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><em>A ten-day worldwide initiative aims at creating awareness about the daily effort to build peace. Some flash from the Holy Land, Syria, Congo, Argentina, Hong Kong, Macau, Germany, Slovakia and Portugal.</em></p> <p><strong>Focolare <strong>Youth and children and their many friends.</strong></strong> Signs of persistent commitment towards peace in the whole world. A focus on some initiatives, not amongst the most crowded or those held in well-known cities, but very significant because they show that everyone, anywhere can contribute towards peace.<strong><strong><br /> </strong></strong></p>
<p><em>Eradicate hunger and malnutrition. Halt the rise in obesity by promoting a culture of prevention.</em></p> <p><a href="http://www.expo2015.org/en">Expo Milano 2015</a> is the Universal Exhibition that Milan, Italy, will host from May 1 to October 31, 2015. Over this six-month period, Milan will become a global showcase where more than 140 participating countries will show the best of their technology that offers a concrete answer to a vital need: being able to guarantee healthy, safe and sufficient food for everyone, while respecting the Planet and its equilibrium. In addition to the exhibitor nations, the Expo also involves international organizations, and expects to welcome over 20 million visitors to its 1.1 million square meters of exhibition area.</p>
<p><em>May 10th marks the anniversary of the encounter between the Bishop of Rome and the head of the Coptic Church, the largest Christian church in Egypt. Traveling the path towards visible unity. Some comments from Sherin, focolarina from the Coptic Church.</em></p> <p><strong>May 10, 2013. Pope Francis and Pope Tawadros II meet </strong>at the Vatican to remember the historic appointment that took place 40 years ealier between their predecessors, Pope Paul VI and Pope Shenouda III, and their <a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/it/speeches/1973/may/documents/hf_p-vi_spe_19730510_dichiarazione-comune.html" target="_blank">Common Declaration</a> on the one faith that is professed by churches with different traditions. During his remarks, Pope Francis stated: “I am convinced that – under the guidance of the Holy Spirit – our persevering prayer, our dialogue and the will to build communion day by day in mutual love will allow us to take important further steps towards full unity.”</p>
<p><em>Protests explode after the death of the 25-year-old Afro-American Freddie Gray while he was under arrest. The commitment of the Focolare community, together with other groups to pacify the city.</em></p> <p>“The events that came about have stirred up the support of the citizens. Many leaders, religious groups and civil organisations decided to work together to clean the streets and buildings and to help in various ways, revealing the positive side of the city, though deeply offended,» Lucia, Co-Director of the Focolare Movement wrote from Washington.</p> <p><strong>We all know about the people’s protests triggered in Baltimore last month</strong>, which are still ongoing, after the death of the 25-year-old Afro-American Freddie Gray while he was under arrest. Baltimore, the biggest city of Maryland with more than 600,000 inhabitants is a melting pot of ethnic groups, especially Afro-Americans.</p>
<p><em>An appeal has been launched by the "Movement for Politics & Policies for Unity" in the face of the humanitarian disaster taking place in the Mediterranean. The document points out the contradictions and shortcomings found within the 10-point plan elaborated by the EU and it proposes political initiatives that are more in tune with the needs at hand.</em></p> <p>The Movement for Politics & Policies for Unity raises its voice concerning the drama of migration towards Europe, a voice added to that of many associations and concerned people from around the world.</p> <p>They write: <strong>“The plan launched by the European emergency summit </strong>after yet another tragedy in the Sicilian Channel with its high death toll, expands the operational area of Triton and of Poseidon so that the increased number of ships, due to the tripling of funding, may push beyond the 30 miles from the coasts of the European shores. These actions remain within the context of Frontex whose logic is to defend Europe’s borders,<strong> and not a comprehensive migration policy.”</strong></p>
<p><em>Facing the absurds of war around the planet, we say stop! An appointment at noon of each day with a prayer or a moment of silence for peace.</em></p> <p>Sometimes we are overwhelmed by news of wars and terrorism, we feel helpless and dismayed by the pain of so many innocent victims.<br />Run4Unity, which united us in a great world relay, wants to promote a culture of peace and unity.</p> <p>We invite everyone to gather in prayer - or in silence - to obtain peace for every nation on the planet:</p>
<p><em>The workshop of the Youth for a United World moves into the social projects of the Focolare Movement and of other organizations working to answer the needs of the territory. Interreligious dialogue is the note of the day</em></p> <p>The day dedicated to the festival, inside the international workshop of the Youth for a United World, celebrates diversity as a bridge for dialogue. Those present are joined by Zain, a young Indian journalist, correspondent for Channel News Asia that having learned of this international workshop, decided to come in person to verify the work and the effects of it because "it's important that young people ask themselves how to be generators of dialogue."</p>
<p><em>Young people have dinner in the families of Coimbatore, between the shacks and in living conditions not always easy: worlds come together here to build real bridges of understanding and solidarity. A lot of literacy projects and assistance to sick young people<br /></em></p> <p>Today is the day of "Flavour". We start by sharing traditional Indian dishes and with food we share our experiences, valuing cultural differences as opportunities for intense sharing.</p> <p>Marilù, for example, tells us that, after being born and raised in Italy, she is in India for about 30 years. When she talks about her experience, her eyes shine in a particular way.
