The EoC International School, which opened today, will take place during this week and will culminate with the Economy of Communion Forum Brazil, scheduled for July 25-26.
The International School of the Economy of Communion 2025 officially opened this morning at the Mariapolis Ginetta in Vargem Grande Paulista, SP (Brazil). There were 60 participants, including young people from 16 countries. While the largest numbers were from Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Paraguay), North America (Mexico), Central America (Costa Rica and Guatemala) were also represented, as were Africa (with participants from Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, and Ivory Coast), Asia (with two young people from South Korea), and finally Europe (with members of the International Commission from Italy, France, Slovakia, and Spain).
The morning began with an opening session led by Gregorio Pellegrino and Clezia Pinto Santana, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The day's theme was: The EoC as a "Personal Choice": a space dedicated to the project's origins and to personal stories and firsthand accounts that introduced the founding values of the Economy of Communion.
A particularly engaging moment was the dialogue "Stories that Inspire and Transform," in which small groups, divided by language, engaged with entrepreneurs and speakers from the EoC network. The session concluded with a plenary discussion of the resulting reflections, giving young people a voice and strengthening a sense of community and co-creation.
In the afternoon, participants will enjoy a field experience with visits to local communities such as Jardim Margarida and Casa de Acolhida, coming into direct contact with life stories and social challenges. The day will conclude with a reflection on the theme of poverty, led by Valquíria Ribeiro, and a group discussion that will set the stage for the following days. It was an intense and rich beginning, which has already left a deep impression on the participants.
A central element of the day will be the invitation to register for the workshops that will take place during the school year. Each participant will choose the specific project they wish to collaborate on. Designed as spaces for co-creation, the workshops will offer the opportunity to work in groups on innovative ideas, with the support of facilitators and experts, and will be the beating heart of the work planned for the following days.
Look at the photogallery of the EoC International School 2025
