From the Teatro del Silenzio to the “Cantico di Pace” with Pope Leo XIV, the program promoted by the Andrea Bocelli Foundation wove together art, institutions, and spirituality in the spirit of listening, connection, and peace.
Florence, 6 August 2026 – The ABF Voices of Global Gathering, an international experience organized by the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, concluded with a blessing from Pope Leo XIV. From July 20 to 29, the event took place in Italy and brought together 164 children and young people from Italy, Uganda, and the Holy Land.
The Haitian choristers were unable to travel to Italy due to the complex situation in the country. However, they were honored at the Global Gathering through the testimony of their choir director, Wenson Delice, who spoke of the strength, resilience, and value of an educational program that began in one of the most vulnerable communities in which ABF operates.
The first part of the program took place in Tuscany, in the hills of San Marcello Pistoiese, where participants alternated between group music sessions and educational, artistic, expressive, and outdoor activities. This shared experience was designed to foster independence, collaboration, mutual respect, and intercultural dialogue, allowing different languages, cultures, and stories to come together through the concrete experience of living together.
One of the most memorable moments was the concert on July 22, which gave donors, delegations and guests close to the Foundation the opportunity to gain a first-hand understanding of the educational value of the ABF Voices of program and the impact it has had on local communities. On July 25, the young choristers joined Maestro Andrea Bocelli on stage at the Teatro del Silenzio, bringing to life the project’s deepest meaning: singing together, listening to one another, and recognising each other as part of a broader community.
The Global Gathering then continued in Rome, focusing on opportunities for cultural discovery, institutional meetings, and community engagement. Onn July 27, President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella addressed the young choir members with a message of greeting and appreciation, recognizing the artistic, social, and educational value of the project and the role of music as a language capable of bringing people together, uniting them, and fostering mutual understanding.
On July 29, at Borgo Laudato Si’ in Castel Gandolfo, the Gathering culminated in the “Cantico di Pace” (Song of Peace), a gathering of prayer and fellowship organized by the Laudato Si’ Center for Advanced Studies and ABF as part of the celebrations marking the eighth centenary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. In the presence of Pope Leo XIV, Maestro Andrea Bocelli and the ABF Voices of choirs presented a musical performance dedicated to peacee, dialogue, and reconciliation among people.
The Global Gathering was neither a concluding event nor simply the culmination of a choral journey, but rather a significant milestone in a broader, ongoing educational project. In the various regions where ABF Voices of is active, choral practice becomes a stable and safe space where every voice counts and where children and young people can develop transferable skills such as listening, collaboration, empathy, responsibility, trust, and leadership.
ABF Voices of Global Gathering takes place during the year in which the Andrea Bocelli Foundation celebrates its 15th anniversary and reaffirms the Foundation’s commitment to promoting educational programs that help children and young people in vulnerable situations reach their full potential. Through music, art, and human connection, ABF continues to create spaces where education becomes a tangible experience of growth, trust, and openness to the world.
“This first Global Gathering has given us a simple yet powerful image: many different voices that, together, become a single voice capable of speaking to the heart,” said Founder Andrea Bocelli. “Our warm and heartfelt thoughts go out to the children and young people of Haiti, who were unable to be with us in person but who have remained an integral part of this journey from its very beginning. A special thank you goes to the entire team at the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, which, with dedication and care, continues to transform music into a place of connection, hope, and the future.”
“Seeing these children and young people living together, bridging differences in language, culture, and history, and transforming them into listening, friendship, and harmony, restores the truest meaning of our mission,” said Veronica Berti Bocelli, President of ABF. “The Global Gathering does not end with their return to their countries and regions of origin, but will continue through the way each of them brings home what they have experienced, sharing it with their families, their communities, and their future.”
“Music is a universal language that brings people together, unites them, bridges distances and differences, and encourages dialogue and mutual understanding. Music is a force for peace and mutual understanding,” wrote President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella in his message to the ABF Voices of choristers. He added his “hope that they will become ambassadors of peace and beauty,” expressing to the organizers his “appreciation for their invaluable educational commitment to the younger generations.”
“Music has the extraordinary ability to unite different voices in harmony, where each contributes something unique to the whole. In this sense, the choir becomes a symbol of harmony and cooperation,” said Pope Leo XIV, addressing the young choir members during the “Canticle of Peace.” Pope Leo also reminded them to “Continue to nurture the gifts God has given you, and let them lead you to Him.”
