“Youth Commitment for an Integrated Ecology. Lifestyles for a New Humanity”
A press release was issued on Friday the 14th of April 2023 by the “John Paul II Foundation for Youth” on the Fourth International Conference on Concern for Creation that it is organizing and will be held at the Portuguese Catholic University in Lisbon on the 31st of July next on the theme “Youth Commitment for an Integral Ecology Lifestyles for a New Humanity”, on the eve of the upcoming International Youth Day in Lisbon from the 1st to the 6th of August 2023.
The press release highlights the three previous international conferences: the first conference, titled “Youth are Guardians of Creation,” was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2013; The second conference focused on the theme “For an integrated ecology. Young people are pioneers of change” and was held in Krakow in 2016; The theme of the third conference was “Youth for a Common Home” and it was held in Panama in 2019.
According to the press release issued by the John Paul II Youth Foundation, during the spiritual preparation for World Youth Day 2023, many young people stressed that for them integrated ecology is among the main themes of Pope Francis’ pontificate. During the Fourth International Conference on Creation Care, topics related to five areas will be addressed: economy, education and family life, natural resources, politics and technology.
The press release also indicated that the path followed by the “John Paul II Youth Foundation” during these years stems from its interest in what is happening to our common home, and its commitment to work concretely and permanently to protect creation. The international conference will include several interventions, including an intervention by Cardinal Michael Czerny, Dean of the Vatican Department for the Service of Integrated Human Development; And an intervention by Archbishop Claudio Giuliodori, Head of the Youth Committee of the European Bishops’ Conference.
The forthcoming Fourth International Conference on the Care of Creation, to be held in Lisbon on July 31, 2023, will conclude with a statement that will be the fruit of the discussions and the basis for further work and reflection.