Rome, 29 November 2025 – The conference Reflect, unite, act: dialogues for a common future, promoted by the Soka Gakkai Italian Buddhist Institute, The Club of Rome, the Aurelio Peccei Foundation, Sapienza University, the Be The Hope Foundation and The Fifth Element, was held at Sapienza’s conference centre to explore the relationship between human beings, nature and the future, and to outline concrete pathways for cultural and social transformation.

The opening remarks, delivered by Alice Ferrario of the Soka Gakkai Italian Buddhist Institute, highlighted the role of dialogue in building inclusive communities. Sapienza rector Antonella Polimeni stressed the responsibility of universities in shaping informed citizens, while Riccardo Peccei of the Aurelio Peccei Foundation — and son of Aurelio — emphasised the urgency of integrated responses to global crises. Sapienza’s pro-rector for sustainability Livio De Santoli pointed to the need for a structural, long-term vision. In a message, Carlos Álvarez Pereira, Secretary General of The Club of Rome, called for the recovery of collective imagination, and Anna Conti, vice president of the Soka Gakkai Italian Buddhist Institute, underlined the value of bringing together spirituality, science and civic engagement.

The first panel, moderated by Stella Bianchi of the Be The Hope Foundation, focused on the interdependence between human beings and ecosystems. Giuseppe Buffon, professor of modern and contemporary church history at the Pontifical Antonianum University, interpreted the environmental crisis as a crisis of meaning, calling for a symbolic reconnection with nature and referring to Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’. Fausto Manes, professor emeritus of ecology at Sapienza, illustrated the decline of ecosystem services and the relevance of the One Health perspective.

The second panel, chaired by Diva Tommei, president of the Aurelio Peccei Foundation, addressed the cultural and political challenges of the ongoing transitions. Enrico Giovannini, scientific director of ASviS and professor of statistical economics at Tor Vergata University, identified the 2030 Agenda as an essential framework. Mariella Nocenzi, professor of sociology at LUMSA and member of Sapienza’s sustainability committee, highlighted the difficulties generated by social fragmentation. De Santoli reiterated that the energy and environmental transition requires new economic and cultural models that go beyond technology alone.

A central moment of the conference was the remembrance of the dialogue between Aurelio Peccei and Daisaku Ikeda. Robert Harrap of SGI Europe recalled the value of “human revolution” as the engine of social transformation, while Gianfranco Bologna of The Club of Rome emphasised the unity of ecology and social justice and the importance of a systemic approach.

In the third panel, moderated by Giulia Pellizzato of the Be The Hope Foundation, the decisive role of younger generations emerged clearly, also in light of the recent UN-adopted Pact for the Future and Declaration for Future Generations. Mariaclaudia Cusumano (global lead of the Youth4Climate initiative at the UNDP Rome Centre) stressed the need to connect diverse knowledge systems and cultures; Iris Nicomedi (executive director of the project Cambio io cambia il mondo at the Be The Hope Foundation) focused on education and the centrality of individual action; Maria Vittoria Dalla Rosa Prati, coordinator of the ASviS Youth Group, underscored the need to systematically include the perspective of future generations in public policies; Roxani Roushas, global lead of the Youth4Climate initiative at the UNDP Rome Centre, stressed the importance of restoring representation to marginalised groups and fostering a future-oriented civic vision.

Throughout the day, the guiding thread was the method of dialogue. After each panel, the audience was invited to participate in short moments of shared reflection, transforming listening into active participation and reaffirming the value of a truly collective process.

To rewatch the event (please note this event is in Italian, but you can select automated English subtitles in the video below):