By Vatican News
The photography exhibition “Man and Nature: Fragile Balances” was inaugurated on Friday, Jul 3, at Borgo Laudato si’ in the Pontifical Gardens of Castel Gandolfo.
Promoted by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s Italian branch in collaboration with the John Paul II Youth Foundation, the exhibit will remain until Jul 30 for visitors to view and reflect on humanity’s place within Creation.
The exhibit, which brings together the winning photographs of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Environmental Photography Award, took place under the patronage of the Embassy of the Principality of Monaco to the Holy See and with the support of the Borgo Laudato si’, the Fondazione Scudieri, Delta Ingegneria and GIMET.
The photos demonstrate the profound connections linking all forms of life, reminding visitors that biodiversity is the foundation of the planet’s balance and that every disruption of this harmony inevitably affects humanity. Moreover, the exhibition invites visitors to contemplate the beauty of Creation while recognizing the vulnerability of ecosystems and the responsibility of protecting them.
Following its stages in Rome and Castel Gandolfo, the exhibition will continue its journey through other Italian cities.
‘Caring for Creation: Knowing in Order to Act’
Moments before the unveiling of the exhibition, the conference “Caring for Creation: Knowing in Order to Act” offered spiritual, scientific and cultural perspectives on the fragile balance between humanity and the environment.
The initiative brought together Church leaders, representatives of the diplomatic corps, institutional figures, academics, scientists, experts, and nobility to reflect on the challenges of integral ecology, the protection of biodiversity, and humanity’s shared responsibility for the care of our common home.
Guests were welcomed by Cardinal Fabio Baggio, General Director of the Laudato si’ Centre for Higher Education, who hosted the initiative and opened the doors of a place dedicated to promoting awareness and action in response to the ecological challenges of our time.
The program began with a guided tour of the Borgo Laudato si’, allowing participants to discover a project that represents a concrete expression of the Holy See’s commitment to promoting integral ecology.
Following institutional greetings from Marco Colasanti, President of the Italian branch of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, and Daniele Bruno, President of the John Paul II Youth Foundation, the discussion featured Cardinal Fabio Baggio, General Director of the Laudato si’ Centre for Higher Education; Professor Danilo Mollicone, Forestry Officer at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization; and Professor Fabio Attorre, Director of the Botanical Garden of Rome.
The panel was moderated by Deborah Castellano Lubov, journalist for Vatican News – Vatican Radio.
In his address, Marco Colasanti insisted that “We are living at a moment in history when understanding is no longer enough. Today, we are called to transform knowledge into responsibility, and responsibility into concrete action.”
He stressed that environmental protection “concerns human dignity, quality of life, social justice and the future of younger generations. Only through dialogue between culture, science, institutions and spirituality,” he said, “will it be possible to build an authentic model of development founded on respect for Creation.”
Colasanti also recalled that “we cannot protect what we do not know,” emphasizing that humanity cannot be separated from nature because it is an integral part of it, within an equilibrium that is both extraordinary and fragile. He thanked Cardinal Baggio for the opportunity to host at the Vatican the exhibition.
Cardinal Fabio Baggio welcomed the initiative, recognizing its close alignment with the educational and cultural mission of Borgo Laudato si.’
A duty to protect Creation
Daniele Bruno, the President of the John Paul II Youth Foundation, emphasized that the beauty of Creation “is not an ornament, but a calling” and “not a privilege, but a duty,” underscoring the important role of young people in protecting Creation.
He highlighted the commitment of the John Paul II Youth Foundation to promote caring for Creation and to foster fraternity among young people, particularly through World Youth Days since 2013.
Bruno also recalled the importance of putting into practice and sharing the teachings of the Popes on fraternity and the responsible use of technology, contained in documents including Laudato si’, Fratelli tutti and the recent Magnifica humanitas, in which Pope Leo calls everyone, including younger generations, to a “courageous shared responsibility.”
He also announced that the Fifth International Conference organized by the Foundation on the theme of fraternity and courage, to be held during the days of World Youth Day in Seoul, will include a panel specifically dedicated to protecting Creation.
“The decision to host this exhibition within the Pontifical Gardens is not accidental,” Bruno said. “This place, with its history and its vocation, amplifies the message of these photographs and returns it as an invitation to concrete and shared commitment.” – Vatican News
