Nieves Tapia (Director and founder of CLAYSS), María Rosa Tapia Coordinator of the Uniservitate Global Network)
and Andrés Peregalli (Vice-coordinator of Uniservitate Global Network)
During the last week of October, Nieves Tapia, Director and founder of CLAYSS, and María Rosa Tapia and Andrés Peregalli, coordinators of the Uniservitate global network, were key parts and witnesses in Rome to the signing and dissemination of a document in which Pope Leo XIV recommends service-learning and re-launches the Global Compact on Education, initiated by Pope Francis. All these events were part of what the Church calls the « Jubilee of the World of Education, » which included a conference with Catholic and non-Catholic authorities and specialists from around the world, the presentation of new publications, and other activities. In addition, representatives from CLAYSS and Uniservitate participated in an international meeting of women leaders in higher education and a conference of the Congregation of the Josephites of Murialdo.
« It was a week full of fraternal and fruitful meetings, » said Nieves Tapia, summarizing the intense schedule between 26th and 31st October. Referring to Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Letter « Drawing New Maps of Hope, » she added: « For those who work in the service-learning field, it was a source of great joy and reassurance that the Pope included this pedagogy as one of the ‘stars with own brightness’ in the constellation of educational institutions and initiatives. »
Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Letter « Drawing New Maps of Hope, presented at the Mass celebrated with pontifical universities from around the world.
(Credits from Vatican News)
Andrés Peregalli, who also works at the Catholic University of Argentina, a member institution of the Uniservitate network, was present at the signing of the document by the Pope on Monday 27th, during a mass with pontifical universities from around the world.
Working session of the Global Compact on Education Committee organized by the Dicastery for Culture and Education
The Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education, chaired by Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, invited CLAYSS and Uniservitate to participate in a working session of the Global Compact on Education Committee, which took place at the Dicastery offices and the Focolare Meeting Point on Tuesday 28th. A small group of representatives from federations, universities, and civil society organizations worldwide planned the steps this institution will take. At the request of Pope Leo XIV, the Dicastery took up Pope Francis’ Global Compact on Education (GCE) initiative and is seeking to re-launch it with three new objectives: interiority, peace and the human-digital.
Former Archbishop of Buenos Aires Cardinal Mario Poli at the International Congress « Educational Constellations: A Pact with the Future »
On Thursday 30th, the same Dicastery held the International Congress « Educational Constellations: A Pact with the Future », which brought together leaders and specialists from religious and non-religious institutions. A special moment of the Congress was the panel presentation of the Global Compact on Education, which was attended by, among others, the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Mario Poli, and the coordinators of the GCE in the Dicastery, Fr. Ezio Bono and Dr. Carina Rossa.
Coordinators of the GCE in the Dicastery for Culture and Education, Fr. Ezio Bono and Dr. Carina Rossa
Simultaneously with the Congress, a fair entitled « Constellations of Educational Networks » was held, featuring stands from international networks and organizations, including Uniservitate. At this event, Nieves Tapia presented the Portuguese version of Schools for Encounter, published by CLAYSS and FTD to a full house. She was accompanied by Paulo Moregola, Deputy Director of Ministry at the Marist publishing house, FTD, who translated the text and will distribute it free of charge in Portuguese-speaking countries.
Nieves Tapia and Paulo Moregola, Deputy Director of Ministry at the Marist publishing house,
presented the Portuguese version of Schools for Encounter, published by CLAYSS and FTD.
CLAYSS also participated in the conference « The Transformative Power of Education: Service-Learning and Communities that Shape the Future » on Thursday 30th, organized by the School for Higher Education « Educating to Encounter and Solidarity » (EIS) at LUMSA University, in collaboration with Tuttoscuola. María Rosa Tapia was part of the opening panel, and Nieves Tapia was in charge of the closing. The event included a master class by Andrew Furco, professor at the University of Minnesota and member of the Uniservitate Sounding Board, and the presentation of the book Service-Learning: Education that Transforms. A Bridge between Knowledge and Community by young LUMSA researcher, Irene Culcasi.
Andrew Furco, Nieves Tapia, María Rosa Tapia, Maria Cinque, Irene Culcasi and Italo Fiorin
at the conference « The Transformative Power of Education: Service-Learning and Communities that Shape the Future » organized by EIS at LUMSA University.
Nieves Tapia was also an invited speaker, alongside Brother Juan Antonio Ojeda, and Italian educationalist and writer, Johnny Dotti, at the opening of the IV International Seminar on Pedagogical Practice hosted by the Congregation of the Josephites of Murialdo in Rome from 29th October to 2nd November. The event was attended by over 85 leaders of the Congregation’s educational institutions. In turn, María Rosa Tapia participated in the meeting « Women’s Leadership and Catholic Universities, » held by the International Federation of Catholic Universities (FIUC), which was attended by rectors, university presidents, vice-rectors, and other women in governance or leadership positions at Catholic universities.
Seminar on Pedagogical Practice hosted by the Congregation of the Josephites of Murialdo in Rome
CLAYSS and Uniservitate representatives also attended meetings with members of other organizations and institutions, which led to significant steps towards future joint actions. For example, the Conference of Salesian Institutions of Higher Education (IUS), « Participatory Models in Salesian Higher Education: Synodal & Salesian Facilitation, » took place on 30th-31st October at the Salesian University in Rome. María Rosa Tapia and Andrés Peregalli participated in that event, which highlighted that the agreement signed between IUS and Uniservitate strengthens their joint commitment to promoting service-learning.
The week of events concluded with a large meeting of Pope Leo XIV with the educators participating in the Jubilee, enabling the Holy Father to express his gratitude for their « valuable work. » He also invited them to adopt four values as the « key elements » of their educational mission: interiority, unity, love, and joy.
