In addition to the UNESCO Chair in "Education for Human Development and Solidarity Among Peoples", the Observatory for Education and International Cooperation was created a year ago. The Observatory aims to foster collaboration between universities, research centres and international organisations in order to promote studies, research, training activities and publications on education and international cooperation, developing new tools of analysis and investigation that will allow the foundation of a pedagogy of international cooperation based on the ethics of responsibility and the principle of solidarity, in the light of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
But in order to change the world, education must be changed, as Pope Francis has repeatedly said. International experts and scholars will help us understand how to do this during the study day in Brescia, which is part of the University's centenary celebrations scheduled for Thursday 14 October.
"We need to rebuild a pact between generations, between institutions, but above all between states and organisations. We are convinced that education can foster an authentic encounter between different cultures and allow mutual understanding" ‒ Domenico Simeone, Director of the UNESCO Chair at Università Cattolica and of the new Observatory, said.
The conference will be introduced by the Rector of Università Cattolica, Franco Anelli, the Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Monsignor Vincenzo Zani, who strongly supported this conference, the Bishop of Brescia, Monsignor Pierantonio Tremolada and the Vice-Rector, Mario Taccolini.
Riccardo Redaelli, Professor of Geopolitics and History and Institutions of Asia, will give a speech suggesting a geopolitical "compass" to read the changes in the international system. Immediately afterwards, Pietro Sebastiani, Italian Ambassador to the Holy See, will explain how the Encyclical Laudato Sii and the 2030 Agenda can be the antidote to the crisis of multilateralism. The morning session will end with a speech by Guido Merzoni, Dean of Political Sciences, who will analyse the theme of economic and social transformations, while Mario Molteni, Director of Altis, will talk about an experience of inter-university cooperation.
In the afternoon, starting at 2.30 p.m., international experts such as Léonce Bekemans, Jean Monnet Chair ad personam - President "Europahuis Ryckevelde" and Martinien Bosokpale Dumana, Université Catholique du Congo, Kinshasa, will take turns at the new venue, while the research delegate Pier Sandro Cocconcelli will present the SACRU network.
The conference will end at 5 p.m. with a round table on the theme "New perspectives for international cooperation", during which speakers will include Antonella Sciarrone Alibrandi, Vice-Rector of Università Cattolica, Monsignor Guy-Réal Thivierge, Pontifical Foundation Gravissimum Educationis, Giuseppe Bertoni, Wael Farouq and Rita Locatelli, lecturers at Università Cattolica.
It will also be an opportunity to present the book “La casa della Pace - Un progetto educativo in divenire” [tr. The House of Peace - An educational project in the making], published by Vita e Pensiero, which presents the emblematic experience of Maison de Paix, an international cooperation project promoted by the SFERA Association, the Focolare Movement, the Congregation of the Angeline Sisters, in collaboration with the UNESCO Chair at Università Cattolica.
The volume will be dedicated to Luca Attanasio, the Italian ambassador who died during an attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
