Faith Communities Unite in Rome to Combat Desertification and Promote Peace

Rome, June 25, 2025 – In the heart of Rome, academics and representatives of diverse faiths gathered for the conference “Combating Desertification – Good Practices in Progress,” an interfaith event dedicated not only to environmental sustainability but also to fostering dialogue, solidarity, and peace.

Organized by Religions for Peace Europe, Religions for Peace Italy and he Tunisian Association “Unité dans la Diversité” in collaboration with the Germany Federal Foreign Office, the event was held at the Focolare Movement Center and featured over 20 speakers from different institutions and religious traditions. Participants shared experiences and practical initiatives aimed at reversing land degradation, promoting sustainable practices, and mobilizing communities for ecological action.

The conference was moderated by Dr. Luigi De Salvia, President of Religions for Peace Europe.

Institutional Presence and Civic Commitment

Among the distinguished participants were Carla Fermariello, President of the Commission for School, Childhood, Right to Study, and Relations with the Universities of Rome, and Giammarco Palmieri, President of the Commission for the Environment of Rome Capital. Their presence underscored the importance of integrating environmental and interreligious efforts into the educational and institutional frameworks of the city.

From Earth’s Deserts to Human Hearts

The activity was also greeted online by Dr. Francis Kuria, Secretary General of Religions for Peace International. In the opening remarks, Prof. Assoc. Dr. Genti Kruja, President of Religions for Peace Europe, delivered a message, stressing that the fight against desertification must also include healing the “desertification of our hearts.” He called on all presents to be “thirsty for peace” and to act as stewards of creation with “respect, responsibility, and deep love for our Creator.”

The conference also welcomed institutional representatives from Rome Capital, including Carla Fermariello, President of the Commission for School, Childhood, Right to Study and Relations with the Universities, and Giammarco Palmieri, President of the Commission for the Environment. Their presence emphasized the importance of interreligious cooperation in urban environmental and educational policies.

A Platform for Good Practices

The conference offered a dynamic platform where speakers presented ongoing projects in land restoration, interfaith education, and community resilience from Europe, North Africa, and beyond. Notable attention was given to youth-led environmental action and the importance of interreligious cooperation in education and climate advocacy.

Highlighting educational efforts in different countries the event echoed the spirit of the recent youth initiative in Tunisia, where young people of different faiths worked together under the motto “Faith in Action for a Sustainable Future.”

Faith and Action Go Hand-in-Hand

“Religious traditions have a key role in raising ecological awareness,” said several panelists, underlining that caring for the Earth is a shared spiritual duty. The event ended with a commitment to further interfaith collaboration and a reminder that “real transformation begins within each heart.”

A closing message invited participants to turn the deserts—both literal and metaphorical—into landscapes of life, cooperation, and hope.