Italian
On the sidelines of the International Conference of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, Giovanni Farese, an economist at the European University of Rome, provided a detailed reflection on the theme of social cohesion, identifying three essential pillars to counter the growing inequalities in an increasingly fragmented world.
VATICAN CITY. The crisis of social cohesion is not an abstract phenomenon: it is the reflection of a new reality, marked by “growing inequalities and an increasing disproportion between formal political power and substantial economic power”. It is from this diagnosis that Giovanni Farese, an economist at the European University of Rome, began his speech on the sidelines of the 2026 International Conference of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation.
In his reasoning, Farese identified three fundamental dimensions of social cohesion, three points that intertwine and influence each other.
The first concerns dialogue: “the importance of dialogue which obviously requires listening, requires pause, also requires silence”. In a time dominated by speed and noise, being able to be silent and truly listen to the other becomes a political and social act even before it is spiritual.
The second pillar is that of public goods: “education, mobility, and health. Can we think of reducing inequalities without an adequate supply of public goods in our country, in all countries?” The implicit answer is no: without collective investment in essential services, cohesion remains an empty word.
The third aspect, “no less important”, is that of credible action and human promotion:
To these three internal levels, an essential global dimension is added. “Naturally, we must discuss this at the national level, but also, above all, at the international level,” emphasized Farese, referencing the recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas:
A clear warning: inequalities are fought also — and perhaps above all — by rethinking the rules of the global game. Without a multilateralism based on law, equity, and solidarity among peoples, every local effort risks being insufficient.
