From May to September 2024, collect 8 million steps for peace.

On more occasions, Pope Francis has invited all to take concrete steps towards peace. And the youth of the Economy of Francesco have taken this invitation seriously.

Taking as a reference, once again, the example of another Francesco, who 800 years ago, unarmed, arrived at the gates of Cairo to meet the Sultan of Egypt, al-Malik al-Kamil. In the same way, the youth of the Economy of Francesco want to travel 4 million kilometers (8 million steps) that separate Jerusalem from the city of Assisi. A pilgrimage “in pieces” to remind everyone of the wars that inflame the world, in which anyone can participate by donating “steps” through a ‘donation form’.

The campaign Steps for Peace is a relay on the 5 continents in which the youth will pass each other the Franciscan rope, a symbol for us of an unarmed economy, as it is poor, chaste, and obedient.

At the end of the campaign (September 2024) , once 8 million steps have been collected, a delegation will take the Franciscan rope to some youth in Jerusalem to simply ask for peace, in the poverty of words and diplomatic strategies that animated Francesco 800 years ago, with the diplomacy on our knees that today’s Francis asks of us. Thus, Assisi, from a city that calls to gather in order to build peace, returns to being the city from which to start to plead for peace.

How to organize a Steps for Peace march:

• Invite a group of friends or people interested (at least two! More people we involve, more steps we donate to the campaign!!!)
• Choose a path, if possible, that is significant and aligned with the themes of peace, the unarmed economy, and social and environmental justice.
• Use the kit with the outreach materials.
• Equip yourself with any pedometer and calculate the km/steps by multiplying it by the number of participants.
• Take with you a Franciscan cordon (easy to make with a simple rope).
• Take the EoF Pact and finish the march reading it aloud (consider organizing a moment of reflection on the themes).
• Take pictures and videos during the march and share them on your social media using the hashtag #stepsforpeace #s4p #eof
• Send the total number of steps, pictures, and video through the Donation Form S4P or by writing to: community@francescoeconomy.org.

To learn more about the campaign, visit the website: www.francescoeconomy.org