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Newsletter Editorial 26-2026
A Film, An Award and A Workshop
We included an article on Christopher Nolan’s film The Odyssey in our August 2026 newsletter, dedicated to the theme of dialogue and intercultural understanding. We did so because the blockbuster starring Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway deeply speaks about these issues, as well as peace, war, violence and hospitality. It even touches the Golden Rule, throughout its three hours that fly by like a train heading towards the station.
We read The Odyssey, and in particular its Ulysses, as a journey towards full humanity which—after experiencing war and violence among people—leads to the conclusion that without dialogue, human beings have no future. Humanity can go nowhere without a new dawn in which war is replaced by encounter and a culture of hospitality and welcome.
Dialogue, encounter, and authentic relationships between cultures and people are at the heart of Run4Unity, the race that has been bringing borders and nations together every year for more than twenty years. The important recognition it received in Brussels on June 23—at the #BeActive EU Sport Awards—is a sign of the great value that this global event represents for peace and unity. In our article, we share the testimony of Agostino Spolti, who was present at the awarding ceremony that day, and Isabel Noernberg, who oversees and coordinates Run4Unity. In her words, we can sense the great satisfaction at the award presented to R4U.
Dialogue, with its transformative power, was also at the heart of the thoughts of Igino Giordani: writer, journalist and co-founder, together with Chiara Lubich, of the Focolare Movement. On the anniversary of his birth, on April 18th, 2026, an educational project for the youth was launched: four meetings to reflect, in an intelligent and constructive way, on sensitive and complex issues in today’s society. We narrate the full story in our article.