ASSISI: Economy of Francesco will be held in Assissi from 22nd to 24th September.
The long-awaited event is a culmination of over three years of study and online-only meetings due to the pandemic.
The initiative takes up Pope Francis' 2019 appeal to young people to meet, discuss, brainstorm and share ideas for a better world economy that puts the human person at its center.
Pope Francis will participate in the events when he travels to Assisi on Saturday, 24 September.
The "Economy of Francesco" has become a global movement of young people of all walks of life and expertise who aim to change the current economic models and craft a future that is more inclusive and just.
In 2019, Pope Francis asked economists and young people to give life to the idea of a different kind of economy, one that is more attentive to the weakest members of society and is not focused exclusively on the gain of material wealth.
Due to the pandemic, the global meetings to promote the work took place online, and now finally around one thousand young people and world reknowned economists will meet together in person in Assisi for the September summit.
At the press conference on Tuesday morning, Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino, and of Foligno, as well as Chairman of the "Economy of Francesco" Organizing Committee, presented the event saying that "young people are the protagonists," of the initiative.
He explained how it took form almost four years ago when Pope Francis spoke about the need for the world economy to be renewed with the human person front and center, and to bring young economists and entrepreneurs into the discussions and brainstorming, drawing on their fresh outlook, enthusiasm and creativity.
Archbishop Sorrentino recalled the Pope's letter to young economists and entrepreneurs worldwide, explaining his reasoning for this initiative and the need to "enter into a 'covenant' to change today's economy and to give a soul to the economy of tomorrow," with the figure of Saint Francis of Assisi being a model and inspiration for them.
That is also why the Economy of Francesco meeting is taking place in the Saint's birthplace of Assisi, also to allow for visits to the Saint's places of ministry and draw inspiration for their meetings and discussions.
Also noted is the stark global background against which the meeting will take place: wars in Ukraine and other parts of the world, the shock to the global economy, extreme climatic events, all situations at the root cause of immense suffering.
-VN