![The archbishop of Verona: «I will explain the meaning of the peace meeting at the Arena with the Pope» The archbishop of Verona: «I will explain the meaning of the peace meeting at the Arena with the Pope»](https://media.famigliacristiana.it/2024/5/famcristionline_20240515125142563_ed18fc26caccc73e6bc176847937039d_3415427.jpg)
The poster of the Pope’s visit to Verona with the theme
It was 1986 when i “Blessed are the peacemakers” promoted, a Verona, an event which, welcomed by the city’s Arena, immediately took its name.
The Berlin Wall had yet to fall and young and old met on October 4, the day of St. Francis. Since then, other entities have joined in organizing the eight events (the last on 25 April 2014) which loudly called for an end to armed conflicts. The participation of Don Tonino Bello to the day of 1989 and the extraordinary edition of 1991 while the Gulf War was underway.
The event on May 18th, promoted by the diocese and, among others, also by the Nigrizia Foundation And Mission todaywill be chaired by Pope francesco. The Pontiff will arrive in the morning to meet priests and young people and, after the appointment for the work of the Peace Arena 2024, which has the title “Justice and peace will kiss”, he will also visit the prison and have lunch with the inmates. After the 3pm Mass he will return to the Vatican.
How has the “people of peace” changed over the years?
«Before the people of peace», explains Monsignor Domenico Pompili, bishop of the city, «I think history really changed. The world order has been disintegrating since, paradoxically, the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Consequently, politics has lost its ability to have an impact, under the combined effect of digitalisation and the environmental crisis. Today peace remains the prerogative of individuals and the so-called popular movements who, from below and with their bare hands, fuel resistance to war, while politics remains entangled in asphyxial logics that make conflict inevitable.”
What is the objective you have set yourself with this meeting?
«Arena of Peace 2024 wants to counteract any form of resignation. If there is a danger today it is the addiction to war and violence. Peace Arena wants to be on the side of the victims. Today neutrality or impartiality is no longer possible; we must stand with all the victims: children and women, civilians and soldiers, young and old, Palestinians and Israelis.”
The cry of Don Tonino Bello, then bishop of Molfetta, in the 1989 edition has remained historic: “On your feet, builders of peace”. Who are the peacebuilders today?
«Peace cannot be reduced to a ceasefire, but it is a culture, indeed it must become a widespread mentality. That is, it must penetrate and make inroads into all areas of life: from work to family, from politics to school. Sometimes the feeling is that we in the West have lost the real perception of the human and environmental disaster caused by the ongoing wars. And there are hundreds of them right now too. Far from tragedy, we enjoy arguing for or against war. While reality overwhelms everything and those who could describe its devastating effects remain silent forever.”
Arena 2024 is not an isolated event but a journey, how did you prepare?
«The appointment is linked to the experience of the Peace Arenas of the 1980s and 1990s. Over 500 delegates representing 140 civil society entities joined Peace Arena 2024. We prepared ourselves through a series of environmental appointments; democracy and rights; work, economics and finance; migrations; disarmament. But above all thanks to a mobilization of all those “social poets” who animate the life of today’s world at different levels: economic, cultural, welfare, educational. Among others, international figures such as the Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate, the Afghan journalist Mahmouba Seraj, the English director Ken Loach, the Brazilian economist and activist João Pedro Stedile will speak.”
What do you expect from the Pope’s visit?
«The presence of Pope Francis, who is the only world leader capable of pronouncing the word peace in a credible way, is the added value and originality of this 2024 Peace Arena».
How will the journey continue, or how do you hope it will continue, afterwards?
«The intent is to give continuity to this experience that was born from the dialogue between believers and non-believers, eager to develop an authentic culture of peace. Obviously the objective is to follow up on the appointment with Pope Francis by fostering, especially among the younger ones, paths that lead to cultural comparison, dialogue between generations, and social and economic inclusiveness. Outside of these things there is no possibility of building peace, but only of fueling conflict.”