The 2nd International Summer School organized by The Economy of Francesco (EoF) will be held at the Franciscan Sanctuary "La Verna", Tuscany, from June 18 to 23.
The title of this edition will be "Spiritual, social, and narrative capitals: going beyond capitalism", which will focus on addressing and deepening the capitals that support the creation of a new economic paradigm, such as the one that the young people of EoF have been called to carry forward since 2019, the year Pope Francis called on young people to reanimate the economy.
In fact, it was Pope Francis himself who drew the line on this topic, when in September 2022, at the global meeting with more than a thousand young economists, entrepreneurs and changemakers from all over the world, he recalled that:
"the first capital of any society is spiritual capital, for this is what gives us a reason to get up every morning and go to work and engenders the joy of living that is also necessary for the economy.”
Convinced that spiritual, social, and narrative capitals are fundamental “as they emphasize the human, social and cultural dimensions of the economy - Matteo Rizzoli, Associate Professor of Economic Policy at LUMSA University and coordinator of the EoF Summer School, explains that - social capital promotes trust and collaboration, fostering resilience and sustainability. Narrative capital influences people's choices and behaviors, conveying values and promoting equity and innovation. Spiritual capital recognizes that material wealth alone does not guarantee well-being and that values such as compassion and respect for nature are equally important. Integrating these aspects contributes to an economy that is more inclusive, resilient, and geared toward the well-being of people and the planet.”
“Narrative and spiritual capital contribute to building a vision of the world (the weltanschauung) - adds the other Summer School coordinator, Valentina Rotondi, a lecturer and researcher at SUPSI and Nuffield College - that uniquely identifies a person, an organization, a community, or even a country.”
The participants and the program
The number of participants for this year has doubled compared to the first edition, held in Gubbio, Italy, in 2021. More than 80 participants, including teachers and students, will attend the EoF Summer School. Vietnam, Honduras, Argentina, Botswana, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, Haiti, Pakistan, Italy, are just some of the 32 countries represented by the participants. They are young people involved in the world of economics, business, finance, education, human rights, etc., who will participate in the common program for six days.
In charge of the program will be great referents in the topics, such as Gaël Giraud, Aneeqa Malik, Luigino Bruni, Nadia von Jakob, Stephan Voigt and Benedetto Gui, as well as the accompaniment of the Bishop of Assisi, Monsignor Domenico Sorrentino. The program includes readings, workshops, poster sessions and guided visits to museums and the forest located inside La Verna, and personal and collective moments of spirituality.
The Friars of La Verna are part of this route. “We’re delighted to welcome this initiative - says the guardian Father, Francesco Brasa - that embraces the instances of the magisterium of Pope Francis and the ever-timely prophecy of the Poverello of Assisi who lived the summit of his human and spiritual experience at La Verna. To invest in formation is to build the future together.”
For more information and details of the EoF Summer School, visit the EoF Summer School website at https://francescoeconomy.org/summer-school-2023/.