Currents News Staff
Young people across the globe are mobilizing to call for an end to the war in Ukraine, even these middle school students in Rome.
The schoolchildren gathered on Italy’s capitol hill to call for peace in a rally organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio.
Speakers shared their personal experiences of the horrors of war, from fleeing the war in Syria to surviving a concentration camp in World War II.
Among them was also Anita, a Ukrainian-Italian student who shared how her family is living through the conflcit in Ukraine.
“They are in a part of Ukraine where there aren’t any bombings yet, but they are very concerned about the situation in Ukraine as well,” said Anita.
She says they are afraid of what could come next, and that her family in Italy is currently doing everything possible to get them out of harm’s way.
“Here I don’t have much family, but I am looking to bring my relatives over here before something more dangerous happens,” Anita added.
War is difficult to explain to anyone, but organizers say that makes it all the more important to discuss with children.
“War doesn’t spare anyone, and we want to share this also with the children,” said middle school teacher Stefano Sceccie.
From the Piazza del Campidoglio the students traveled down the stairs to form a flash mob in one of Rome’s most iconic locations, to shout no to war, and yes to peace.