On World Water Day, March 22, 2025, a message on the theme of integral ecology was once again launched from the Sacred Convent of St. Francis in Assisi.
On the morning of March 22, 2025, the press office of the Sacred Convent hosted: “Assisi 2025: Water as a Tool for Dialogue and Cooperation Between Peoples,” an event organized by Ab Aqua, Italy’s first think tank focused on water strategy. The event began with institutional greetings from the Custos of the Sacred Convent, Friar Marco MORONI, the President of the Italian Region of Umbria, Stefania PROIETTI, and the Founder and Executive Director of Ab Aqua, Roberto NATALI. Next, there were speeches from Archbishop Vincenzo PAGLIA, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life; Pietro SEBASTIANI, Ambassador of the Embassy of Italy to the Holy See and Head of the LUMSA University Africa Center; Luciano BOZZO, an associate professor at the University of Florence; and Sonia FILIPPAZZI, a journalist and host at RAI Radio. The event concluded with remarks from Filippo VERRE, Founder and President of Ab Aqua.
Archbishop PAGLIA stated: “The problem for which we are paying the consequences, is a complete lack of vision. We entered the new millennium without adopting a comprehensive view. Thanks to Pope Francis’ first two encyclicals, a new concept has emerged: as Aristotle once said, a city is founded on friendship, not on law. The law serves to maintain friendship. Human relationships are what makes one’s heart universally loving towards all creation.”
Friar Marco MORONI added: “The four terms used by St. Francis to describe water in the Canticle of the Creatures (useful, humble, precious, pure) highlight how water is a precious good that should not be exploited. We must do everything possible to ensure that water does not fall into the hands of a few, so that it can truly serve everyone. May our contribution to events like these be significant.”
Press Room – Andrea ROSSI
Sacred Convent of St. Francis
