The Pontifical Academy of Sciences is promoting an international educational network to foster the values of solidarity and fraternity to build a more human society.
Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, described the project Scholas Occurrentes today at a press conference.
It is a new international educational network among schools of different orders and grades, in favor of an inclusive society, which will ensure what is necessary for each one to develop the vital project of respect for the environment.
“Considering the antecedents of the School of Neighbors and Sister Schools projects, initiatives promoted by Pope Francis when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences promotes this free Network of global outreach, inviting schools of all educational levels to participate. The project’s Web site can be visited at this link: http://scholasoccurrentes.org/eng/home.htm
In presenting the initiative, Professor Enrique Palmeyro mentioned the crisis that the world is going through in which “thousands of children die of hunger.” And, using the Pope’s expression, he pointed out that this is an initiative that hopes to “cause upheaval in this world» — not “uncontrolled or meaningless” upheaval, but one that will “reverse individualism and communism” and promote the values of solidarity. It is a project in which schools of all sorts from all over the world can link up to share their pedagogical projects.
Professor Josemaría Del Corral also confirmed that “the idea is to transform this upheaval into the game of life.”
“As a teacher and docent I represent many educators who feel alone knowing that what they are responsible for is increasingly difficult if not impossible at times,» he said. However, in face of this difficult situation, continued Del Corral, “we can’t throw in the towel, because in this game it’s youths who are playing.”
The press conference was attended as well by leaders of the Argentine and Italian soccer teams, which will face off in a friendly match on Wednesday that was organized in honor of soccer-lover Pope Francis.
Lionel Messi of the Argentine team and Gianluigi Buffon of the Italian team clicked on the Web site to register the two first schools, one Argentine and the other Italian.
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On the Net:
Scholas Occurrentes: http://scholasoccurrentes.org/eng/home.htm
