The Focolare Movement and Human Rights

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The Focolare Movement
and Human Rights

It all begins in 1943 in Trent (Northern Italy) when, in the midst of the destruction of the war, a group of girls starts gathering around the 23 year-old Chiara Lubich. More than once a day they were forced to seek refuge in the city's air-raid shelters, and with them they brought a little book. This book was already familiar to them, but now it appeared to them in a wholly new light. It was the Gospel. One day, after a night of heavy bombardment, amidst the collapse and destruction of everything, a new conviction is born in Chiara: "Love conquers all". There is no time to lose! The girls of this group started visiting the most disadvantaged parts of the town, bringing whatever little they possessed with them, and set about doing all they could to mitigate the dramatic consequences of the war. Very quickly this first group grew, and the communion of material and spiritual goods they were living became a way of life. In this penurious time, they began receiving an abundance of food, clothing and medicines. They verified the truth of the Gospel's promise, "Give and it will be given unto you" in their experience. Every phrase contains the essence of an answer to their burning questions.

This new lifestyle - centred on the constant search for unity on all levels - spreads rapidly, and with the years takes on an international dimension.
The Focolare Movement now counts more than 100,000 committed members. Around two million people from more than 180 nations adhere in various ways to its objectives: ranging from total commitment in a community life to free collaboration in various projects.

The Focolare Movement while inserted in the Catholic Church also welcomes members belonging to other Christian denominations (Lutherans, Reformed, Anglicans, Orthodox …). Faithful of other religions (Jews, Muslims, Buddhists) also belong to it or work together with it in a spirit of dialogue, as do people without any religious belief who are sensitive to the values and the spirit of unity lived in the Movement (see encl. 6).

For 50 years the Movement has been the motor behind projects in favour of human rights, which promote:

Education and projects for peace and universal brotherhood

- 20 small towns (where people of different cultures and religions live together), of which 13 are in Europe.
- 21,000 committed "volunteers", who act concretely in the fields of health-care, culture, ethics, economy, ecology and art.
- Many projects for the young people of the Movement; spaces for meeting and exchange for young people and children, in favour of a multicultural and interdependent civilisation, which form champions of a united world (see sheet 5).
- They spread the culture of unity: 27 publishing houses, which publish a total of around 300 titles annually. They also print various magazines and journals, in 23 languages.
- 29 Centres of Formation in Europe, as well as the 41 of them present in other continents.

A new model of economic system

700 small and medium businesses already freely give part of their profits to promote a culture in which giving is more important than having, and to sustain schemes in view of the creation of a job to fight against unemployment and exclusion (see encl. 4).

A fertile dialogue

with members of other religious traditions and people of other ideological convictions, which bring about reciprocal esteem and collaboration in favour of tolerance and solidarity (see encl. 6).

Activities of solidarity

towards emigrants, victims of violence, war and natural catastrophes. Clinics and social centres are opened, in which the poorest are promoters of their own development. In order to co-ordinate international co-operation in this development work, Action for a United World (AMU), was born in 1986, which operates in various countries, sustaining long-term multinational programmes. There are over 750 social works in the 5 continents (see encl. 3).

Projects in favour of the family and the dignity of the woman

Restoration of the rights of the child (right to health-care, to education, to life). Adoptions and fostering of more than 9000, etc. (see encl. 3).
Moral support, and the valuing of disabled people, old people, and refugees.

A comment on the Gospel

- the "Word of Life" - which is published on a monthly basis by Chiara Lubich, in order to inform daily life. It has a circulation of over three million copies in 80 languages and idioms, and is spread through the press, radio and television.

An audio-visual documentation service

at the service of the movement in various countries.

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