On 21st September, 2013 in Rome, Italy,
Youth for a United World meet 1987 Nobel Peace Prize recipient and ex-President
of Costa Rica, Óscar Arias Sánchez who adheres to the United World Project
A shared commitment to peace: This triggered an
immediate understanding between the delegation from the Youth for a United World (Y4UW) and the Nobel 1987 Peace
Prize laureate and ex-President of Costa Rica. Arias had been
visiting Rome to attend a Community of St. Egidio conference on the United
Nation’s Arms Trade Treat (ATT), and an audience with Pope Francis.
The purpose of the meeting was to find ways of
collaboration with the Arias Foundation for peace and human development,
since the Y4UW already work for peace and brotherhood. The young people who
were present at the meeting from several nations recounted the history
of their efforts for peace, beginning from the 350 thousand signatures they
collected during the Cold War and handed over to embassies of the USSR
and the United States in Geneva, Switzerland (November 1985). They went on to
present the Time Out launched by Chiara Lubich in
September 1990 during the Persian Gulf Crisis; the UNESCO Award for Educating towards
Peace; the 2013 Genfest in Budapest, Hungary where the United World Project was launched; the annual United World Week and the recent meeting between Maria Voce
and the Focolare communities of the Middle East that was held in Amman, Jordan,
and followed by the concert for peace held by Y4UW from regions where there is
conflict.
The Nobel laureate presented to the young people
what the Arias Foundation for peace and human development has achieved
from its beginnings, its current challenges and future dreams. For example,
since there are so many war museums, why not build a Peace Museum?
Moreover, Sanchez proposed collaborating with the recently approved UN Arms
Trade Treaty (ATT) that is aimed at putting an end to the marketing of
small arms which, in his opinion, are the cause of most of the fatalities that
take place worldwide.
Basing himself on his own experience as President
of a nation that by constitution does not have a military army, he
affirmed that the reduction of arms would allow many countries to share
economic resources that could then be allocated to finding solutions to social
problems, such as access to education, health care, protection of the
environment and, not least of all, the drama of world poverty. In conclusion he
underscored the need for young people be deeply involved in their education so
that they will be prepared to create a culture of peace and brotherhood,
because: “in a world where egoism and greed seem to prevail, young people are
the first ones being called upon to engage new values within society, such as
solidarity, suffering together, generosity and love.”
“Before saying goodbye to us,” Olga from Costa Rica
recounts, “he wished to personally adhere to our project (UWP) by signing the
commitment statement to live the culture of fraternity, uniting himself to the
62,000 other signees from around the world.” “It doesn’t happen every day that
you meet someone of this level,” added Iggy from New Zealand: “cultured and pragmatic,
but also very simple. I felt very much at home with him.” The conversation went
on for an hour, during which many projects and goals were shared.
The next big event for the Youth for a United World
is the Youth Forum at UNESCO in October 2013. “It will be a training
course in which our ideal of fraternity will be presented and explained” says
one of the youths who will be representing the Youth for a United World, the
youth section of the New Humanity Movement.
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento