City Project is a series of initiatives, making up a ‘journey’ aimed at ‘giving a soul back’ to the city, helping every person, both individually and in groups to discover the contribution they can make as citizens in the community in which they live.

It is being promoted by those who believe in the irreplaceable contribution of citizens, civil and religious groups and civil institutions, to improving life in their own cities, villages or districts through their commitment to working together for the common good, in a spirit of reciprocity. The project is supported and coordinated by New Humanity, an NGO of the Focolare Movement.

City Project will present itself through the most diverse social, cultural and political initiatives that will seek to give a concrete response to the needs and desires of those who live in our cities so as to make them more beautiful and better places to live, in the context of universal fraternity.

Building a society based on universal fraternity is a message contained in the Gospel and is a goal shared by all those of good will. Working towards this has been a part of the DNA of the Focolare Movement’s experience since its inception. The inspirational idea of highlighting the role of the city as an essential step in building a united world, at this point in our history, came from Chiara Lubich, the Movement’s founder.

No. City Project is not a meeting at a given time, it’s more a ‘journey’ to raise the awareness and encourage the participation of individuals and groups of citizens to respond to the diverse social needs through direct action, initiatives, projects, events and meetings.

City Project  can be found wherever there are people who feel a passion for their city and actively respond to its needs. The first to put themselves at the service of this project are members of the Focolare Movement community.

In a way, City Project started back in World War 2 with Chiara Lubich and her first companions who, whilst searching to live the words of the Gospel, committed themselves to doing what they could to ‘resolve the social problems in their city, Trent’. Since then, examples of active citizenship have developed and multiplied all around the world. In some instances, they have been topical and short lived, in others, such as the ‘little towns’ of the Movement they are permanent. And the pilot projects in a number of cities, such as Prague, Trent, Genoa, Rome, Fontem, are showing the way to all who want to see.

Because of its nature it can be said that City Project, will never end: the passion for the city and the responsibility we have to make our cities better cannot have a defined end point: it’s a labour made up of achievements and initiatives, ideas and creativity inspired by our cities, by the issues, great and small that face us every day. Chiara Lubich herself said, “City Project is a path that, once we embark upon it, will finish in a united world!!”

The purpose of this site is to facilitate networking on initiatives, projects and actions. A calendar will keep you up to date on activities and events in progress. Through the Focolare Movement’s website you can also find contact details of people in your own area.