“Embracing Hope.” With this wish, about 200 people from the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and all over Europe met at the Mariapolis Center in Castel Gandolfo (Rome) from May 16 to 19.
They are the contact persons of the Umanità Nuova, movement, the social expression of the Focolare Movement, New Humanity the NGO with consultative status in the United Nations, along with representatives of disciplines that dialogue with contemporary culture, the contact persons of Ragazzi per l’unità and of AMU (Action for a United World), the NGO that deals with special projects and development.
Also in attendance was a delegation of very young high school students who are part of Living Peace International, along with young ambassadors for peace, such as Joseph,
from Sierra Leone, who narrated how at the age of six he was recruited as a child soldier and has now become a young peace leader.
For some time now, these various social expressions -each with its own characteristics and goals- have been working together to help provide concrete responses to the burning issues and expectations of the contemporary world: “Together for Humanity” is their new name. Taking up the Pope’s invitation to the Focolare Movement during a private audience on Dec. 7, 2023, which was to “be artisans of peace in a world torn apart by conflict,” they wanted to dedicate the meeting precisely to peace.
An experience of listening, communal reflection and concrete planning, carried out in the eight communities distinguished by areas and passions. A journey that will continue with the Genfest in Brazil next July, intertwine with the United Nations Summit for Future in September 2024, and with the event in Nairobi with the youth and cities of the world, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. During the meeting, those present, with the help of experts and testimonies, professors, diplomats, social and cultural actors, and organized citizens, reflected on the issue of what is peace, if it is indeed possible to achieve it and by what means.
So many touching experiences from countries in conflict. From Syria, they recounted the brutality of the war they have been experiencing since 2011, aggravated by the embargo affecting an exhausted population. AMU projects such as RESTART, which supports micro businesses with loans and personalized mentoring, have helped slow constant migration processes. Christiane, from Lebanon, despite the situation in her country, characterized by very high inflation and high emigration rates aggravated by the impacts of the war in the Middle East, did not give up: she set up with her husband a productive enterprise for family support and to also help other artisans and rural producers sell their products. The productive initiative also extended to Egypt. From Congo, the fruits of the school for training leaders for peace were presented. A graduate of this school, Joëlle, a journalist and a presidential candidate of the Republic of Congo, launched her presidential platform with the values of peace and social justice. Youths from Ukraine greeted those present with a video, and so did some youths from Bethlehem, Pakistan, Cuba, and the Philippines. The “Together for a New Africa” (T4NA) project for African youth interested in changing the continent was presented: trained hundreds of youth and involved another 9,000 youth in an experience that reached 14 African nations. The same is being done in Mexico with the National Agenda for Peace, in the United States with courageous conversations against racism.
There is a need for true peace and human rights education as well as the need to name conflicts, exploring their reasons, trying to resolve them with a community strategy that listens to diverse and plural positions which precedes and accompanies every negotiation. It has been said that peace is not only the absence of war. Not everything that is called order is peace. It is not ideological: it is not pacifism. It is the condition in which each person can think and realize his own future. But we need to learn dialogue as a methodology, with which to be willing to lose something for the greater good. This is basically the reason for which perhaps negotiations are not progressive and even international organizations do not seem to be able to handle the crisis. Dialogue, trust, local and global networks, inter-generation, community. We start from here, from these key words, encouraged also by Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán , President and Co-President of the Focolare Movement, who were present on the final day. This is the road to peace, to which we want to contribute concretely, and together.
