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THE FONDAZIONE MEDITERRANEO MOURN POPE FRANCIS
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21 April 2025
President Michele Capasso, Director Pia Balducci Molinari, the Board of Directors, the representatives of the branch offices and the International Scientific Committee express their deepest condolences for the ascension to Heaven of Pope Francis.
In a message sent to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, President Capasso, among other things, writes:
"Our heart is broken by the news of the ascension to Heaven of our beloved Pope Francis: we wish to express through him our deepest condolences for the passing of the Pope of All Peoples, but at the same time our happiness for having had him as the leader of the universal Church. Personally, I have had the joy of meeting him on several occasions and of sharing with him significant moments of his life and his Pontificate: from the trip to Jakarta last year to our first meeting in Luján in 2008, from his first trip to Lampedusa in July 2013 to the recent trips to Asia and Oceania and the subsequent ones in Luxembourg and Belgium, from the meeting in the Vatican with Shimon Peres, Abu Mazen and Bartholomew I in 2014 to the one in Venice a year ago; unforgettable were our meetings in Manila and Abu Dhabi and others.
In these times we are living in the world an immense famine of Love and sense of the Common Good: a suicidal selfishness - understood as the pure pursuit of personal and corporate interests - has invaded every area of political, institutional and social life, contaminating the whole of humanity. The voice of Pope Francis, although solitary on several occasions, was the only one to fuel the feeling that was closest to his heart: "HOPE". Yesterday in Rome we were in St. Peter's Square for Holy Easter: when we saw and heard the Pope's faint voice, a strong hope overwhelmed us and we would never have imagined what would happen a few hours later. Ideally we gathered around the Pope and we would have liked to offer him the first draft of the program of an event dear to him that we announced to him in the last meeting on October 16, 2024: the creation in Naples of a Shrine dedicated to the innocent victims of wars in the world, SO AS NOT TO FORGET.
The ceremony of deposition of the relics of innocent victims of wars in the Totem of Peace - symbol of the United States of the World - will take place on June 7, 2025, with the celebration of the Eucharist that we will dedicate to Pope Francis”.
NATIONAL DAY OF THE SEA AND MARINARY CULTURE
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11 April 2025
The United States of the World with the Fondazione Mediterraneo celebrated the “National Day of the Sea and Maritime Culture” in various Italian cities and, in particular, in Lecce.
"We want to celebrate this unique resource together - said Secretary-General Michele Capasso - because it is essential to our lives: the seas and oceans provide oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, and regulate the effects of climate change. They are the habitat of numerous animals and plants, and cover seventy per cent of the Earth's surface: the United States of the World's “Earth and Peace” programme puts the preservation and protection of the sea at the top of its agenda".
The celebrations were held in Lecce's Politeama Greco Theatre with 700 students. Prizes were awarded to the winners of the national competition "The Citizenship of the Sea" and "The Coast Guard Mascot" for the 2024/2025 school year. The Minister of Education and Merit, Giuseppe Valditara, and the Commander General - Chief Inspector Admiral of the Coast Guard, Nicola Carlone, attended.
A CLAP OF HANDS FOR VINCENZO GALGANO
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11 April 2025
Today our fraternal friend Vincenzo Galgano rose to heaven: a gentleman who made justice the cornerstone of his existence.
Vincenzo never failed to support us in our dream of the United States of the World: from a cluster of photos showing him at fundamental moments of our institution. I have chosen two, when in September 2010 he gave a memorable speech at the inauguration of the Totem for Peace in San Sebastiano al Vesuvio and the day we awarded him the prestigious “Totem for Peace” by the sculptor Molinari for the “Mediterranean Award for Legality”.
On behalf of us all:
T H A N K Y O U V I N C E N Z O !
MASS OF THE THREE MAJOR RECTORS: CARDINAL ÁNGEL FERNÁNDEZ ARTIME PRESIDES THE CONCLUSIVE CELEBRATION OF THE 29th GENERAL CHAPTER OF THE SALESIANS
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10 April 2025
A delegation from the Fondazione Mediterraneo and the Museum of Peace participated in Turin in the evening Mass celebrated in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, presided over by Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, former Rector Major, and concelebrated at the altar by his predecessor, Don Pascual Chávez Villanueva, and his successor, Don Fabio Attard.
The entire central nave of the Valdocco basilica was filled by some 230 Capitulars who for over 50 days crowded the classrooms and courtyards of Valdocco for a faithful and prophetic living of the Salesian vocation.
"The solemnity of the occasion is palpable, said President Michele Capasso, "for a Mass that, on the one hand, probably represented a unicum in the history of the Congregation (with the presence of three Major Rectors concelebrating in the epicentre of world Salesian spirituality) and, on the other, constituted a symbolic and spiritual handover between the tenth Successor of Don Bosco (Cardinal Artime) and the eleventh (don Attard): all, with the affable presence of the ninth Successor of Don Bosco (don Chávez), who with his frequent interventions in the hall was able to give spiritual readings and make syntheses".
