(ANS – Rome) – Tomorrow, Thursday 2 July 2026, from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm, the International Conference entitled “Creating a People’s Movement for the Care of Our Common Home” will take place at the Pontifical Salesian University (UPS) in Rome. The event is organised as part of the Alliance for the Care of Our Common Home and the Course on Integral Ecology.
The initiative forms part of the programme of study on integral ecology and the broader Joint Diploma in Integral Ecology, with the aim of providing a forum for international reflection on the role of communities, academic institutions, social movements, youth networks and religious traditions in promoting a culture of care for our Common Home.
The proceedings will open with a welcome address by Prof. Andrea Bozzolo, Rector of the Pontifical Salesian University. This will be followed by a message from Jackie Miller of Partnerships for Change (San Francisco). The introduction to the conference theme will be given by Joshtrom Kureethadam of the UPS, whilst the session will be moderated by Marianna Beltrami of the Laudato Si’ Research Institute at the University of Oxford.
The programme will be divided into three main sections. The first part, entitled “Trailblazers”, will present a number of experiences that have shaped the emergence and development of contemporary environmental awareness. There will be references to the Chipko Movement, via a video contribution from Vandana Shiva, and to the birth of the environmental movement on Earth Day, with a presentation by Pierluigi Sassi of Earthday Italia.
The second part, “Laudato Si’ in Action”, will focus on the legacy of the encyclical Laudato Si’ and its practical applications. The programme will include a video contribution on the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, a talk by Lorna Gold, Director of the Laudato Si’ Movement, and a testimony from Allen Ottaro, based in Nairobi, on the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability.
The third part, “Signposts for the Journey Together”, will offer some perspectives for our shared journey. Contributions will include: a video by Mary Evelyn Tucker (Yale University) on the alliance between religions and faith traditions for a spirituality of the Earth; a presentation by Peter Rožič, from the Laudato Si’ Research Institute – Campion Hall, University of Oxford, on The Compass of Integral Ecology; a contribution by Francis Gustilo and May Ferreros, from the Don Bosco School of Theology in Manila, on the theme of “Theoecology”, understood as a dialogue between theology, ecology and technology; and a presentation by Vinta Nanda, a filmmaker from Mumbai, on cultural transformation.
The event will also include an opportunity for discussion with participants through a question-and-answer session. The closing remarks will be delivered by Prem Xalxo, Coordinator of the Joint Diploma in Integral Ecology at the Pontifical Gregorian University.
The conference represents an important opportunity for international and interdisciplinary dialogue to reflect on how to generate a genuine grassroots movement for the care of our Common Home, capable of combining thought, spirituality, education, social commitment and concrete action.
The event will take place online; you can join via the following channels: Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7652053630
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3OGoMoe