May 1st to 7th: the return of the United World Week, a global workshop and expo of initiatives to restore peace and fraternity between people and peoples. The United World Week (UWW) returns from the 1st to the 7th of May 2024. This year it focuses its global commitment on peace, sought and built from multiple fronts: attention to the poorest and the excluded, care for the environment, formation of consciences and education towards peace. This year’s motto is “Embrace Humanity, Spark Change”; a starting point and inspiration for many initiatives taking place in various cities around the world. UWW 2024, a worldwide Genfest The UWW will start with an international opening event on the 1st of May in Loppiano (Florence-Italy), but from the outset, other cities around the world will also be involved and will continue until the 7th of May being types of “workshops” in creating synergies, sharing ideas, good practices and creativity. The UWW 2024 takes place two months prior to the Genfest, the worldwide Festival of fraternity promoted by the young people of the Focolare Movement. The Genfest will take place in July at Aparecida, Brazil and it will showcase the “local” commitment of many Focolare communities. Networking with Organisations, Movements and Institutions, the Focolare communities are engaged in local contexts to respond to the most urgent needs and challenges of a given area. The “change” that the young people of the Focolare Movement, together with their communities, want to promote is concentrated in the areas of the world that are most devastated by war, by the environmental impact and by forced migration. Who are the protagonists of the UWWThe protagonists are the young people from all over the world: there is Giacomo, Italian, who left for Kenya thanks to the MilONGa international volunteering project, where he worked in orphanages in Nairobi. Or Daphne, from India, who recounts the adventure of Reach Out, the project set up in Goregaon, a suburb of East Mumbai, by some local young people to support about 70 families in poverty. Icaro, Sam and David, on the other hand, live in Brazil, in Fortaleza, where they are volunteering in the “Uirapuru Spiritual Condominium” (CEU), a campus where 21 associations work to care for needy children, people with AIDS and drug addicts. 1st of May, the opening of the UWW These and other stories will be presented during the opening of the UWW from Loppiano with an international event that will be streamed live and translated into 5 languages (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English and French). It can be followed on the UWP Youtube channel or by connecting to the UWP website (unitedworldproject.org). On this occasion, the International little town of the Focolare will host three villages, each with a different theme: inner peace, peace with others, peace in the world. In these spaces, participants will be able to attend many workshops to explore the theme of peace (Economy of Peace, There is no dialogue without listening, Conflicts in our cities, Water, a source of peace?, The Living Peace International project, Peace and art: harmony between different peoples, etc.). The common thread that will ideally unite their itinerary is the discovery of the art of dialogue. If you go to the UWP website, you can also follow some of the other events and stories of the UWW, such as Peace Got Talent which will take place on the 4th of May. There is also Run4Unity, the relay race for peace and unity, promoted by thousands of teenagers all over the world (the adults are running too!). Run4Unity will be held on the 5th of May: wherever possible, the sport events will be held in places that are symbols of peace, on the border between countries or communities in conflict, or at least in places that “speak” of inclusion.
The Fazenda da Esperança is one of the 47 activities involved in the first phase of the next Genfest, in which young people will be invited to make a concrete commitment to some social organisations which are already operating in the various areas. La Fazenda is a therapeutic community, founded in 1983. It helps people who want to get out of addictions. https://youtu.be/wtzSXGOd7y4
“Together – Gathering of the People of God” is the ecumenical prayer vigil to be held on 30th September 2023 in Rome in advance of the Synodal Assembly in October. Damian, a Polish Catholic, and Masha, a Russian Orthodox, are two young people from the Focolare Movement who recently participated in the preparatory meeting for the event, which was followed by a private audience with the Pope. Praying together gathered under the same “tent”, to discover each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. This is the idea at the heart of the ecumenical prayer vigil that will take place on 30th September 2023 in St. Peter’s Square. Pope Francis announced the event during the Angelus on 15th January 2023, to entrust to God the work of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, on the theme of Synodality, which will take place in October 2023. It will be a genuine gathering of the People of God, which will extend an invitation, as the title given to this occasion indicates (“Together”), to walk together, which is also expressed by the verse of Isaiah (cf. Is 54, 2) chosen for the occasion: to “widen the space of your tent”. The Taizé Community will lead the vigil, which will be attended by Pope Francis and representatives of various Christian Churches, as well as many realities and organizations. It is open to everyone, especially young people who are invited to attend from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon, and will be welcomed for a weekend of true sharing. Damian Skłodowski, from Poland, and Masha Iasinskaia, from Russia are two young people from the Focolare Movement who are part of the team that is organizing “Together”. At the meeting held on 12th-15th March 2023, they had the opportunity to meet the whole team and to begin the work of preparation. Masha, how did the meeting go for you? This preparatory meeting was a very strong experience for me. I was pleasantly impressed to see so many people belonging to different Churches and to various confessions working together. I am Orthodox and, having been part of the Focolare Movement since I was born, I have always lived in an atmosphere in which dialogue between the Churches is normal but I was happy to be surprised on this occasion. I have discovered that many, each in their own reality, feel this need for brotherhood and work hard to achieve this goal in their communities. Damian, how did you share out the tasks from an organizational point of view? The “Together” weekend will be a journey made up of several parts. On the morning of 30th September, there will be itineraries and workshops on various themes in different areas of Rome. This will be followed by a time dedicated to prayer for all the young adults in the city centre and then there will be a procession to St. Peter’s Square. This preparatory meeting was certainly a way to get to know each other, brainstorm a little on the topics and understand how to share the work between us. Masha and I will take care of preparing one of the morning workshops. Masha, in this context what does the word “Together” say to you? The first time I felt I was living this “together” fully was in Hungary, during the 2012 GenFest, a gathering of the young people from the Focolare which takes place every 5 years. It’s a different kind of event from the one we are organizing now but I will never forget the mandate that was given to us to be “bridges”. A bridge represents something that unites, which creates a bond between us, between our countries, our churches, our differences and the more united we are the more unshakeable this bridge will be. I think this being “together” is essential, especially for me, for my country. I am lucky because I had the joy of receiving this mandate, but we have to bear witness to it, to truly become bridges and this vigil offers a wonderful occasion. Damian, what do you think is the starting point for establishing true relationships of communion? The starting point is to really go to meet others, to put the person at the centre, to get to know each other and ask “how are you?” You have to build that relationship. Yes, it is true, we are different, there are differences between the various Churches, between denominations, between religions but also between people in general. Before finding solutions or giving great speeches, what is important is listening. I, a Catholic and Masha, an Orthodox, are already experiencing this in sharing this work and also during the lunches and dinners of these days of preparation. It was nice to meet the others in such social moments without too many pretensions, with great simplicity. Even when Pope Francis welcomed us in a private audience, he thanked us for our availability and repeatedly used the word “synodality”. This is the path of God’s people: we walk, we open our hearts, our ears to listen, our eyes to see and little by little, we go ahead together.
