Pope Francis: Borgo Laudato Si’ Serve as a Model of Sustainability
“A Refuge in the Vineyard – Borgo Laudato Si’ as a model of Sustainable Development” is the title of the panel discussion organized by the Laudato Si’ Higher Education Center (CAF–LS), held on Thursday afternoon, September 19, 2024 at Palazzo San Calisto, and attended by international experts in the area of sustainable agriculture and viticulture.
Fr. Fabio Baggio, Director General of CAF-LS, kicked off the meeting saying: «The beauty of the Barberini Villa and the Pontifical Villas gardens becomes the natural setting for the development of a place of “integral ecology”, open to all people of good will. The activities and initiatives being held aim to promote education to integral ecology, circular economy and generative and environmental sustainability. Through the implementation of the Borgo Laudato si’ project, we intend to provide a concrete sign of the applicability of the principles masterfully illustrated by Pope Francis in the Encyclical Laudato si’».
The experts in attendance dealt with three fundamental aspects of Sustainable Development: environmental, economic and social sustainability.
A concrete approach was privileged to reflect on these aspects, comparing them with the sustainable and regenerative agriculture model being pursued at Borgo Laudato si’.
The main focus of the conference was the presentation of the research, study and implementation of the Vineyard of the Borgo Laudato si’ and of the wine features, being produced with grapes harvested in the agricultural area of the Pontifical Villas.
The vineyard represents a new model of sustainability enhanced by using more advanced technologies, a careful reconnection with bio-diversity and care for the ecosystem to concretely achieve the dimension of integral ecology.
The experts appointed by the University of Udine, coordinated by professors Enrico Peterlunger and Roberto Zironi, planted the “Laudato si'” vineyard, made up of a variety of vines coming from different origins and places, able – as a whole – to produce wine that for its composition symbolizes a communion in diversity.
This is actually the mandate that the commission of international experts, accompanied by Fr. Fabio Baggio, received during their meeting with Pope Francis. In fact, the Holy Father highlighted in his greeting to those in attendance how he was “particularly happy that both for cultivation and agricultural production – in particular for the vineyard -, a large amount of manpower is expected. This meets the goal set forth at the beginning to restore good and fruitful relationships between human family and creation, by working to take care and safeguard what has been entrusted to us by the Creator.”