The "World Environment Day 2023", established by the United Nations 50 years ago, on 5 June 1973, was held at the headquarters of the United States of the World and the Fondazione Mediterraneo.
"Eliminate plastic pollution" is the slogan-appeal with three watchwords: recycle, reuse and reduce.
The message is clear: the world is choking on plastic and action must be taken now.
"Every year humanity produces about 430 million tonnes of plastic," said Secretary General Prof. Michele Capasso in his message, "half of which is designed to be used only once. Of these, less than 10% are recycled and it is estimated that 19-23 million tonnes end up in lakes, rivers and seas each year, almost as much as the weight of 2,200 Eiffel Towers all together: if action is not taken soon, annual plastic production could triple by 2060".
Plastic is everywhere: in soil, seas, rivers, lakes, air, food. While it benefits humanity, its impact on every living thing and habitat is increasingly devastating. Each person seems to consume more than 50,000 plastic particles per year (many more if inhalation is taken into account) and the damage to species and human health is (almost) irreversible. Plastic pollution in nature - explains the WWF - has exceeded the "planetary boundary", beyond which there is no longer any guarantee that ecosystems will provide favourable conditions for life.
This pollution could be reduced by 80 per cent by 2040 if countries and companies made profound policy and market changes using existing technologies.
The United States of the World shared and confirmed the report's data pointing to solutions based on the 3 R: reuse (would allow for a 30% cut in pollution over the next 17 years); recycling (for an additional 20% less and up to 50% by eliminating fossil fuel subsidies and strengthening guidelines to improve recyclability); and repurposing (17% less by using alternative materials).
Two possible scenarios were modelled: the first, entitled "Too little, too late" reflects our current trajectory. According to this scheme, the questions to be urgently asked are: "What if societies continue at a similar pace, setting targets but not taking strong collective action? Will we cross irreversible points of no return, threatening the foundations of Earth's stable climate? Will driven inequality lead to worsening social tensions?"    
The second scenario, titled "Giant Step", assumes that societies will embark on a new path towards a sustainable world by 2050. But the questions to be asked are: "What if we radically reconfigure our economies, energy and food systems so that they work for both people and the planet? Can we avoid the worst impacts of climate change and increase the resilience of our societies to shocks? Can we end extreme poverty, ensuring a healthy diet and access to quality education and healthcare for all?"   
So: continue in the same direction as today or straighten the Planet's course? "There is no more time to lose," agree the scientists. Not least because this Earth "is the only one we have": that is why the United States of the World has chosen "EARTH AND PEACE" as its motto.

The Tricolour waved at the headquarters of the United States of the World and the Fondazione Mediterraneo on the occasion "Italian Republic Day".
The city of Naples celebrated Republic Day with a ceremony in Piazza Plebiscito. Here, in the presence of the Prefect, Claudio Palomba, the Mayor, Gaetano Manfredi, the Secretary General of the United States of the World, Michele Capasso, and the highest civil, religious, and military authorities, the flag-raising ceremony took place.
The event was opened by the Children's Voices Choir of the San Carlo Theatre, which performed famous opera arias.
"We are extremely pleased with the presence of the children," said Prefect Palomba, "this is a celebration above all for them and it was built with this in mind. It is a difficult time for everyone, but we must work for cohesion and cooperation as the President of the Republic, Mattarella, said".
The interforce was deployed in the square and the prefect read out the Head of State's message. "Our city is a gold medal for military valour for the great resistance it put up against Nazi-Fascism," recalled Mayor Manfredi, "and I believe that today is a very beautiful day because it unites a city in great splendour with a city that is increasingly democratically committed.
At the close of the ceremony, the personnel of the Naples provincial fire brigade command, accompanied by the notes of the Hymn of Joy and the Hymn of Mameli performed by the Fanfare of the 10th Campania Carabinieri Regiment and the San Carlo white voices choir, lowered a large Italian flag onto the façade of the Prefecture.
"I very much share the Head of State's words. The great challenges we face are helping our young people to have a better future and reducing the inequalities that hurt our communities. These must be the great battles of all of us to save the Earth and ensure Peace," said Secretary General Capasso at the end of the Republic Day ceremony in Piazza Plebiscito during which the Prefect, Claudio Palomba, read out President Mattarella's message.
Present at the ceremony was Dr. Maria Pia Balducci Molinari, director of the Museum of Peace, where students from various regions were hosted throughout the day while videos and films on the Constitution and the history of the Italian Republic were broadcast on 107 video walls.

The United States of the World - represented by the president of the Volunteer Commission Giuseppe Lumia and Giovan Battista Cicchetti Marchegiani president of the National Civil Protection Mobile Column Emergency Operations Group - ETS - carried out a mission in Odessa, delivering an ambulance and basic necessities.
On this occasion, it was agreed with the Municipality of Odessa to set up a stable centre for the rehabilitation and assistance of minors victims of the conflict.
At the conclusion of the mission, Senator Lumia and Dr. Cicchetti Marchegiani delivered the Ukrainian flag with the signatures of the participants into the hands of SecretaryGeneral Michele Capasso.

The United States of the World and the Museum of Peace hosted an event by the SolarEdge Group: the world's leading innovator of smart energy solutions that power our lives and promote sustainability.
In his introductory speech, Secretary-General Prof. Michele Capasso underlined the significance of hosting SolarEdge at the institutional headquarters of the United States of the World, precisely because it is an extraordinary group whose mission is akin to that of the United States of the World, which is to combine peace with sustainability.
The participants - designers and installers - were able to enjoy the uniqueness of the World Heritage site.