The “dare to care” theme will once again be the focus of this year’s United World Week on May 1–8, 2022. It’s an opportunity not to be missed throughout the regions.It’s time! We are a few days away from the United World Week 2022, which this year will see thousands of people of all ages, races and creeds involved all over the world. When thinking about this event, typically what comes to mind immediately are young people, large gatherings or events. Yet United World Week is much, much more, because it is not just about young people. Throughout the year there is a wealth of life, with all the different generations of the Focolare Movement and others who work together for universal brotherhood. Almost 27 years ago, the Youth for a United World proposed to dedicate one week a year to engage public opinion more actively in the journey towards a united world. I remember the comments, in those days of May in 1995 during the Genfest, trying to figure out what that idea was, what we could do in the year that followed. The answer came in the following weeks and, as always, it came from life itself. The invitation was, and still is, quite specific. The 25 years of history, from the first United World Week in 1996 to the most recent one in 2021, have confirmed this. The first thing to do is to deepen and keep up all the activities that the Focolare communities carry out with courage, and in some cases even silently, to support the journey towards unity in the most diverse contexts. This includes in neighbourhoods, schools, workplaces – situations of fragility and neglect. The campaign targets cities, institutions and the media to promote unity and peace at every level, together with all people who are inspired by the same principles and objectives. It is not just young people, but together with those who are older, with the involvement of families, professionals, committed adults, politicians… united by the values of universal brotherhood. Together, by being inclusive, with wide-ranging actions that change and improve the social fabric, we can have a greater impact on world opinion. David Sassoli (1956–2022), the recently deceased former president of the European Parliament, had this to say to Youth for a United World at last year’s United World Week: “I believe that this is a work of civil education that in some way should concern us. It concerns us politicians and institutions, but also of course all the important world of European association. I believe that you in particular are in a privileged position, because you have already defined not only that it is important to take care of others, but also to take care in order to improve the living conditions of others.” This is the care that the world needs. Even in this very special year, on every continent, it has not gone lacking. “Caring for others is an act of courage,” says Jomery Nery, a young Brazilian tax lawyer who is also the director of operations for Anpecom (the Portuguese national association of the Economy of Communion). From Anpecom comes an initiative called Supera (a program for overcoming economic vulnerability). Jomery describes it this way: “Throughout the year we receive messages, emails and other communications from people who need help to eat, to build a house because they live in cardboard housing, for rent, to study or to start a business. Supera is a campaign to collect money, which is then used to help people in need.” It’s a “cure” directed towards fragile situations. In Belfast, too, the capital of Northern Ireland, they have taken this on seriously. For close to four years the city has been hosting an initiative that you could say was both ecological and social, which also takes place in the same way in other parts of the world. It’s called the Repair Café, that is, a bar for repairs, where volunteers are available to fix broken objects that people bring. As they do, they spend a nice morning together. The Repair Café is a real experience, both for the volunteers who fix things and for the people who decide to invest their time and bring an object to be fixed rather than throwing it away. Their motivations behind this are the most diverse, from concern about climate change, to the wish to see a fond object work once more. And with that excuse, relationships and ties are woven, and the strength to face daily challenges is found. In Lecce, Italy, a community made up of families, young people, professionals, artists, together with associations and the parish, works to redevelop a neighbourhood that has become marginalised, difficult and colourless from many points of view. “The first idea was to make the wall of the oratory more joyful and colourful,” says Don Gerardo. “That’s where the idea of the first mural came from, and people truly appreciated it.” Slowly, thanks to word of mouth, and to the young writers present in the area, artists from many parts of the world arrived to beautify the buildings of the Stadio district. With them came photographers, tourists and local administrators who were drawn by the true works of art that these murals represent. Everything is the result of a fraternity that has been created between the artists and the inhabitants of the neighbourhood. It has triggered a virtuous change that everyone feels part of – a true project to help those most in need, which has included activities for economic, environmental and social redevelopment. It is stories like these that give a soul to United World Week. These communities of active people who put themselves on the line will find a showcase from May 1–7, 2022 in many events around the world, both virtual and in person, that will do nothing more than collect and show the life that exists in the various regions. The title once again be #Dare to Care – the same “care” that can still make people repeat what Chiara Lubich said about United World Week in 2002: “It is always something a bit special. It is one of the initiatives that is most in keeping with the charism.”
