The IV International Conference on “Creation Care” will be held in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, on July 31, promoted by the “Joo Paulo II Foundation for Youth”. Major topics will be addressed: economy, family, natural resources, politics and technology. Virtual meetings are also planned.
Vatican news
In the run-up to World Youth Day 2023 (WYD/2023), which will take place in the Portuguese capital, from August 1st to 6th, young people are preparing themselves spiritually. However, they affirm that “integral ecology” is one of the main themes of the current pontificate and one of the areas in which they want to be personally committed. For this reason, the “Joao Paulo II Foundation for Youth” organized on July 31, at the Catholic University of Portugal in Lisbon, the IV International Conference entitled “Creation Care”, with the theme “.Youth Commitment to Integral Ecology: Lifestyles for a New Humanity“
The interplay between human life and the “metaverse”.
A statement from the foundation said: “Young university student representatives from Episcopal conferences, international movements and associations and Catholic universities, who are already in Lisbon to participate in WYD/2023, will attend the conference. The conference will take place in the form of a meeting between young people, who will participate and experts, who will reflect on five areas of human life: “Economy, education and family life, natural resources, politics, technology”. , included. And accessible, virtual meetings are planned, about personal experiences, through the immersive technology of “Metaverse,” developed by “start-up Metamouth.”
Foundation Commitment
In line with the pontificate of Pope Francis, the “John Paul II Foundation for Youth” has taken a path with three preparatory conferences for the previous WYD: “Young guardians of creation: the future we want on a human scale” (Rio de Janeiro , 2013); “Towards an Integral Ecology: Young Heroes of Change” (Craków, 2016) and “Young People for Our Common Home: Environmental Transformation in Action” (Panama, 2019). A crisis of commitment with concrete and lasting action for the defense of creation from awareness of our common home, ecological human roots.”
The president of the foundation, Daniel Bruno, declared: “The purpose of the exchange of ideas is to express a collective reflection on the lifestyles already adopted, in particular, on the new styles that still need to be adopted, to face cultural challenges, spiritual and educational for new and future generations. . But also for a new humanity, one that sees the earth not as a resource to be exploited, but as God’s gift to humanity.”
Final announcement of the conference
The Lisbon conference will include, among others, the participation of some speakers: Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; Sister Veronica Donatello, member of the Dicastery for Communication; Dom Claudio Giuliodori, President of the Youth Commission of the Episcopal Conference of Europe.
As in previous editions, the proceedings of the “Conference on Care for Creation” will conclude with a final declaration, the results of the debate and the basis for future action and reflection.
The conference relies on the following collaborations: Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, in which the “John Paul II Foundation for Youth” participates as a supporting entity; Dicastery for Integral Human Development; “WYD Lisbon 2023” Foundation; Portuguese and Sacred Heart Catholic University; Nobel School for the Environment; International Movement ‘Laudato Si’; Sponsored by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Magis Foundation, the Embassy of Portugal and the Principality of Monaco to the Holy See.