas, culture, life and actions that can be offer as a service to today’s world, but unfortunately this has not been recognized yet” – Maria Voce says. Munich’s edition of Together for Europe is backed up by solid moments of reflection, discussions, sharing of views and experiences. Of significant importance is the conference entitled “Europe, what identity, what values”, organized by the World Council of Churches and the Focolare Movement. During this conference, held in Geneva on April 21 of this year, Pasquale Ferrara, a diplomat and a university professor claimed that today Europe needs to generate “fruits of Christianity”, rather than speak about its Christian roots. He also said that we need to present “the ‘golden rule’, which invites us to do to others what we would like others to do unto us” because such a rule “is not only of ethical value, but it also assumes a political dimension, as it makes one reflect about the nature and character of the political community”. Together for Europe seems capable to interpret this dimension while it inspires and motivates people of different generations and communities from countries across Europe to incarnate the values of justice, encounter, reconciliation and peace in their everyday life. Thus it contributes towards building “a Europe of leadership”, as described by Pope Francis when he visited the European Parliament in November 2014 and spoke of “a Europe which contemplates the heavens and pursues lofty ideals, which cares for, defends and protects every man and woman, which bestrides the earth surely and securely; a precious point of reference for all humanity”.  The Munich event is under the patronage of UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the European Commission. Source: Press Release – June 27, 2016