Stories from around the globe show how a united world is already in motion. This platform highlights experiences, initiatives, and projects from people and communities working for unity and peace. Explore what’s happening and get inspired.
<p>Some years ago, in the Province of Buenos Aires, the Focolare Movement created a Foundation that they called later on Civil Association “<strong><a href="http://www.asociacionnuevosol.org.ar/">Nuevo Sol</a></strong>” (New Sun). It includes three Community Centers located in vulnerable areas of the Province.</p> <p>These centers offer sports activities, such as soccer and hockey on grass (a highly developed sport in Argentina), recreational activities, workshops, as well as after-school support and health-care services. </p>
<p>I arrived late, when the class had already started, because I got a wrong exit on the highway. Not so bad, after all, because the dancers I had to interview were already engaged in their session of classical dance – a rehearsal of a beautiful choreography. I pleasantly waited, enjoying the figures and the plots, and took some pictures.</p> <p>The “Laboratorio Accademico Danza” (Academic Dance Workshop), under the artistic direction of Ms. Antonella Lombardo, is located in the Municipality of Massa-Cozzile, in the Nievole Valley, Province of Pistoia, Central Italy, harmoniously integrated in the facilities of a commercial area.<br />It was established in 1984 in the town of Monsummano Terme and, a few years ago, it found this setting made up of white and bright spaces, which smells of art and opportunities for self-expression. A place where you feel at home, right away. A school, but also an association, the Cultural Association “Dancelab Armonia”, which aims to "develop and disseminate the idea of possible harmony, both with reference to the individuals and the communities, and the use of Art as a crosswise tool to build Harmony among Peoples."</p>
<p><img src="images/2017/africasatview.jpg" alt="Africa" width="260" height="247" style="margin-right: 3px; float: left;" /><em>Youth</em> is a broad subject, that has sparked a lot of discussion, especially amongst youth movements worldwide (the Arab Spring, the « outraged » in Europe, and demonstrations against abuses perpetrated by African leaders, etc.). However, this article shall focus only on the role young people are supposed to play. </p> <p>As a matter of fact, young people have been considered as a marginalized category for a long time, but today they are being targeted. And this is happening not only because of the enormous potential they represent and the self-confidence they seem to have, but also because they are able to change the world for the better and, unfortunately, also for the worse. Experts believe that many young people try to enhance their potential, but do not always succeed. When opportunities are lacking, their ambition turns to frustration, which is then exploited by groups who are working to promote their own agenda such as politicians, extremists, drug cartels, armed groups, etc. Analysts believe that young people are vulnerable to indoctrination, especially because they lack experience and historically-conscious knowledge. </p>
<p><em><span style="background-color: transparent;"><img src="images/2017/PROFOR/d.jpg" alt="proforeng1" width="260" height="172" style="margin-right: 3px; float: left;" />What can possibly share a beautician-hairdresser and a farmer who produces organic products, or a pizza maker and an entrepreneur in the concrete sector? These are examples of start-up businesses that participated in Brazil in the "PROFOR" Project, i.e., the "Program for the Reinforcement of Inclusive Businesses of Communion", the first experience that AMU implemented in collaboration with ANPECOM (National Association for an Economy of Communion). See </span><a href="http://anpecom.com.br/" style="background-color: transparent;">http://anpecom.com.br/</a></em></p> <p>"We looked around, and noted that there are many people in vulnerable social situations," says Clézia Maria Pinto de Santana, the person in charge of ANPECOM projects. "Perhaps many of them had ideas and good will, but no adequate training to creating and running a business. This inspired us to try to support them, drawing on our experience."</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><em style="background-color: transparent;"><img src="images/2017/Chile1.jpg" alt="Chile 1" width="260" height="195" style="margin-right: 3px; float: left;" />More than 12 years ago a group of young Chileans began to share experiences and concrete actions in several hostels in the city of Santiago. Today, thanks to a serious commitment, some stepped down in favour of "new entries," but the activity remains the same as the first day.</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><em style="background-color: transparent;"></em>Hostels, in Chile, are places where people who do not have any other possibility can spend the night. People who live there pay a small fee to have a bed and the use of a common bathroom. However, they are complex places where most people have complicated situations, past and present hardships, in the midst of thefts, sufferings, and confusions. A group of young people belonging to the <em>Young People for a United World</em>, more than 12 years ago decided to go there regularly, at the beginning, just to share some moments with them. Having a tea, eating some sandwiches, or sharing a juice with them. Often this was the pretext to have moments of dialogue and enter into the reality of these people who live a reality of suffering and abandonment in their own flesh. And reach out to them.</p>
<p><em>How much do we know about Islam and how much do we think we know? How does a Muslim woman live and how do we imagine her life? An interview with Abir, a young Italian Muslim woman of Moroccan origin.</em><br /><br />In the world there are many preconceptions about Muslim women. "They must have little freedom", "She is like a prisoner, she cannot express herself". "She is oppressed, there are many rules that she cannot change”. "I wonder what number of wife she is and what will she do with her life, because with her clothes I cannot get an idea of her." "We do not know their culture and they are stigmatized by news of wars and conflicts." All these sentences were spoken by Western people. How much of this is true?</p>
<p><span style="background-color: transparent;">Often the news circulating on the most read newspapers and the most watched/listened broadcasters convey the image of an extremely poor Africa: its endless civil wars, epidemics such as AIDS, ebola, malaria, etc. A continent where population growth is a threat. People constantly fleeing war or poverty by migrating to neighboring countries or to Europe, etc.</span></p> <p>The purpose of this article is not to contradict this image conveyed by certain media, but rather to highlight the other face of Africa that is not often shown. It is an Africa in search of its own unity. An Africa that struggles to find the most appropriate solutions to its problems. We could share several initiatives in this direction, but we would rather analyze the Gambian experience as a living witness of an Africa in search of negotiated solutions, specifically in the area of conflict resolution, as described in the document of the African Union: 'Vision 2064: an Africa without the sound of weapons.’</p>
<p><em><strong><a href="http://www.pilares.org.ar">Pilares</a> </strong>(pillars) is a Foundation that works in one of the largest slums in the city of Buenos Aires, called Villa 21-24 de Barracas. A story that began with a group of young people in 2008 and is today a Foundation that helps 365 families.</em></p> <p>Buenos Aires is well known for being a cosmopolitan, crazy city, nourished by culture and beauty. But it is also known to be one of the cities that house the largest poor settlements in Latin America. The largest slums in Argentina are in Buenos Aires. One of them, the biggest one, is ‘Villa 21-24 of Barracas’, in the South-East of the Argentine capital city. It hosts about 45,000 people in a situation of precariousness and poverty.</p>
Dialogue & Interculture
United World Week
More than 170 events across dozens of countries brought United World Week 2026 to life through initiatives, meetings, and concrete actions dedicated to peace, fraternity, and the building of a more united world.
Dialogue & Interculture
Dialogue & Interculture
Economy & Work
Active Citizenship & Politics
After thirty years spent in some of the world's most challenging environments, Marcoluigi Corsi, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon, reflects on child protection, hope and the humanity that endures even in the midst of war.
Active Citizenship & Politics
Stefano Zaffino, author of Fraternità e Profezia (Fraternity and Prophecy): The Thought of Igino Giordani in the Wake of the Encyclical Fratelli tutti, reflects on fraternity as a response to the conflicts and divisions of the contemporary world.
Economy & Work
Anna Granata, professor at the University of Milano-Bicocca, reminds us that teaching peace is not an abstract utopia. It is something that happens every day in Italian classrooms among children with diverse stories, languages, and backgrounds.
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