A "very significant celebration", Cardinal. Fernández Artime. who went on to say: "Everything takes us back to the beginning of this precious adventure and reality, where our Father heard what God was asking of him, and from which everything began. All of us, from a vocational and charismatic point of view, were born here. Today is a beautiful moment to thank the Lord, at the end of the Chapter, for such a presence of the Holy Spirit".
President Michele Capasso recalled the importance of the establishment of the Salesian Oratory and the path dedicated to Don Bosco in the Museum of Peace inaugurated on 17 February 2017 with the presence of Don Angel Artime.
CONDOLENCES FOR THE DEATH OF MAESTRO ROBERTO DE SIMONE
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08 April 2025
President Michele Capasso, the members of the Governing Council and of the International Scientific Committee, the delegates of the offices in the various countries and all the members of the Fondazione Mediterraneo express their profound condolences for the death of Maestro Roberto De Simone, member of the association and assignee of the Mediterranean Art Award 2010.
HOLY MASS FOR THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF JOHN PAUL II
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02 April 2025
Secretary-General Michele Capasso participated in the Holy Mass celebrated by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the return of Pope John Paul II to the House of the Father.
In his homily, Cardinal Parolin recalled ‘his passionate love for Christ’ and his ‘tireless service of peace’ with appeals and warnings, many of which ‘unfortunately went unheeded, as happens even to great prophets’. The greeting of Cardinal Stanislaus Dziwisz: "Pope Francis is spiritually united with us".
Secretary General Michele Capasso recalled Pope John Paul II's prophecy on war and peace twenty years later, his tireless service to peace, his passionate warnings, his diplomatic initiatives to try to the last to avert wars:
"... And this right up to the extreme times of his life, when the fragility of his physical strength was already evident, and although many of his appeals and warnings unfortunately went unheeded, as happens also to great prophets. It is an honour to participate in this Eucharist, said SG Capasso, in memory of a Great Man and Great Pope who supported us since 2002 in our dream of the United States of the World.
UNITED STATES OF EUROPE: A NECESSARY UTOPIA
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29 March 2025
A summit was held in Florence on the theme "United States of Europe: a necessary utopia", organised by the Caponnetto Foundation, SUE Tulipani rossi, United States of the World, Fondazione Mediterraneo and other federalist organisations.
In his speech, Secretary-General Michele Capasso recalled the 40-year commitment to the United States of Europe within the United States of the World and, in particular, the international meeting organised in Naples in October 1995 that saw, among many others, the participation of the then President of the Republic Scalfaro, Francesco De Martino and many others.
Among the speakers were Salvatore Calleri, Giuseppe Lumia, Giuseppe Antoci, and Nicola Zingaretti.
On this occasion, it was decided to organise the “GENERAL STATES FOR THE UNITED STATES OF EUROPE” in Naples at the United States of the World headquarters.
ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGES FROM ALL OVER ITALY VISIT THE MUSEUM OF PEACE AND THE UNITED STATES OF THE WORLD
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28 March 2025
A delegation of administrative judges from the various Administrative Courts (TAR) of Italy and the Council of State, led by the President of the TAR Campania Vincenzo Salamone, visited the headquarters of the United States of the World and the Museum of Peace, welcomed by Secretary-General Michele Capasso.
At the conclusion, they expressed admiration for the unique place with its high institutional and museum value, especially the Churchill Room for the United States of Europe.
BEST WISHES TO THE RECTOR MAJOR OF THE SALESIANS DON FABIO ATTARD
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28 March 2025
Secretary General Michele Capasso and all the members of the United States of the World expressed their warmest wishes to don Fabio Attard, elected Rector Major of the Salesian Family, the latter a founding member of the United States of the World.
"Today is a special day for the Salesian Family, said Michele Capasso, because donFabio Attard begins his journey as Don Bosco's new successor. It is a great mission, an immense responsibility, but also a precious gift for the entire Church and for young people. We entrust Don Fabio to the protection of Heaven, and in particular we entrust him to Sister Maria Pia Giudici, who has always had the Salesians and their mission at heart. I still remember a meeting between the two of them at San Biagio".
TOTEM OF PEACE: A PLATE IN REMEMBRANCE OF SANTO ROMANO
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21 March 2025
A plaque in memory of the young Santo Romano, murdered on the night of 1 to 2 November 2024 right in front of the “Totem for Peace” by sculptor Mario Molinari.
In his memory, during the day dedicated to the innocent victims, a plaque was placed next to the inscription “Totem for Peace - Molinari sculptor”, where it is written - above a red heart set in volcanic stone - “SANTO LIVES”.