Living Peace: For a Fraternal Mediterranean
From October 7 to 11, the conference, “A Mediterranean Without Borders: Peoples Networked for Fraternity” took place in Palermo. Organized by the Focolare Movement, the event brought together participants from across the region, including a significant representation from the Living Peace International network.
Throughout history, the Mediterranean has represented far more than a simple geographical space; it was a driving force behind the human, cultural, and economic development of the Western world and the Near East.
The French historian Fernand Braudel described the Mediterranean not simply as a sea, but as “an ancient crossroads where, for millennia, everything has converged, enriching its history.”
Diversity has always been a defining feature of the Mediterranean basin, where different cultures, traditions, and languages came together and dialogued through trade, navigation, and other means. It’s with this in mind that the Mediterranean today represents a focal point of our humanity. At the place where exists, unfortunately, a prosperous North and a South ever more vulnerable and disadvantaged, it is necessary to rekindle a sense of brotherhood among the peoples of the Mediterranean.
A “Mediterranean of Fraternity” is the dream of Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement, a vision she first shared in 2023 during the Mediterranean Meetings in Marseille.
A dream that continues to grow: this year, 101 participants from across the Mediterranean region took part in the event, including 18 members of the global Living Peace International network. Through moments of dialogue, reflection, and fellowship, participants had the opportunity to get to know one another better, share their life experiences, and contribute to building a culture of peace. Shared lunches and dinners were especially valuable for deepening relationships and strengthening mutual understanding.
Also present at the event, among the global Living Peace network, were the three Living Peace Secretaries: Carlos Palma, Katiuscia Carna, and Cynthia Chammas.
During the plenary sessions as well as in the working groups, Living Peace made a significant contribution by sharing a variety of experiences drawn from different educational and social contexts. Living Peace also put forward concrete proposals for how to continue together toward a Mediterranean of Fraternity:
- May 2027 – Mediterranean Peace Got Talent
- Spring 2028 – Olympics for a Mediterranean of Fraternity in Croatia
These were also many precious opportunities to introduce the Peace Dice and the Peace Dice for the Mediterranean (created by members of Living Peace in Catania). The cubes feature practical phrases that can be lived out each day.
After these three days spent together, many concrete proposals emerged to strengthen new relationships and bring to life a variety of initiatives aimed at fostering fraternity across the Mediterranean.
📌 To learn more about the event, read the Città Nuova article, “In Sicily, the First Meeting for a Mediterranean of Fraternity”, written in Italian by Candela Copparoni.