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INTENTION : |
That every country determine to take the necessary measures to make the future of the very young, especially those who suffer, a priority.
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Pope Francis invites young economists, entrepreneurs, and change-makers to Assisi, to make a commitment in the spirit of Saint Francis, in order to make the economy of today and tomorrow fair, sustainable and inclusive, with no one left behind.
Alejandro Robles Field from Costa Rica said: "Am not sure whether I can get off from work, but I would love to participate. That sounds interesting. Will there be live transmission, just in case?"
Yes! The "Economy of Francesco" will be available on various social media networks - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Flickr - in order to make it possible for everyone to be updated on the three-day event, specifically dedicated to young people, as desired by Pope Francis.
The event, will held in Assisi from March 26 to March 28 2020, already received more than 500 participation requests from under-35 entrepreneurs and students from more than 45 countries, including Japan, Angola, Brazil, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Portugal and Cuba.
In just a few months, the site www.francescoeconomy.org reached more than 2000 subscribers.
In preparation for the international meeting in Assisi, workshops, study seminars and conferences will be held in Italy and around the world. These preparatory events will be promoted by universities, companies, business networks and various other organizations to cultivate critical thought, especially among young people. Several meetings are already scheduled.
First, the City of St. Francis will host "Assisi Pathways"; other preparatory meetings will take place later in both Spain and Cameroon.
Where theory and practice come together
The appointment with the Pope will not be a traditional conference, but an experience where theory and practice come together to build new ideas and new collaborations.
The meeting will begin with the proposals and the preparatory work of young people; it will provide an environment where time slows down and room is made for silence and reflection.
Workshops and artistic presentations will be offered by the best-known economists, sustainable development experts, female and male entrepreneurs currently engaged globally in creating a different economy - with the proposal of engendering common reflection and collaboration with and among the young participants.
The Nobel Prize winners Muhammad Yunus and Amarthya Sen have already confirmed their presence at The Economy of Francis. In addition, other participants will include Bruno Frey, Tony Meloto, Carlo Petrini, Kate Raworth, Jeffrey Sachs, Vandana Shiva and Stefano Zamagni.
To embrace young people, beyond differences in belief and nationality, an agreement to change the current economy and humanize the economy of tomorrow: to make it more just, more sustainable and to give new prominence to excluded people.
A personal invitation from Pope Francis
The invitation to participate has come directly from Pope Francis, who has issued a letter in which he invites to the City of St. Francis, which is symbol of humanism and fraternity, young economists and entrepreneurs from all over the world, without distinctions of creed or nationality, to initiate with them a process of global change so that today's and tomorrow's economy is fairer, inclusive and sustainable, without leaving anyone behind.
The most complex problems in today's world, from safeguarding the environment to justice for the poor, need courageous commitment to rethink the economic paradigms of our time. In the Encyclical Letter Laudato Si', the Holy Father recalled that everything is intimately connected and that the Earth is our "common home", and therefore launched an appeal to defend it and all of humanity that inhabits the Earth. He warned us against the careless exploitation of resources and short-sighted policies that look to immediate success without prospects for the long-term.
Starting from the example of St. Francis, it is therefore necessary to rebuild a new integral ecology, one that is inseparable from the concept of the common good, which must be implemented through choices based on solidarity and the "preferential option for the poor". It must begin "from solving the structural problems of the world economy."
The event is organised by a Committee composed of the Diocese of Assisi, Assisi City Council, the Seraphic Institute of Assisi and the Economy of Communion (Focolare Movement).
IN COVENANT WITH POPE FRANCIS,
Maria Fischer
Schoenstatt.org
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