World ORT and Pope Francis sign new deal to extend Scholas World Youth Encounter
Vatican collaborating with global education network at youth encounter in Mexico to promote education and to encourage a more humane, tolerant and peaceful world.
World ORT|Published: 03.24.19 , 22:55
Pope Francis has met Dario Werthein, World ORT Board of Trustees Chair, and Avi Ganon, World ORT Director General and CEO, to sign an agreement which will see the fourth Scholas World Youth Encounter take place in Mexico City later this year.
The event – which will bring together hundreds students from around the world to share their passion, experience and ideas for a more tolerant and peaceful society – is a joint project between World ORT and the Pope’s Scholas Occurrentes Foundation.
This year’s youth encounter will begin on October 28 in the Mexican capital, running until November 1. It is expected around 60 World ORT students from across the network – including from Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Italy, Spain, South Africa and Israel – will attend. The theme will be ‘Encounter and Exchange’, with the goal being to generate a framework for 15-to-17-year-olds from different nationalities, religions and socio-economic backgrounds to start a dialogue to promote education and to encourage a more humane, tolerant and peaceful world. Following the meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican on March 21, Dario Werthein said: “We are very excited to work again with Scholas at the World Youth Encounter. We share a common goal, that is to create a collaborative environment and promote lifelong education to achieve the socio-economic development of the young students.” Avi Ganon said: “World ORT is proud to be a link between religions to the next generation.“In addition to our role as pioneers in STEM education, we are pleased to be a leader in promoting universal values such as tolerance between religions and understanding between people.”
