How important do you think United World Week is, in the historical context we are experiencing? What would you say is the first step to start living such a special week?
United World Week is more important than ever and particularly so today. This I feel is very important because the title you have chosen, “Dare to Care,” is especially relevant for today because it’s what we are facing in the world: the challenges and crises, in healthcare with COVID, and in politics and economics. So what does care really mean? This is the most precious thing this whole week because care also means action, not only talking about care as it’s a nice word, but also actually doing something practical. Then care also means healing, healing many of our wounds in society. Along the pathway “Dare to Care,” three words are important: learn, act and share. These three words are very important because they mean that we must truly listen to the suffering around us, and also act on it.
During this period of COVID, especially when we were in lockdown, we were all at home. Also for our neighbors, because I live in an apartment, a 12-storey family building. Everyone was so sad, they couldn’t go out. Some of them were elderly and couldn’t see their children and grandchildren. So we decided to make sweets for each family and went to knock on our neighbor’s doors with our masks on, and when they opened the door, they were surprised we had something for them. They told us many things about themselves, their life, their troubles, and their health. It was such a beautiful moment that we said: it was worth doing that small deed. We don’t need to do great things, but wherever we are: at school or university, in our neighborhood, wherever we are, I think small deeds are contagious, and they help us share great things with people.
In a few words, what does “dare to care” mean to you?
At this time, daring to care calls for another word, and that word is courage. It takes courage to truly care for others because we may be a little afraid of taking risks, afraid that other people won’t understand what we are doing, because we can often be, or they’ll think we are just good people, do-gooders, and so they might mock us. I said to myself: “Jesus’ prayer for unity is even more timely today, the testament he left us; to live so ‘that all may be one,’ to live for fraternity. To do this, in these times, we really do need courage. In what areas of life? I would say in all areas of society, starting from politics, economics, and the social sciences. But now, at this particular moment, I would say we should be more daring in the world of healthcare, to take care of all those who are suffering due to this pandemic.
So I say: how can we not live and ensure that everyone can be treated and cared for all over the world, and obtain the right care, and experience equality among all peoples? I know that in the Movement the young people want to launch the proposal of a vaccine for all. I hope this project succeeds so that we can give everyone the dignity of living as children of God and as equals, not that the poorer people have nothing and the rich have all the facilities they need. This is what I feel is most urgent right now.
The United World Week is the culmination of a year in which we lived and shared with others about good practices of active citizenship and politics for unity. We know a lot of good is being done, but it seems there is still so much more to do. What can we do to be “active citizens” who can truly love our communities? What would you say to those who are involved in political action?
Look, you’ve aroused my enthusiasm, because I have always believed in the importance of politics. In fact, from an early age – I was born in the Holy Land – I thought: “When I grow up, I want to get involved in politics, because I saw how important politics is in solving many of our problems in the world and I know that many of you are already engaged in politics in many places, in your municipalities, in many important places, and I know that it is not easy to operate there.
This is why we must not be afraid to bear witness to the treasure we possess, and share with others the political values that we have also learned from Chiara’s charism, because we have the technique, we know how to engage in politics. As Chiara said: politics is the love of all loves… Now I’ve seen in the program for United World Week, that there are many webinars looking at the world of politics and active citizenship. I know you have had many positive experiences all over the world. So create this mentality, this culture, that we want to bring to politics too, the culture of care… Politics as a tool can help resolve many conflicts in the world. I believe in this, and young people have a very important role here.
Margaret, was there a United World Week that affected you more than the others?
The United World Week that affected me most was the one in 2013, because it was held in the Holy Land and in Jerusalem. Over 100 young people came from different countries representing various countries of the world, and the title of the week was “Being Bridges.” It was a week filled with many initiatives, both with local communities; Palestinians, Israelis, Muslims, Christians… and also at the university level. They met the mayor of Bethlehem and important people in the Jewish and Palestinian communities.
It was a week full of relationships, of dialogue with people, with culture, with the challenges there are in this country of conflicts. They saw the separation wall in a city near Jerusalem… So it was a United World Week that we lived right there with all kinds of rifts and conflicts, perhaps in a country where they still exist. What remained most in my heart and mind was one day when they did a flash mob right in the middle of Jerusalem as a sign of unity and peace. And every time I passed by that place, I said, “I believe in it, I believe in it.” That is the week I will always remember.
We know that due to the pandemic, social distancing, and the economic crisis, we are in danger of losing hope. What would you say to people in this situation?
It is easy to lose hope. I say: “How can you give hope to someone who has lost a relative, or whose father has died, who has lost their mother, their brother or sister? It’s difficult. We must find this hope within ourselves, first of all, because this hope is not something that comes naturally, because humanly speaking, we feel like crying and running away. But I say, “I can only hope through my faith in God.” It’s with faith in God and in prayer that I can increase this faith, and prayer gives me hope. I would like all young people to have the strength to believe that prayer is very powerful: it makes us focus on God and gives us the strength to be a sign of hope for those nearby, who are suffering.
And if people see this in us, even without our saying anything, they feel there is someone near them who loves them wholeheartedly. I remember all the time we were in lockdown, there was someone, a neighbor I knew, who called me up after being shut down in her house for almost three weeks, since she lives alone. She was crying, and she said: “I can’t take it anymore, I’m really depressed.” I listened to her for a whole hour on the phone. It was all I could do. Then I tried to call her briefly every day, or send even a little WhatsApp message to tell her: “We are with you, don’t be discouraged, keep up your courage because you are not alone.” And this helped her very much to feel there was someone living through these moments with her….
Miguel Asprer and Klara Piedade
