Discussions and in-depth exploration of the themes of integral ecology take place at the oasis of ecological peace at the foot of the Aventine Hill, the Eco-Charity Garden: here are the initiatives, conferences and events for March and April 2026.

Eco-Charity Garden volunteers at the Laudato sì Movement’s stand at the Villaggio per la Terra

16–19 April, Rome – Against the splendid backdrop of Villa Borghese, between the picturesque Pincio Terrace and the Galoppatoio, Italy’s largest environmental event, ‘Villaggio per la Terra’, took place in Rome from 16 to 19 April; the event hosted no fewer than 35 sports federations, 600 different activities, more than 100 champions, artists and famous personalities, not to mention the over 300 organisations involved, including the Laudato sì Movement.

This year’s slogan for the event was: “WAKE UP. IT’S TIME TO DREAM!”

The organisers thus sought to highlight the urgent need to care for our Common Home, whilst doing so by dreaming of a humane and sustainable future for our Mother Earth.

The Laudato sì Circle of Rome Trastevere, a friend and partner of Eco-Charity Garden (promoter of the “Masses in Creation” held within the park), set up a stand again this year dedicated to the Ecoplaygrounds, outdoor educational workshops for children and young people on the theme of Integral Ecology.

The Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Jeanne Antide Thouret, as a member organisation of the Laudato sì Movement, offered its collaboration by supporting the activities at the stand run by two volunteers from the Eco-Charity Garden.

The stand welcomed numerous school groups with themed games and nature observation, ranging from leaves and flowers to the world of insects,

Great attention was therefore paid to the youngest children, thanks to a workshop designed to develop not only creativity and interest but also specific skills related to biology, botany and zoology. A workshop with interactive activities to raise awareness among the younger generation of the need to care for creation and respect nature.

Through its presence and active support for initiatives such as the Village for the Earth, Eco-Charity Garden renews its concrete commitment to promoting integral ecology, educating the younger generations in the care of our Common Home.

Joint Diploma in Integral Ecology Workshop at the Eco-Charity Garden

17 April – The students of the Joint Diploma in Integral Ecology enjoyed an intense experience of great spiritual value during their visit to the Eco-Charity Garden on Friday 17 April 2026.

The workshop, held outside the university classrooms and entitled “Water: Source of Hope”, formed part of their course of study and focused on the theme of listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

The Joint Diploma is a one-year course open to all, which aims to promote the message of the encyclical to raise awareness, encouraging and supporting its participants in launching personal and community initiatives for the care of our Common Home.

One such initiative, born out of the Joint Diploma lectures, is the Eco-Charity Garden, located in the garden of the Generalate of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Jeanne Antide Thouret in the centre of Rome, at the Circus Maximus.

Lecturer Cecilia Dall’Oglio, associate director of European programmes for the Laudato Si’ Movement, who has been leading Catholic initiatives for divestment from fossil fuels since 2017, and in her capacity as head of the JDEI workshops, made a request to the students that was as personal as it was fundamental for a believer:

“Ask the Holy Spirit to accompany you during this walk in the Eco-Charity park to enlighten you and help you grasp aspects related to the care of the environment and Creation”.

Cecilia urged every student to participate in an attempt to be captivated by the power of the park and to remain attentive with an open heart so as to perceive the importance of contemplating nature, striking a chord that resonated in the consciences of everyone present at the workshop: priests, educators, nuns and youth leaders. She suggested some ideas for awakening one’s spirit so as to be able to savour the many expressions of love that God has bestowed upon us by giving us this earth so full of wonders. The right spirit with which to approach the workshop was to experience it as a methodology, that is, by grasping the true meaning of an eco-spiritual walk so that we could then recount it and share it with others, freely and in the unique and personal ways of each of us.

The song of the birds, the sound of the water, the scent of the plants, the fragrance of the flowers, the green of the leaves, the texture of the tree trunks, their bark so similar and yet so different, the fresh grass to walk on barefoot… a multitude of signals to be perceived through our five senses, but also by adding the most intimate and personal one: the spirituality within each of us that can be awakened by this wonderful walk in the park dedicated to Laudato Si’.

Everyone had the chance to savour the spirituality that shines through unspoilt nature, and from the sensations experienced during the workshop, it was clear the profound wonder it can inspire simply by observing it in its various forms: scents, sounds, smells, colours. Everything speaks to us of God and of His presence in Creation.

Eco-Charity Garden takes part in the ‘Dialogues for the Climate’ Conference

Accent Global Learning, an organisation active in “Worldwide Climate & Justice Education”, invited the Eco-Charity Garden project manager (Sister Mirna Farah) and the volunteer coordinator (Maria Grazia Ercolano) to its Rome office on 19 March to participate as speakers at the “Dialogues for the Climate” conference.

The conference, organised by Rebecca Raynor (Academic Coordinator, Rome Study Centre AGL), featured four dialogues led by professor and writer Maria Teresa Carbone, on the following topics:

1. Integral Ecology and the Eco-Charity Garden project;
2. Renewable and Solidarity Energy Communities (CERS) in the Esquilino district (Rebecca Hueting)
3. Zappata Romana: Shared Green Spaces and Urban Gardens in Rome (Silvia Cioli)
4. Contemporary Eco-poetry (Jennifer Scappettone and Laura Pugno)