Discovering each other as friends

Twenty-five flags can be seen fluttering in the square of the John Paul II Centre in Loreto, representing the nationalities of the participants in the tenth edition of the Agorà of the youth of the Mediterranean, which closed on September 11 with the Mass celebrated in Ancona by Pope Benedict XVI for the 25th Eucharistic Congress of the Italian Church. Michele Luppi for SIR Europe collected various stories from the youths who arrived from different areas of the world – Egypt, the Balkans, Portugal, Italy and Germany, just to name a few – to take part in the Agorà of the Mediterranean. Some of these countries are still experiencing old-dated conflicts and clashes. Young people like Khalem, 25, from Nazareth, who discovered the existence of the House of Mary in Loreto. “Coming from Nazareth and visiting the shrine I felt I was at home”, he said with a smile before sharing the difficulties as an Israeli citizen of Arab origin belonging to a Christian minority. “The first day I arrived in Loreto- he explains – I was slightly worried; I didn’t know what it would be like to share my time with from so many different countries. Instead, I found a warm welcome by everyone, even by youths from Countries like Lebanon and Syria, with which Israel has no diplomatic relations. I had never met Syrian and Lebanese youth. It was heart-warming to discover that we are united in faith, identifying each other as friends. This was the gift of the Agorà which I know I will bring home with me, with my friends, in my parish and not only there”.Crossing the borders. Speaking with the youth of the Agorà it is possible to meet, sitting on the same bench, young women from Serbia, from Croatia and from Montenegro. And near them were seated young women from Kosovo and Macedonia. The entire Balkan scenario was recomposed and mingled, regardless of borders, amidst the Marche hills. “At the beginning it felt awkward – said Miljena, Croatian – since from the first day, youths from the Balkans came together in a group, spontaneously. It was natural as we discovered that language, songs and even games and jokes unite us”. But what appears easy and natural in Loreto is not as easy in their Countries of origin. “There aren’t many occasions like this one in the Balkans. The only youth meetings take place within our respective countries”, said Angela from Montenegro. Her personal story clearly outlines the recent history of the Balkans. “I am of Albanian origin – she said – but I used to live in Kosovo with my family. In 1999, because of the war, we fled to Albania and then we moved to Montenegro”. Miljena, Croatian born in Bosnia, and Jelena, Serbian from Croatia, had similar experiences. “This experience – Jelena said – made me understand that youths must raise their voices since another future is possible. I’m not interested in politics, nor am I interested in knowing who was the first to trigger the spark of violence. We have to meet and stay together”.A never-ending adventure. For all young people, even those arriving from less “turbulent” areas in the Mediterranean, the Agorà was an opportunity to extend their vision. “For us – continues Miljena – it was an chance to get to know peoples we had only seen on television. We rediscovered ourselves as parts of a single Church”. To them the responsible of the John Paul II Centre Father Francesco Pierpaoli, gave a specific mandate: “Interweave peace with the golden thread of justice, freedom and forgiveness in your every day lives, and in historical unfolding”. “This – the priest explained – is not only the tenth anniversary of the Agorà, it also is the 25th anniversary of the interreligious prayer meeting called by John Paul II in Assisi. Bring this spirit within your communities. Tomorrow we will no longer be in this home, but the spirit perceived here must continue thriving inside all of us”.Discovering faces. This message is not confined to the borders of the Mediterranean. The youth from the Philippines and from Pakistan will bring it all the way over to Asia. “I am here to represent my Country and our small Christian community, a living community”, said Khurram, Pakistani from Islamabad, attending the Agorà for the second time. “This experience, and the encounter with young Christians arrived from different corners of the world – he explains – made me become a happier and more motivated Christian. My commitment to bring this message to all the youth in Pakistan, when I return, has gained greater impetus”. During the celebration that closed the last day in Loreto, the youth took their flags and brought them below the altar. “At the opening of the Agorà -said Fr Pierpaoli – we called young people according to their nationalities. After a week we called them by name, we discovered their faces. It’s a way to understand that flags come after the stories. The risk of giving priority to flags, is to loose track of the faces”.Info: www.medagora.org.