<p><em><span id="result_box" lang="en"><span title="Al via il terzo cantiere internazionale per i Giovani per un mondo unito dei Focolari a Mumbai, in occasione della Settimana mondo unito 2015. Si condivide la sospensione dei giovani nepalesi presenti all'incontro, che hanno visto dalle televisioni il loro Paese distrutto e le famiglie">The <a href="http://www.uww2015.com/index.php">third international workshop</a> of the Youth for a United World of the Focolare Movement has been launched in Mumbai, at the United World Week 2015. We share the suspension of <span id="result_box" lang="en"><span title="Al via il terzo cantiere internazionale per i Giovani per un mondo unito dei Focolari a Mumbai, in occasione della Settimana mondo unito 2015. Si condivide la sospensione dei giovani nepalesi presenti all'incontro, che hanno visto dalle televisioni il loro Paese distrutto e le famiglie">Nepalis </span></span>young people attended the meeting, which saw on television their country destroyed and the families </span><span title="sfollate ">displaced</span></span></em></p> <p><strong></strong><span id="result_box" lang="en"><span title=""Fabric, Flavour, Festival... discovering fraternity", (Festival di tessuti e di sapori, alla scoperta della fraternità)."><strong>"Fabric, Flavour, Festival ... discovering fraternity"</strong>. </span><span title="È questo il titolo scelto, assieme ad una grafica accattivante, per la terza tappa del cantiere internazionale dei giovani dei Focolari inserito nello United World Project.">This is the title chosen, along with an attractive graphic, for the third step of the international workshop of the young people from the Focolare, inside the <strong>United World Project</strong>. The location of </span><span title="Sede del 2015 è l’India.">2015 is India. </span><span title="Sono oltre 120 i giovani presenti e 25 i Paesi rappresentati.">More than 120 young people present and 25 countries represented. </span><span title="Si va dal Giappone all'Italia, dalla Corea alla Colombia, dal Nepal alla Romania: un laboratorio mondiale che, nell'ambito della Settimana Mondo Unito, testimonia quanto le differenze culturali e religiose non siano un ostacolo nel dialogo tra i popoli, ma rappresentino">From Japan to Italy, from Korea to Colombia, from Nepal to Romania: a global laboratory that, as part of the <strong>United World Week</strong>, shows that cultural and religious differences are not an obstacle to dialogue between peoples, but act as a</span><span title="un trampolino di lancio per un mondo più unito e fraterno, come scritto proprio nel titolo. "> springboard for a more united and fraternal world, as written right in the title.</span></span></p>
Health, Sport & Ecology
United World Week
Discover Run4Unity 2026, a global race bringing thousands of young people together in the name of peace. From Italy to Uganda, Brazil to Hong Kong, the relay of solidarity and sport forms just one part of United World Week 2026.
Dialogue & Interculture
United World Week
Here’s the key: knowing that we do not know. No one possesses the absolute Truth, and by engaging in dialogue with everyone we can grasp aspects or fragments of truth that help us reassemble a shattered vase that we can restore only if we are “together”.
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.
Art & Social Commitment
Celebrated Marvel and DC artist Gabriele Dell’Otto invites us to consider the people who are working to build peace as the real superheroes of our world. A profound discussion on responsibility, citizenship, and the challenge of doing the extraordinary in our everyday lives.
EN
