From November 28 to 30, 2025, at Castel Gandolfo (Rome), the global event, Restarting the Economy, promoted by The Economy of Francesco, will bring together young economists, entrepreneurs, and students from around the world to reflect on a more just, sustainable, and inclusive economy.
Among the participants of this year's event will be representatives of the Istituto Salesiano San Marco, who won the Ekologica 2025 competition, with their project “Water and Renewable Sources”, a research and technical initiative aimed at finding innovative ways to address the problem of water scarcity using clean energy.
The award ceremony took place on May 13, 2025, in the Aula Magna of Ca' Foscari University in Venice, where over 300 students from high schools across Italy gathered for the second edition of Ecologika, the first Italian educational project inspired by integral ecology. It is a day of listening and sharing that brings together young people, teachers, and institutions to celebrate the commitment of the younger generation to a more just and sustainable future. Additional awards were granted to other institutions from symbolic and significant places like Venice, Rome, and Assisi, recognizing their educational contributions as well.
The educational project
Ecologika was launched in 2022 by Gabriella Chiellino, who was inspired by the film, The Letter, in collaboration with the Laudato Si' Center in Assisi and the Patriarchate of Venice. The goal is to transform reflection into action inspired by Laudato si'. The project immediately gained the support of numerous organizations, including the CEI, the Fratelli Tutti Foundation, and èAmbiente, who are all part of the technical-scientific committee led by Dr. Chiellino.
As Fr. Riccardo Redigolo, director of Pastorale Giovanile, pointed out, “meeting young people and engaging them on real issues opens up a clear and credible dialogue.” Following the success of the first edition, the Pastorale Giovanile association was founded in 2024/2025, which now coordinates the competition with a network of local ministries in Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, extending participation to state schools as well.
The initiative, rooted in Franciscan spirituality and care for our common home, offers courses on topics such as climate change, social economy, sustainable construction, and artificial intelligence, with concrete and practical projects. Fr. Francesco Occhetta, Fratelli Tutti Foundation, recalled that Laudato si' “invites us to take care of four environments: interior, relational, work, and natural.”
The next steps
The ceremony in May marked the start of the third edition of the competition, which will involve more areas, schools, and families. To date, Ecologika has reached over 30 schools and almost 1,000 students, establishing its identity as a perennial workshop of ecological and spiritual citizenship. The dream is to make it a national model able to instill in young people the integral vision of the environment that was shared by Pope Francis.
The journey continues, with small but decisive steps. Because, as Laudato si' reminds us, everything is connected.