The 2021 edition of the United World Week will be entitled “#daretocare“, like this year’s Pathway for a United World, and will run for more than a week (May 1-9). In fact, this expo of global fraternity will culminate with a three-day online convention from Brussels.

The United World Week (UWW) 2021 is approaching, which will be, as always, from May 1-7, with an exceptional extension, until Sunday, May 9, the Feast of Europe…

What is the UWW?

Launched in 1995, the United World Week involves hundreds of thousands of people each year, in a wide range of activities and initiatives with the aim of influencing public opinion on the possibility of a peaceful coexistence between people of different religions and cultures, with full respect for the dignity of all human beings and the identity of each people and community. We can say, in summary, that the United World Week wants to highlight the path of humanity towards universal fraternity.

At the local level, proposals are made with the aim of increasing the sense of fraternity in cities, neighbourhoods, schools, sports activities, workplaces, involving local and national governments, institutions, associations, etc. At the international level, these initiatives often aim to assist and support emergency situations: victims of earthquakes, floods, famine, wars, pandemics and so on.

UWW and the Pathways for a United World

In 2018, the Pathways for a United World was born, a roadmap that over six years proposes six campaigns to help bring about a more united world and which has become the UWW’s theme. Drawing on the challenges of today’s world, the project focuses each year on one different aspect of human and social life – from economics to politics, from justice to the arts, from intercultural dialogue to sports – promoting actions, collaborations, studies, and projects based on fraternity and reciprocity. Through Pathways for a United World, the many activities planned want to help achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.

#InTimeForPeace was the theme for 2019-2020, presented during last year’s United World Week: an opportunity to focus on human rights, peace, legality, and justice. Beginning on May 1, 2020, the United World Week hosted nearly 1,000 events over 7 days in more than 400 cities in 90 countries. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many activities organized with other associations (webinars, concerts, moments of prayer, seminars, forums, etc.) were conducted online, totalling approximately 110,000 views.

#DareToCare, the pathway chosen for 2020-2021, is also the theme of this year’s United World Week, which encourages initiatives aimed at promoting ‘active citizenship’ through caring, listening, dialogue, communication, participation for the common good, for our cities and our Planet: a world that knows how to care will surely be a more united world!

#daretocare, UWW 2021

So, we are all invited to become promoters and protagonists of the United World Week 2021, which makes us work together with all those who want to contribute to the construction of a more united world. In addition to local events, here are some of the global events of the United World Week 2021:

• Gen Verde concert on May 1, 2021, at the opening of UWW.
• On May 2, from 11.00 am to 12.00 noon in every time zone, we will virtually run the “Run4unity“, a non-stop relay race, a sporting event with games, challenges, stories, and commitments, which will embrace the globe, to symbolically spread a rainbow of unity and peace on Earth.
• Also on May 2, the Politics for Unity Movement, on the occasion of the 25^th anniversary of its foundation, will launch an “Appeal for a new quality of politics” during an online event with politicians from around the world.
• On May 8, a big Gen Rosso
• Finally, the Dare to Care International Convention (May 7, 8 and 9). A global event that will take place from Brussels, Belgium and will be aired worldwide. The program is expected to include the involvement of European institutions, and will conclude on May 9, Europe Day.

How to participate in the UWW?

If you already have an idea and want to participate in the UWW 2021, you can visit the dedicated page, and follow the instructions to enter your event. After that, your initiative will appear on the UWW Global Calendar.

To download graphics, or other utilities (releases, templates, etc.), a Trello has been created where you can find everything you need to organize your event.

However, if you don’t have any ideas, we suggest that you can think of something to:

• Promote, implement and gather actions and experiences that put care at the center of politics and our lives as citizens;
• Promote moments of in-depth discussion, dialogue and exchange on the themes of Active Citizenship and Politics for Unity;
• Approach the institutions, political and religious actors in your country with concrete proposals related to the theme of care.

personal commitment, to build more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable societies, taking charge of the biggest wounds and fragilities of your city, networking with those already working on the same fronts.