The Foundation in Italy

Since 2007, the year of its birth, the John Paul II Foundation has always believed that its work in the Holy Land and in the Middle East should be accompanied by a great commitment in the Italian territory as well. This commitment has grown more and more, in response to the difficult challenges faced by our country in recent years: from the economic crisis of 2008, to the dramatic increase in migration to Italy and Europe, to the coronavirus pandemic.

For these reasons, the Foundation promotes numerous interventions on behalf of individuals and families in need, through a family fund, the disbursement of grocery vouchers and the delivery of food parcels, the latter in collaboration with the Padre Nostro Center in Palermo.

With an ongoing commitment to the most vulnerable, the Foundation has launched several initiatives to support families and individuals in need. Since 2016, together with the Villa Pettini Family Point, it has created an Extraordinary Reception Center in Montevarchi, which currently houses eight families of asylum seekers, for a total of 25 people.

In 2021, in response to the crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, the Foundation earmarked two more facilities to take in mothers and children forced to leave their country. One of these facilities is located in Fiesole and currently houses 30 people, while the other, located in Montevarchi, initially took in Ukrainian mothers and children. These, after successfully integrating into the community and achieving independence, made way for other people in need. Currently, the facility houses 11 asylum seekers.

Since 2020, the foundation has expanded its support services for migrants in the Valdarno region, offering counters for psychological assistance, legal guidance, housing and socio-labor support.

In addition, starting in 2021, the Foundation has launched two projects in Casentino dedicated to people with disabilities. The Foundation's vision is that people with disabilities should be considered for their intrinsic value, not for their limitations. The Foundation firmly believes that they have the right to build a personal life path, developing it under conditions of equal opportunity with others, thanks to the right supports and aids.

Finally, in Italy, the Foundation has launched two of its most significant initiatives in the field of ecumenism and the promotion of religious and intercultural dialogue. The magazine *Colloquia Mediterranea* represents one of the most important spaces for reflection and debate on these issues. At the same time, the Foundation has launched projects in schools to promote global citizenship education, with the aim of engaging new generations on issues of peace, dialogue and legality.