On November 25 in Milan, we launched this year’s Tents Campaign, “Peace is a humble path: let’s walk it together.”
The event was a moment of reflection on peace at a time when conflicts continue to multiply and endure, deeply affecting communities and entire generations. It offered a valuable opportunity to listen to those who directly experience the fragility of war — from Palestine to Ukraine — and who nonetheless strive each day to build paths of reconstruction and coexistence.
Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, reminded participants that we cannot speak of war as if it were behind us
“We must remain vigilant and not talk about war in the past tense: once the bombs have stopped, the question of the future remains — when, how, and with whom can we rebuild?”
A call not to look away, but to begin now to lay the foundations for tomorrow’s peace.
In her opening remarks, Patrizia Savi, President of AVSI, emphasized what lies at the heart of AVSI’s work: “When we design a project, we never impose it from above, but listen to people’s needs.”
This statement reflects AVSI’s approach and our belief that peace can emerge only from authentic relationships capable of generating unity.
It is precisely this lived experience of unity that makes hope possible, even in the most deeply wounded contexts.
Ruslan Isaiev, from AVSI’s Poltava office, testified to the power of small gestures that resist destruction: “Peace is not created in a single moment. It is built step by step, relationship by relationship, through thousands of small gestures.”
A vision that blends humility and resilience, showing how every encounter can become a fragment of real peace.
Maria Gaudenzi, coordinator of AVSI activities in Ukraine, recalled the immediate mobilization during the first months of the conflict: “It was natural to get involved and activate solidarity mechanisms, which in our case took the form of emergency projects.” Today, this commitment is reflected in Community Centers, collaboration with Ukrainian organizations, and support for local authorities – tangible signs of a shared effort that continues to keep communities together even in times of hardship.
Davide Prosperi, President of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation, offered a profound reflection, highlighting the essential starting point for any action: “Recognizing the dignity of every human being, simply as a human being, and embracing it.”
This, he emphasized, is the foundation of every path to peace and the reason why hope remains possible – not out of optimism, but because genuine unity exists among people who choose to walk together.
Moderated by Italian journalist Elisabetta Soglio, the discussion showed that the path to peace is humble and shared: no one walks it alone.
It is in the weaving of relationships, in the lived experience of daily and concrete unity, that peace can be born and grow. From there, it can become hope for all.
The live stream of the event
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