Live from the Genfest in Calabria.  Around 400 young people gathered from all over Italy, especially from the Calabrian peninsula and islands, to participate in conversations with experts; opportunities to volunteer and a solemn commemoration on Cutro beach where 94 migrants drowned in February 2023.

As part of the worldwide Genfest taking place in Aparecida, Brazil, in recent days, Italy celebrated its own ‘local’ Genfest 2024 in Calabria, in the South.  Events began at Lamezia Terme, in the San Benedetto auditorium, with around 400 young people from Calabria, Sicily, Basilicata, Puglia, Sardinia and Campania, as well as other parts of Italy and representatives from Europe and the Middle East

A celebration of encounter, exchange, music and colour, the 3-day event opened with the theme “Together let’s care’, reflecting and questioning what it means to “get one’s hands dirty” – a truly urgent challenge in today’s society so connected ‘virtually’ yet open to ‘real’ loneliness and individualism.

To take care of one another is the answer that dwells within every human heart, especially “every young person’s heart”, – said Monsignor Serafino Parisi, bishop of Lamezia Terme – “which not only longs for and believes in a better world, but seizes the chance to transform their longing into reality, by becoming protagonists of change.  My wish is that one day, as you look back, you may realise all the good you have managed to build has your signature upon it”.

Recalling the origins of the Focolare and the person of Chiara Lubich, the President of the Calabrian Episcopal Conference Monsignor Fortunato Moroni, urged the young people to draw on every bit of their potential to take ahead this omnipotent love intuited by Chiara.

“Thank you for this river of happiness. May it continue to flow in every part of the world”, said the Mayor, Paolo Mascara, as he welcomed everyone to the city, reiterating how proud Lamezia is to be the driving force of an initiative that will leave a lasting mark and furrow upon the ground.

On the stage, were young people from the organisation “Lucky Friends” who shared their story in a video, capturing all they have been doing over the last ten years.  Others shared their experience of previous Genfests that have taken place since 1980, reawakening in today’s young people a sense of anticipation, in preparing, awaiting, and above all, valuing the moments of encounter which they will carry with them like treasure for the rest of their lives.  The first part of the day concluded with the talk ‘putting our relationship with others at the centre’ given by Valentina Guadiana, vice rector of the Sophia Institute and Professor of philosophical anthropology, who, in conversation with 2 young people leading from the stage, Mattia Paradiso and Francesca Porcelluzzi, highlighted the value of relationship as “the constitutive element that makes me Me”.  No one is born alone; we do not name ourselves: each one of us is unique and irreplaceable; linked together by our need for each other.

The afternoon continued with visits to local associations and communities involved in outreach; recovery for those suffering from addiction; welcoming migrants, especially unaccompanied minors; ecological initiatives; finishing with a visit to the ancient plane tree of Curinga.

Genfest Day 2 at the Shrine of the Greek Madonna of Isola Capo Rizzuto. Mons Francesco Savino, bishop of Cassano allo Jonio, vice president of the Italian Episcopal Conference for Southern Italy, greeted them, encouraging them to “to respond to God’s call today, to repair His house – the house of the world”. Speaking of the Mediterranean, where tens of thousands of people have lost their lives, he said: we must return to being human. Today there is too much dehumanisation.  A Christian who does not seek to be human denies Jesus Christ”.

A call to peace, therefore, towards which we must all tend, which demands the highest level of commitment and involves everyone.  This is the concern of all of us who are called to be “artisans of peace”.

The second session continued in conversation with Maria Giovanna Pietropaolo (UNHCR External Relations Associate, United Nations) and Pasquale Ferrara, secretary general for political and security affairs in the Italian Foreign Ministry, and former ambassador to Algeria. In dialogue with the young people, he spoke of the many current conflicts throughout the world, tracing a 360 degrees panorama of the causes that lead to war.  “It is often said that wars start for justifiable reasons; to defend oneself against attacks, to defend one’s people, to guarantee security.  But after every war even less security exists and not a single problem has been solved”. He recalled a phrase that is often quoted: “If you desire peace, prepare for war”. “But the truth – he added – is that if you prepare for war, sooner or later war comes. The many conflicts that have broken out in today’s world demonstrate this”.

He reminded us that the migrant phenomenon is a direct result of the great conflicts we see today. The lack of prospects and not being able to plan one’s future often leads to migration.  He recalled his own experience as ambassador to Algeria, a country where conditions were not desperate (universities and books were free, and accommodation for those away from home) yet many young people were leaving the country in search of greater stability for the future.  Whilst in some countries they build actual ‘walls’, in Europe there is an invisible wall, Schengen, that’s limits social mobility.  We call them invasions.  Migration has always been part of the the story of humanity; of people mixing with and encountering one another.  Migration is not a pathological fact, it is physiological.  We need longterm prospects.  There is no such thing as illegal immigrants, everyone is a legitimate citizen of this earth. At the most, there are some ‘irregularities’. Migrants, according to Ferrara – even if they are not being persecuted, emerge out of the great conflicts of humanity.  They force us to question our way of thinking and governing.  “Planetarian politics is needed”, capable of looking not only at the wellbeing of individual states, but the wellbeing of humanity as a whole. Politicians do not only represent the electorate, but all living creatures (animals, plants, environmental equilibrium); they remind us how we should govern the State.  “Planet Earth” is our common home.  Wars destroy life, they commit homicide on a huge scale but also ECOCIDE.  To preserve human life and the life of the planet is the enormous challenge humanity faces today”.

In the afternoon, a theatrical performance ‘One-Way Ticket’, unfolded, inspired by the poetry of Erri De Luca’s “Solo Andata”, produced by Davide Fasano, and the Drama Academy “ Organised Fleeing”.  Followed by two workshops.  The day culminated in the evening with a flashmob vigil entitled “Silence, Listening, Words: a prayer for peace” on the beach at Steccato di Cutro where 94 migrants lost their lives when their boat was shipwrecked and an unknown number of others, men, women and children, were never accounted for.

A group of Italian, Lebanese and Jordanian artists created a living memory, of all those whose lives stopped shining on that day, leaving their eternal spark among everyone who was gathered there. Their stories told in words and movement, arose from the sea, symbolising a boat approaching the shore whose lights went out one by one as a reminder and a pledge that such a tragedy should never happen again. The “interactive performance” was produced by Rita Amidi (script writer), Marta Carino (video director) Eleanor’s Guarracino (costumes) Angela Iantosca (set design), Fernando Muraca (concept director) Riccardo Piterà (lighting), Maria Salvatori (cellist), Apo Yaghmourian (scenography and co-director).  The Mayor of Cutro, Antonio Cerasa gave the introduction. He thanked the the young people of the Genfest for coming to honour the memory of the migrants and recall the tragedy which had so strongly affected the inhabitants of   of Cutro, Calabrians, many of whom had been migrants themselves.  “But in contrast to then, these people had set out knowing that they might not arrive”.  We must save these lives and leave the other dynamics to others. Cutro is a community that welcomes, capable of offering not only shelter but hearts that are open. He added “Seeing you, young people, today fills me with joy.  I never dreamed of such a powerful manifestation”.  He concluded by recalling the message at the end of the year, by the President Sergio Mattarella, who, quoting the tragedy of February 2023, said “The values which the Constitution lays out as the basis of community, can be found in the quiet piety of the people of Cutro”.  Values shared by the young people who participated in the Genfest which will never be lost and which through them, will reach their countries of origin.

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