Blog

By Andrea Verdi

Foundation Day 2021, taking place on Dec. 11 for the first time in Florence, has set itself the task of propose actualized readings of the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean geopolitical context. Right from the title, it is clear how it aims to stimulate cultural reflection. In fact, this year's theme will be an actualized focus to date on crisis situations in the Middle East and the Mediterranean, starting from those forgotten and disappeared from agendas (such as the Jerusalem issue) to those that destabilize the countries that are the sites of our engagement (mainly Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan). The guiding idea of the event is that the analysis of the complex phenomena that result in the suffering of peoples and international instability cannot be separated from a reflection that combines the geopolitical vision with the humanistic one. From Florence we will try to express a current perspective for a commitment to the service of hope, the true cultural revolution of this time.

The focus will be complemented by an in-depth study of the social categories most affected by the crises, to also indirectly touch on the structural areas of the Foundation's intervention (social justice, labor, human development, education, dialogue) and to analyze in a dynamic way the effects of the pandemic on the crises and the categories-for example, on the present and future of young people-and the role of education and culture as the key to the correct interpretation of social issues and for development.

Consciously broad and complex themes, which will conset to present multiple viewpoints and suggestions: a wide-ranging overview with emphasis on socio-cultural character. In essence, we will analyze crises in the dual geopolitical and humanistic aspect, in which the key to interpreting the events and processes of human society is a look as far as possible purposeful oriented to offer concrete suggestions and stimuli for a commitment to be developed today in those contexts and stimulate new prospective looks for centered and effective action in the field of cooperation.

The audience will consist of the world of the Foundation (including foreign offices in connection), the realities of the social sphere and Tuscan institutions, and high schools in Tuscany in streaming connection. During the event, there will be connections with the Foundation's offices in the Middle East and with the places of crises, with direct testimonies. In particular, those of Bernardo Gianni, Abbot of San Miniato al Monte, who led Pope Francis' Lenten spiritual exercises; Ambassador Maria Assunta Accili, former Head of Permanent Representation to International Organizations in Vienna; Mohamed Ba, intercultural mediator, writer and educator; and Mosnignor Cesar Essayan, Apostolic Vicar of Beirut, who will talk about Beirut, Lebanon and the multiple crises that are devastating it; by John Luke Gregory, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Rhodes, who will recount the reception of refugees at the gates of Europe; by Maurizio Martina, FAO Assistant Director General; by Her Excellency Abeer Odeh, Ambassador of Palestine to Italy and Permanent Representative to the UN Agencies FAO, IFAD and WFP, with her views on the Holy Land in crisis; by Professor Mario Primicerio, President of the Giorgio La Pira Foundation; by Nathalie Tocci, Director of the International Affairs Institute, on Europe's role in the crises in the wider Mediterranean. Also featured will be two refugees who are our guests at Casa Bethesda in Montevarchi, who will welcome Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi with their testimonies. The Archbishop of Bologna, the cardinal of the last, will give us a reflection on the theme of the Day: serving hope.

The Florentine event, which is also an opportunity for all of us to share after a long time, will conclude with a reflection by the Foundation's Scientific Committee Board.