Thirty Nobel winners to gather in St Peter’s Square for Human Fraternity event

By Tiziana Campisi 

To make the word “fraternity” resound, worldwide, from St Peter's Square.

This, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti explained on Monday morning during a press conference held in the Holy See Press Office, is the objective of 'Not Alone', the World Meeting on Human Fraternity that will be held in the Vatican on the 10th June, and in which Pope Francis will also take part.

Inspired by the Pope’s encyclical letter Fratelli tutti, the event will bring together artists, young people, and Nobel peace prize winners from across the world.

An experience of fraternity

The event – which is conceived of as a process of building fraternity – will be broken up into two sections.

In the morning, five working groups will meet at the Vatican - Nobel Prize winners, environmentalists, schoolchildren, the fragile, and charities - and will address the theme of fraternity.

In the afternoon, at 4 p.m., the Meeting, a moment of celebration and unity, will begin.

Famous singers, including Andrea Bocelli and Mr Rain, will perform, activists and charity workers will share their stories, and those gathered in other squares around the world (in Congo, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Argentina, Japan, Peru, Jerusalem, and on a rescue ship in the Ionian Sea) will recount their own experiences via live link.

Welcoming the stranger

One of those speaking at the meeting will be Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

"We are happy to join the Pope's appeal for human fraternity and peace," said Grandi, who spoke remotely at this morning’s press conference. "In a world so marred by conflict, this message must be welcomed for the good of all humanity".

Grandi added that there are many communities today "that welcome refugees as brothers and sisters and together strive to make our societies grow" and said he hopes that "Not Alone" "represents the beginning of a strengthened solidarity for the more than 103 million displaced persons and refugees still seeking protection".

The Pope's role

Pope Francis will be in St. Peter's Square at 6 p.m., and will greet those present, as well as those joining via videolink from all around the world.

He will listen to what emerged from the morning's working groups, and meet with Muhammad Yunus and Nadia Murad, representatives of the group of Nobel winners. They will present the Pontiff with a document on fraternity and together they will launch a campaign to collect one billion signatures on it.