The Central Role of Young People in Educational Processes Related to Integral Ecology

The John Paul II Foundation for Youth participated in the second edition of the Advanced Training Course in Integral Ecology (April 11–May 27, 2026), organized by the Pontifical Gregorian University, the Pontifical Lateran University, the Laudato Si’ Observatory, and the Dusmet Foundation, under the patronage of numerous ecclesial, academic, and professional institutions.

As part of the program, the Foundation spoke on May 16 during the session dedicated to The Role of Education, held at the Diocesan Museum of Catania as part of the Franciscan Meeting of the Mediterranean. The panel, moderated by Paolo Conversi of the Pontifical Lateran University, featured the following participants:

• Dr. Daniele Bruno
• , President of the John Paul II Foundation for Youth
• Dr. Giovanni Patriarca
• , Dicastery for Culture and Education
• Prof. Mauro Mangano
• , school administrator, Secular Franciscan Order

In his remarks, President Daniele Bruno highlighted the central role of young people in educational processes related to integral ecology, drawing on the experience gained by the Foundation beginning with the 2013 World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro and further developed in subsequent international conferences on the care of Creation. He also noted that “integral ecology is the language that unites young people, because it touches on everything they experience,” emphasizing the need for educational programs that make them active participants rather than mere recipients.

Special mention was made of the teachings of Pope Leo XIV, who—as reported by the Osservatore Romano in 2025—stated that “the care of creation is a vocation for every person, and education is the primary setting where this vocation is learned and passed on”, highlighting the responsibility of institutions to support the younger generations in facing environmental challenges.

Participation in the Advanced Training Course is part of the journey leading up to the 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul, where the Foundation will organize the International Conference on Fraternity, featuring a panel dedicated to integral ecology and the direct involvement of young people through an international questionnaire developed in collaboration with universities and global partners.

The John Paul II Foundation for Youth thus renews its commitment to promoting an integral education that unites faith, culture, and responsibility toward our common home, in line with the Church’s magisterium and the expectations of younger generations.