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>Here is the description of the fragment of fraternity carried out during the United World Week in </em><em>Central America narrated through photos and words</em></p> <p>“Hi to everyone!<br />Around sixty of us youth gathered in the Mariapolis Centre in Guatemala.<br />Our United World Week (UWW) began last night with a vigil of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament with meditations, music and songs.</p>
<p><em>A way to relive the 1st May from Jerusalem: excerpts of the speech delivered during the live streaming of the event</em></p> <p>“...We would like to present to you an on-going project: the United World Project. It all started in Budapest last September. There were 12,000 of us, together with other 500 thousand young people from all over the world linked to us via internet. So many stories, so many ideals led us there.
<p><i>Live streaming and worldwide link-up via television channels. All the information you need in order to follow the closing event of the Genfest year</i> </p> <p><a target="_blank" href="http://live.focolare.org/uww2013">Jerusalem, Budapest, Mumbai and Loppiano (Florence – Italy). In just one day, 1<sup>st</sup> May 2013, these four cities will be linked up together and with all the world through live streaming</a> and international tv transmission to make brotherhood visible. This is how the Youth for a United World celebrate the 1<sup>st</sup> of May.</p>
<p><em>One hundred and thirty Focolare young people from25 countries meet Mayor Vera Baboun in Bethlehem, along with some of their Palestinian age-mates. Mayor Baboun remarked: “In a country wounded by the absence of brotherhood the rule that says ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’ is the real change”</em></p> <p>The Peace Centre is located in the multi-religious and political heart of Bethlehem. In the same square – a square of white stone and surrounded by palm trees – there is the Basilica of the Nativity and the Mosque, a coexistence that has nothing of confrontation or intolerance. Next door is the Town Hall and all around the colours of the Bethlehem market. There is also the haunting wall that the Israeli government has constructed in defence of its territory.
<p><em>An email from Cameroon to tell us how the United World Project is a continuous occasion for little actions of fraternity</em> </p> <p>«Lots of greetings from Fontem.</p> <p>«We are making steps ahead in the United World Project. At some point we felt the need of committing ourselves to live more before going ahead with the signatures, to be able to back the campaign up, with our own experiences. Things are going ahead gradually, but steadily. For example, Youth for United World club members of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College Fontem share about their little project; cleaning of refectory tables after breakfast every day, which is one of the problem areas. It has been a powerful challenge, which required much humility and courage in overcoming our shyness and pride to do such a mean exercise.</p>
<p><em>With minus, division, plus and equals. Youth for a United World of Jordan tell us their day "On the way" togheter the Ammad comunity </em></p> <p><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“We, Youth for a United World, believe that a united world is built with the simplest acts of love toward the other in need where ever we are. Therefore, we decided to launch the initiative "</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">عالماشي</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> " or "On the Way" which basically calls the youth to do a drive in Amman (the capital of Jordan) and find creative ways to do "good" for whoever we meet "on the way". We were divided into Five groups each with a mission to do while driving into the City. Learning from the" Teens for Unity", we have used their own mathematical signs, which they have interpreted into concrete actions of Love, as slogans for each group's mission; for example, one of the groups had the "<strong>Minus</strong>" sign with the slogan "To reduce pain"; they went to a general park where they did lots of cleaning and picking up wastes and garbage; they also did some face painting with the kids who were playing with their families.</span></p>
<p><em>A letter from a <a href="http://giovaniperunmondounito.blogspot.it/" target="_blank">Youth for a United World</a>, Joel Pina, which tells us how in the heart of Africa are experiencing a piece of universal brotherhood for the Diocesan Youth Day</em></p> <p>“Well, I am here today, representing the Youth for a United World (Y4UW), a branch of the Focolare Movement.<br />What I am about to tell you is something really interesting! I hope that all of you will get this great idea! Or at least, become curious about it. It is something that has emerged from the youth but it is open to everyone else! It is the “United World Project”.</p>
<p><em>A huge flood submerged almost half of the city of La Plata, some parts of Buenos Aires and various towns round about. The solidarity it provoked was greater than any expectations.</em></p> <p>La Plata, 54 km from Buenos Aires, 750,000 inhabitants. On 2nd and 3rd April 2013 about 400 millimetres of rain led to a greater flood than had ever been seen before. More than half the city was submerged – in some places it was more than 2 metres deep. The previous day something similar, though on a smaller scale, struck Buenos Aires and some of the surrounding towns. The 59 deaths (6 in Buenos Aires, 2 in the surrounding towns and 51 in the city of La Plata) still trouble people and make them fear for the future. Despite all this, people’s solidarity swung into action yet again, meeting the victims’ the urgent needs.</p>
Economy & Work
Thirty-five years ago a dream was born: the Economy of Communion. In late May Argentina will host an extraordinary celebration where people of all ages will come together to breathe new life into this project and write the future for a different kind of economy.
Lorna Gold, Executive Director of Laudato Si’ Movement, reflects on ten years of the encyclical, analysing how integral ecology is an essential path to global unity and tackling the climate crisis.
Operation Mato Grosso is working on over 100 missions across Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia, all rooted in education, hard work, and solidarity. Jacopo Manara, who has been a volunteer for years, tells us their story.
An interview on communication with Michele Zanzucchi, journalist and writer, former director of Città Nuova, professor of communication at Sophia University Institute and at the Pontifical Gregorian University, and author of around forty books.
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