This afternoon, from 5.30 pm, the Quaderno by the Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS) – dedicated to a reasoned reading of the Encyclical “Fratelli tutti” in the light of UN 2030 Agenda’s Goal 16 focusing on peace, justice and solid institutions – will be presented at the Italian Embassy to the Holy See.
The Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development brings together over 300 of the most important institutions and networks of civil society and it is the largest Italian organization to deal with spreading the culture of sustainability in our country and promoting the achievement of United Nations 2030 Agenda, signed in 2015 by 193 countries.
“We have decided to dedicate an in-depth study to Pope Francis’ Encyclical” President of ASviS Pierluigi Stefanini explains “because the vision expressed by the Pontiff – oriented to the essential role of fraternity and hospitality as quintessence of fair and inclusive policies for the common good, in order to transmit values of solidarity and mutual respect and to stem any form of discrimination and violence – seems to be fully reflected in Goal 16’s message based on the centrality of peace, justice and solidity of institutions to ensure fully active and responsible citizenship”.
Ambassador Pietro Sebastiani highlights: “With the Encyclical ‘Fratelli tutti’, Pope Francis face the relationship between fraternity, economy, market, business, politics. Empowering each one of us, inviting us to a season of change, for a better future for our economy, our societies, the human family ”. He underlines: “in fact, he urges to take fraternity as a good-value, as a compass that constantly guides our choices according to the logic of the common good”.
In the introduction to the Quaderno, Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, underlines some of the cornerstones of the Encyclical revolving around the declination of the very concept of fraternity which “cannot be relegated only to interpersonal relationships” but should emerge into concrete acts in the relationships between countries, afferming “the primacy of rules over force”.
“The lack of fraternity among peoples” the Cardinal continues “is an important cause of poverty and underdevelopment”, while, on the other hand, there is “a dangerous tendency to build walls, to withdrawn in self-protectionism, nationalism and ‘isolationism”, in a world torn apart by” so many conflicts that cause pain, suffering and death in many parts of the world” because, the Cardinal points out, quoting the encyclical,” war is not a ghost of the past but it has become a constant threat”.
The Quaderno – which includes excerpts by university professors, international analysts, exponents of lay and Catholic associations and Religious Orders – was coordinated by Marcella Mallen and Filippo Salone, of the Prioritalia Foundation, who are also the coordinators of ‘AsviS Working Group 16’. The afterword by Sister Chiara Francesca Lacchini of the Council of the Federation of Capuchin Poor Clare nuns, is also worth mentioning. She counted how many times the words “brothers” (26), “fraternity” (44) and “brotherhood” (5) are mentioned in the text of the Encyclical.
The encyclical has been analyzed from different perspectives, to highlight the numerous points of contact with the contents of the United Nations Agenda, so much so that we can speak explicitly of a “shared horizon”.
“Pope Francis is among the few who understood the extent of the current planetary crisis and for that reason he is a point of reference for all, believers and non-believers. Covid and the climate crisis remind us that we no longer have time to wait. His Encyclical” Stefanini emphasizes “is a manifesto that calls us to the utmost commitment to respond to the challenges of our time in the name of dialogue and the encounter between all differences: gender, geographical, socio-economic and generational”.
The event will be live streamed on the Sustainable Development Festival website, on the ASviS Youtube channel, on the ASviS Facebook page, on the Facebook profile of the Embassy of Italy to the Holy See, on the Ansa Facebook page and on the ansa.it and radioradicale.it sites.
Program
Welcome greetings
Pietro Sebastiani, Ambassador of Italy to the Holy See
Pierluigi Stefanini, President of ASviS
Speakers
Enrico Giovannini, Minister for Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility
Don Bruno Bignami, CEI – director of the National Office for Social and Labor Problems
Sr. Chiara Francesca Lacchini, president of the Council of the Capuchin Poor Clares federation
Marcella Mallen, president of the Prioritalia Foundation and coordinator of the ASviS WG Goal 16
Moderator: Chiara del Gaudio, journalist UnoMattina- Rai Uno.
