Sports, camaraderie mark Focolare youth event held to promote peace

Published: 2008-05-16

HYDE PARK, N.Y. (CNS) -- On the corner of Peace Avenue and Joy Street in a Hyde Park community dedicated to Mary, more than 250 members of the Focolare movement gathered May 10 in the name of world peace. They came together for Run4Unity 2008, a day of fun, songs, games, athletics, prayer, Christian camaraderie and interfaith dialogue. Similar events took place in all 24 time zones around the world. First held in 2005, Run4Unity promotes sports, games and camaraderie as instruments for peace. In Hyde Park, the event was held in the Mariapolis Luminosa community. Established in 1986, it describes itself as "the little city of the Focolare movement for North America." "Mariapolis" is Greek for "city of Mary." "Luminosa" refers to the oldest friend of the late Focolare founder Chiara Lubich and one of the first people to join Lubich's new lay spiritual movement, which began in Italy in 1943. Run4Unity was launched by Young for Unity, the Focolare movement's youth branch. It brings together youths of different cultures, languages and ethnic backgrounds in 182 nations to live for a more united world, spreading a culture of giving, peace and brotherhood.

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