(ZENIT News / Florence, 11.06.2025).- Pax Christi International (PCI), the global Catholic peace movement, will celebrate its 80th anniversary with a world gathering in Florence, Italy, from 5 to 9 November 2025, under the theme “80 Years of Building Bridges for Tomorrow.” The event will bring together Church leaders, theologians, peacebuilders, and young activists from around the world — including Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, and Archbishop Giovanni Ricchiuti, President of Pax Christi Italy — to commemorate eight decades of witness for peace, justice, and nonviolence.
Founded in 1945 to foster reconciliation between France and Germany after World War II, Pax Christi International has since grown into a global network active in over 50 countries, accompanying communities affected by war, injustice, and ecological crisis. For eighty years, PCI has inspired generations to translate Gospel nonviolence into concrete action—promoting human rights, dialogue, and reconciliation across political and cultural divides.
A Historic Gathering in Florence
Hosted in the city that symbolizes dialogue and humanist tradition, the Florence World Gathering will bring together the Pax Christi International family from every corner of the globe for five days of prayer, reflection, and renewal. The event will open on 5 November with a ceremony commemorating Pax Christi International’s heritage and its prophetic call for peace in today’s conflict-ridden world. Participants will reflect on the movement’s roots in reconciliation after World War II and its ongoing mission to promote justice, nonviolence, the care of Creation, and integral human flourishing.
On 7 November, participants will take part in a symbolic Pilgrimage from Casa Studi to Casa per la Pace, representing eight decades of Pax Christi International’s journey of active nonviolence and solidarity. The day will conclude with the launch of the Pax Christi International Youth Forum, fulfilling a long-standing commitment to engage young peacebuilders and ensure the movement’s intergenerational continuity.
Throughout the gathering, members will also participate in the Extraordinary Assembly of Pax Christi International, where new international leadership will be elected and the movement’s global advocacy priorities reaffirmed. The celebration will culminate on 8 November with the Peace Award Ceremony, honoring the Diocese of El Paso (USA) for its courageous witness to Gospel nonviolence and its steadfast defense of migrants and border communities.
In addition to these key moments, the program includes panel discussions and working sessions on democracy and just peace, ecological justice, and integral human security—themes that reflect PCI’s conviction that true peace depends on justice, respect for human rights, and the restoration of relationships at every level of society.
A Message of Hope and Renewal
As Pax Christi International enters its ninth decade, the anniversary gathering will renew the movement’s global mission to accompany local communities in transforming conflict through Gospel nonviolence. Through its Catholic Nonviolence Initiative and partnerships worldwide, PCI continues to provide training, advocacy, and tools for peacebuilding—especially in regions marked by fragility, inequality, and ecological harm.
In this milestone year, Pax Christi International reaffirms its commitment to building a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world by linking nonviolence with integral human development, ecological justice, and interfaith solidarity.
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