The protagonists are the young people from all over the world: there is Giacomo, Italian, who left for Kenya thanks to the MilONGa international volunteering project, where he worked in orphanages in Nairobi. Or Daphne, from India, who recounts the adventure of Reach Out, the project set up in Goregaon, a suburb of East Mumbai, by some local young people to support about 70 families in poverty. Icaro, Sam and David, on the other hand, live in Brazil, in Fortaleza, where they are volunteering in the “Uirapuru Spiritual Condominium” (CEU), a campus where 21 associations work to care for needy children, people with AIDS and drug addicts. 1st of May, the opening of the UWW These and other stories will be presented during the opening of the UWW from Loppiano with an international event that will be streamed live and translated into 5 languages (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English and French). It can be followed on the 
Damian Skłodowski, from Poland, and Masha Iasinskaia, from Russia are two young people from the Focolare Movement who are part of the team that is organizing “Together”. At the meeting held on 12th-15th March 2023, they had the opportunity to meet the whole team and to begin the work of preparation. Masha, how did the meeting go for you? This preparatory meeting was a very strong experience for me. I was pleasantly impressed to see so many people belonging to different Churches and to various confessions working together. I am Orthodox and, having been part of the Focolare Movement since I was born, I have always lived in an atmosphere in which dialogue between the Churches is normal but I was happy to be surprised on this occasion. I have discovered that many, each in their own reality, feel this need for brotherhood and work hard to achieve this goal in their communities. Damian, how did you share out the tasks from an organizational point of view? The “Together” weekend will be a journey made up of several parts. On the morning of 30th September, there will be itineraries and workshops on various themes in different areas of Rome. This will be followed by a time dedicated to prayer for all the young adults in the city centre and then there will be a procession to St. Peter’s Square. This preparatory meeting was certainly a way to get to know each other, brainstorm a little on the topics and understand how to share the work between us. Masha and I will take care of preparing one of the morning workshops. Masha, in this context what does the word “Together” say to you? The first time I felt I was living this “together” fully was in Hungary, during the 2012 GenFest, a gathering of the young people from the 
It’s time! We are a few days away from the United World Week 2022, which this year will see thousands of people of all ages, races and creeds involved all over the world. When thinking about this event, typically what comes to mind immediately are young people, large gatherings or events. Yet United World Week is much, much more, because it is not just about young people. Throughout the year there is a wealth of life, with all the different generations of the Focolare Movement and others who work together for universal brotherhood. 
Almost 27 years ago, the Youth for a United World proposed to dedicate one week a year to engage public opinion more actively in the journey towards a united world. I remember the comments, in those days of May in 1995 during the Genfest, trying to figure out what that idea was, what we could do in the year that followed. The answer came in the following weeks and, as always, it came from life itself. The invitation was, and still is, quite specific. The 25 years of history, from the first United World Week in 1996 to the most recent one in 2021, have confirmed this. The first thing to do is to deepen and keep up all the activities that the Focolare communities carry out with courage, and in some cases even silently, to support the journey towards unity in the most diverse contexts. This includes in neighbourhoods, schools, workplaces – situations of fragility and neglect. 
The campaign targets cities, institutions and the media to promote unity and peace at every level, together with all people who are inspired by the same principles and objectives. It is not just young people, but together with those who are older, with the involvement of families, professionals, committed adults, politicians… united by the values of universal brotherhood. Together, by being inclusive, with wide-ranging actions that change and improve the social fabric, we can have a greater impact on world opinion. David Sassoli (1956–2022), the recently deceased former president of the European Parliament, had this to say to Youth for a United World at last year’s United World Week: “I believe that this is a work of civil education that in some way should concern us. It concerns us politicians and institutions, but also of course all the important world of European association. I believe that you in particular are in a privileged position, because you have already defined not only that it is important to take care of others, but also to take care in order to improve the living conditions of others.”