#BeHuman: For a world pact on fraternity

By Alessandro De Carolis

A round table for peace, with those who have built a piece of it in our recent history, challenging the powers that would muzzle and manipulate the truth; fighting the spread of ordinance such as landmines; fighting for the rights of indigenous people, women and more. And a children’s table, in which Pope Francis will take part, because the world has not yet learned to live the fraternity of which they are the hope.

These will be two of the main moments that will characterise #BeHuman, the second World Meeting on Human Fraternity (WMHF), organised by the Fratelli Tutti Foundation, taking place in Rome on Friday and Saturday, 10-11 May.

Alternatives to war and poverty

Twelve round tables, each focused on a different theme, will engage 30 Nobel Peace Laureates in dialogue with scientists, economists, doctors, businessmen, workers, athletes, and ordinary citizens from various parts of the world. The meetings – all open to the public and some of which will be streamed live – have been set up in various locations throughout the city of Rome.

The goal of the discussions, according to the presentation of the event, is “to look for alternatives to wars and poverty,” with proposals aimed at “understanding where the principle of fraternity is already present in social life and discern the parameters needed to evaluate it.”

Pope Francis and the children

Pope Francis will be personally present for the round table with children. Entitled “Children: Future Generation,” the event takes place on Saturday, 11 May, at 5 p.m. and will be streamed live on the various platforms of Vatican Media.

The children’s panel will be the highlight of the various round tables that will have fraternity as their key for reflecting on the environment and businesses, sport and volunteers, information and work, health and digital media, education, local government, and food safety.

The opening of the event, which was also live streamed on Vatican News, saw Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, presenting a speech at the Peace table, surrounded by top representatives of the major international organisations as well as Nobel Prize winners including Dmitrji Muratov, Jody Williams, Tawakkol Karman, Maria Ressa, Leymah Gbowee, Rigoberta Menchù Tum and Muhammad Yunus.

All of them will be received in audience by Pope Francis on Saturday morning, before meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella later in the day.

A concert for peace

The World Meeting on Human Fraternity will conclude with a concert on Saturday evening in St Peter’s Square. US country-music icon Garth Brooks, composer Giovanni Allevi, and singers Roberto Vecchioni and Nek will cap off the event with an evening of beauty and music, highlighting the goals set forth by Pope Francis in Fratelli tutti.