The Economy of Francesco: “Economy + Fraternity x Development = Future

Over 2000 “changemakers” from all corners of the earth are participating in the threeday “The Economy of Francesco” event Nov 19-21.

Nov 22, 2020

By Linda Bordoni
Over 2000 “changemakers” from all corners of the earth are participating in the threeday “The Economy of Francesco” event Nov 19-21.

A virtual platform connected participants for the launch of the event on Thursday afternoon, with the city of Assisi at the heart of it all, providing inspiration, its peerless spirit of fraternity and universal love, and much symbolism upon which to place the cor nerstone of an economy of communion.

The so-called “change-makers” are young economists, businessmen and women bringing their virtuous models of entrepreneurship to the table, and world-class experts in economy and social sciences who have come together to respond to Pope Francis’ invitation to transform hope for the rights of future generations into reality.

A brief video, featuring some of the participants from across the globe set the event into motion: “We are here together to build the world of tomorrow where nobody will be left behind,” they declared. And throughout the afternoon (or morning depending on where they are), people young and notso-young, from different continents and realities, linked up to listen to each other’s stories, testimonies and ideas. The intense  four-hour session was interspersed with videos, music, drama and the breath-taking images of Assisi, its art, nature and places of faith.

The first to address the multitude was Bishop Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi, with words of (spiritual) welcome, because, he said, coronavirus may have changed the logistics — moving what was intended to be a “physical meeting” into a virtual realm – but it has certainly not dampened enthusiasm  or curtailed commitments.

Speaking in English, he thanked the young people for being here; he thanked Pope Francis for his intuition and guidance; and he thanked St Francis, himself “a change-maker” and an “economist” who diverted a ruinous trend of injustice and exclusion when he “embraced the leper” and placed the poor at the centre of his apostolate. ––Vatican News

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