The commitment of the youth of the World Food Forum in the light of hunger and climate, Laudato C.

Andrea de Angelis – Vatican City

Youth4 Climate, the Youth Conference on Climate organized by the Italian government as an introductory program to Pre-Cop26, concluded yesterday at the Mico Congress Center in Milan. The latter is a meeting of environment ministers in preparation for COP26, the annual United Nations climate conference, which is scheduled to take place in Glasgow, Scotland, from 31 October to 12 November. Youth4 Climate opened on Tuesday 28 September and saw the participation of four hundred youth, two from each of the 197 UN countries, who discussed various aspects of the climate crisis with experts, creating a negotiating paper on climate change. acted on. Cop26, in Glasgow, is set to take place in the Scottish capital next month.

Pope’s video message

In a video message, Francesco encouraged children to continue their journey, working for the betterment of humanity, thus creating harmony, on the occasion of a seminar dedicated to the promotion of continuing education in the context of Youth4 Climate between people and the environment. In particular, the Pope underlined how the commitment of new generations is aimed at what Francis defines as a cosmic harmony, in which today’s women and men are part:

Technological and political solutions are not sufficient if they are not supported by the responsibility of each member and by an educational process that promotes a cultural model of development and sustainability centered on the fraternity and the alliance between humans and the environment. There should be harmony between people, men and women and the environment. We are not enemies, we are not indifferent. We are part of this cosmic harmony. Through common ideas and projects it will be possible to find solutions that can address energy poverty and put common goods at the center of national and international policies, promoting sustainable production, circular economy, pooling of adequate technologies.

voice of youth

There are many young people who are looking laudato si’ As a source of inspiration for their social commitment. On Vatican Radio – Vatican News, three girls explain why the encouragement of the Pope, and more generally Francis’ Magisterium, is the focus of their daily work, often with lights off and many difficulties.

dreda He is a doctor, not yet thirty years old, Albanian and of Islamic religion. In the interview he outlined how Francis’ message is also contained in laudato si, really applies to everyone. “Today we want to emphasize that it is not our nationalities or religions that matter, but what really matters is working together for common goals”. A commitment that is “valid for all inhabitants of the world, not only – he explains – for generations to come”. In the encyclopedia Pope writes that a true integral ecological solution does not require moderate methods, but concrete, effective ones. “There has been no progress, as a doctor I see that the present, not the future, is at stake. Climate change is already affecting our health – he concluded – and it is important to intervene, as is the The Pope tells us, in a decisive way.

an agreement between generations

Serena He is 23 years old and is part of the Franciscan Youth of Italy. She looks at the Pope, she says, “with mind and heart” and sees in Peter’s successor that “the spirituality that was St. Francis, prayer and small concrete gestures. We are with nature, even nature.” are also connected with what it can do. Feeling different. We must – they say – be united and understand that change begins in the human soul”. Why is it important to commit yourself without delegating to others? “We are young innovators and we have to change by starting with ourselves”, he replied alessandra, 22, also at the forefront of protecting the planet. “We have to establish a dialogue with the big names on the planet, build an alliance between generations where we put our ideas into practice and demand money to make them come true”. For those who claim that this is a futile commitment, that things will not change, how to respond? “In the face of an environmental catastrophe – affirms Alessandra – or we will be the heroes of change, or catastrophe. Some time ago the Pope said in a sermon that trivial choices lead to a frivolous life, while great choices lead to a great leads to life. We want to make the best choices and recharge the batteries of a world that seems almost empty”.

food for all

The first World Food Forum opens in Rome today, the World Food Forum is organized in the Italian capital from 1 to 5 October by the Youth Committee of the FAO, the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture and the heroes who will see the youth union, affected companies, educational institutions, NGOs and governments. Awaiting the message from Pope Francis today. Presenting the event, FAO Director-General Kyu Dongyu linked it to the recent UN Food System Summit held in New York on 23 September. “We started talking among adults, but we will talk to young people and let you talk, the world has now developed the political will to act more decisively, but with true innovation of agri-food systems. need young people”. Presenting the program, Chief Economist and Chairman of the FAO Youth Committee, Maximo Torrero, who will coordinate the work with young people, explained how “it is necessary to discover a new, universal, visual language that needs to be shared for the region.” agri-food on a global scale”. The winners of the “Transformative Research Challenge 2021” will also be announced at the Forum, with teams of young people proposing research ideas out of the box to transform our agri-food systems through improved production and nutrition.