“Peace begins with us”: the VIII Edition of the Laudato si’ Competition concludes at Istituto Massimo 

The VIII Edition of the Laudato si’ Competition has concluded at Istituto Massimo in Rome, an initiative that over the years has become a space for encounter, reflection, and shared creativity for the schools of the Fondazione Gesuiti Educazione network.

The theme chosen for this edition, “Peace begins with us”, guided students through a journey dedicated to building authentic relationships, dialogue, and personal responsibility, in a time marked by conflicts, divisions, and social fragilities. The competition invited young people to reflect on the concrete meaning of peace, not as an abstract or distant concept, but as a daily practice born from the way we look at others, listen to others, and speak about others.

The final days, hosted from May 13 to 15 at Istituto Massimo, brought together finalists from the schools of the Euro Mediterranean Province of the Society of Jesus: students from Rome, Milan, Turin, Palermo, Messina, Shkodër, and Malta met to share experiences, workshops, and moments of dialogue within the Iuvando Magis Conference.

The initiative involved numerous students in both audio and video categories, giving space to different languages and expressive forms capable of translating the theme of peace into stories, images, reflections, and testimonies. The projects presented revealed a strong sensitivity toward relationships, mutual care, and individual responsibility in building the common good.

At the heart of the competition was not only the competitive dimension, but above all the shared educational experience. Through creative work, students were able to engage with complex themes, develop a critical understanding of reality, and experience the value of dialogue and collaboration.

This perspective fully reflects the Ignatian educational tradition, which considers education not only as the transmission of knowledge, but as the integral formation of the person, called to become a conscious protagonist of the reality in which they live.

The VIII Edition of the Laudato si’ Competition thus confirms the value of an educational network capable of bringing schools, cultures, and different sensitivities into dialogue, offering young people concrete opportunities to reflect on the present and imagine a future built on peace, listening, and shared responsibility.