By Melissa Mejía Flórez

An open invitation to the Global Festival of “Living well” for the people and the planet which will take place on Saturday, 14^th and Sunday, 15^th of May at the Mariapoli Center of Castelgandolfo (Italy). Through an experiential and dialogic approach, the event offers outdoor activities, workshops and exchange of viewpoints with experts. There will also be moment of sharing for those who wish to participate in the event remotely, through a live streaming from 14:30 to 16:00 (Central European Time).   

Today, in continuity with the debate started in the last century, the need to rethink the concept of “development” is undoubtedly being stressed upon. In many parts of the world, in fact, development is being discussed, linking it to human rights, the mobility of the people, dialogue, the coexistence of different cultures and peace, the protection of the planet, evaluating the progress made and the journey yet to be travelled towards the goals of the UNO Agenda 2030.

With the emergence of new narratives, new channels of communication, new methods of sharing ideas and different audiences with respect to those of fifty years ago, the alternatives to the development imposed in the “third world” countries have found various ways to generate a concrete action movement, aware and determined to find a balance between the place in the world that each person occupies and the way in which that place is being lived, because it is clear that it is not possible to continue to jeopardise the survival of the planet nor that of the human being.

The traditional and ancestral contribution of the Latin America populations, with their philosophy and ecological knowledge, is one of those calls throughout the world to value and preserve man’s interdependence with nature.

Many books, articles, films, series, poems, blogs and podcasts explain that the personal realisation, especially from a social and cultural viewpoint, is essential to the human development. Therefore, coexisting in harmony with one’s self, with the other, with the community and the environment is fundamental for a full participation in political, economic, social, ecological and cultural life.

Dialogue between generations and cultures, interdisciplinary and Sumak Kawsay/ Living well  

In a global scenario that calls for a joint action on issues such as personal or collective identity, freedom, security, protection of the person, environmental protection, creativity and innovation, leisure, access to goods and services like water, electricity, means of communication, healthcare, education, accommodation, social assistance and many others, this invitation was born to open an intergenerational and international dialogue on how the principles of the Sumak Kawsay/Living well and the Andean philosophy can contribute to a life lived in harmony with nature and to collective solidarity, for a happy, serene and simple life.

The “Care to-gether, to-day, to-morrow” event

After two years of a pandemic that has shed light on the inequalities and the unheard needs of the many communities of the world – from the health, ecological, economic and educative emergencies to the mobility of people and the right to peace – the event puts forth a space for networking and learning through the initiatives and the projects in progress in the world. The event that will be held at the Mariapoli Centre of Castelgandolfo (Rome – Italy) will be a starting point to generate collaborations and new initiatives destined to have a positive impact at a local and global level.

When: Saturday, 14^th & Sunday, 15^th May 2022

To participate in presence, it is necessary to register within the 4^th of May:

https://prenota.centromariapoli.org/  – code:  GIPR0522.

Further information regarding registrations, the programme, live streaming and the kit for the social network will be published here:

http://beacons.ai/dialoguewithculture

Promoted by: New Humanity Movement, Youth for a United World, Centre for Dialogue with the Culture of the Focolare Movement.

For more information:

newhumanity@focorale.org

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