“MED 25 – Bel Espoir,” the school ship of peace headed to Palermo
“MED 25 – Bel Espoir,” the school ship of peace that will sail the Mediterranean from March to October 2025, will stop in Palermo
“Educating for Peace and Nonviolence” is the title of the seminar to be held in Palermo on Saturday, March 29, at 3:30 p.m. at the Theological Faculty of Sicily.
But it will not be the usual conference nor one of the many meetings on the theme of peace.
It is, in fact, an initiative born in the spirit of the Mediterranean Meetings in Bari (2020), Florence (2022), Marseille (2023) and Tirana (2024), thanks to the synergy between the Mar Yam association, the Bella speranza – AJD association and the Diocesan Association of Marseille, Within an international path strongly desired by Pope Francis, it sees the participation of 200 young people from all Mediterranean coasts, of different religions and cultures (Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Burma, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, etc. ).
They are the passengers of “MED 25 – Bel Espoir,” the peace training ship that will sail the Mediterranean from March to October 2025, linking the five shores. Set sail from the port of Barcelona on March 1, it will stop in other cities, where a number of themes will be explored.
In the Sicilian capital, in addition to the seminar, in the evening – animated by Chris Obehi, the well-known Nigerian musician who lives in Palermo – the young people will gather for a community dinner and a party open to the city and, on March 31, they will meet with schools.
In this second stage, the specific educational processes of different shores will be examined. These are the starting questions:
“What do these educational pathways have in common? How can reflection on educational coherences in the Mediterranean help this area build its future in peace and justice?”.
One answer will certainly be found in coexistence, albeit on a ship, and the desire for fraternity and mutual understanding.