The United States of the World with the Fondazione Mediterraneo celebrated the “National Day of the Sea and Maritime Culture” in various Italian cities and, in particular, in Lecce.
"We want to celebrate this unique resource together - said Secretary-General Michele Capasso - because it is essential to our lives: the seas and oceans provide oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, and regulate the effects of climate change. They are the habitat of numerous animals and plants, and cover seventy per cent of the Earth's surface: the United States of the World's “Earth and Peace” programme puts the preservation and protection of the sea at the top of its agenda".
The celebrations were held in Lecce's Politeama Greco Theatre with 700 students. Prizes were awarded to the winners of the national competition "The Citizenship of the Sea" and "The Coast Guard Mascot" for the 2024/2025 school year. The Minister of Education and Merit, Giuseppe Valditara, and the Commander General - Chief Inspector Admiral of the Coast Guard, Nicola Carlone, attended.

Secretary General Michele Capasso met the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Holy See Rajae Naji El Mekkaoui to whom he gave a copy of the book "Raffaele, il Sindaco" (Edition San Paolo).
Present at the meeting was the director of the Museum of Peace  Pia Molinari.
On this occasion, the upcoming activities of the "Peace is Action" programme with important initiatives on interreligious dialogue were examined.

Secretary-General Michele Capasso participated in the Holy Mass celebrated by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the return of Pope John Paul II to the House of the Father.
In his homily, Cardinal Parolin recalled ‘his passionate love for Christ’ and his ‘tireless service of peace’ with appeals and warnings, many of which ‘unfortunately went unheeded, as happens even to great prophets’. The greeting of Cardinal Stanislaus Dziwisz: "Pope Francis is spiritually united with us".
Secretary General Michele Capasso recalled Pope John Paul II's prophecy on war and peace twenty years later, his tireless service to peace, his passionate warnings, his diplomatic initiatives to try to the last to avert wars:
"... And this right up to the extreme times of his life, when the fragility of his physical strength was already evident, and although many of his appeals and warnings unfortunately went unheeded, as happens also to great prophets. It is an honour to participate in this Eucharist,' said SG Capasso, 'in memory of a Great Man and Great Pope who supported us since 2002 in our dream of the United States of the World.

Secretary General Michele Capasso took part in the work of the Second Synodal Assembly, composed of 1,008 people - 7 cardinals, 168 bishops, 252 priests, 34 religious, 17 deacons and 530 lay people, including 277 women and 253 men - whose work was led by Monsignor Erio Castellucci, President of the National Committee of the Synodal Way.
At the end of the work, it was decided to reformulate the final document and vote on it on 25 October. The text will go to the IEC General Assembly, which will not be held in May but in November.
"It does us good this dynamism, it is the sign of a living Church, said the president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi at the end of the work in the Paul VI Hall, ‘let us continue to walk, how good it does us good to walk together. It is perhaps since the time of Paul VI that the assembly of bishops has been held in May, a fixed appointment", which will however be moved to the autumn. Then in the subsequent press briefing he explained that "it seemed necessary to us, considering the questions that have emerged, to take more time to arrive at decisions". The point of arrival is clear, but "a congruous time of maturation is needed", also because "there is great expectation to respond to the expectations", "there is much spirit and intensity of participation". And the permanent council of the Italian Bishops' Conference, by “unanimously” moving the assembly to May, has followed the “awareness that it is necessary to walk together with the people of God”.