On the occasion of the Jubilee of the Sick and the Healthcare World, the event "the value of giving and solidarity" was held on the afternoon of saturday, april 5th in piazza di spagna, rome. it was promoted by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the National Blood Centre, the National Transplant Centre, the National Institute for the Promotion of the Health of Migrant Populations and the Fight Against Poverty-related Diseases, the Red Cross, and the blood donation associations Avis, Fidas, Donatori Nati, and Fratres.

after the performance by the National Fire Brigade Band, speeches by Monsignor Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, and the Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci, opened the event, which the Ministry dedicated to blood and organ donation, promoting the culture of giving and solidarity towards others.

“i am grateful to Minister Schillaci for his participation and support of this jubilee event, which seeks to highlight major themes related to healthcare. our thoughts go first to the sick, to those in hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes, who can experience the great gift of the Jubilee even through suffering. together with them, we express gratitude to doctors, nurses, and all healthcare personnel for their often strenuous commitment," said Monsignor Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and coordinator of the Jubilee 2025.

"i thank Monsignor Fisichella for his words and valuable presence," said Minister Orazio Schillaci. "the Jubilee of the Sick and the Healthcare World reminds us of the priceless value of care, not just as treatment of illness but as a 'relationship' between those who provide care and those who receive it. solidarity can take many forms, and among the noblest is the donation of blood and organs. because there is no greater gift than the one that saves a life. today, i want to thank all donors for their exemplary altruism, and all healthcare and social workers who care for us every day with professionalism and dedication.”

the event, hosted by journalist and television presenter Benedetta Rinaldi, also featured greetings from the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, and, representing the Lazio Region, the Councillor for Social Inclusion and Personal Services, Massimiliano Maselli.

after the official speeches, healthcare professionals, patients, and donors shared their personal stories of patient care, donation, and recovery, thanks to the generous acts of those who gave a part of themselves for others’ health.

professor Francesco Franceschi, Director of the Emergency Medicine and Emergency Room Unit at Policlinico Gemelli, spoke about the emergency room experience and the critical importance of blood donation in life-saving therapies.

accompanied by the doctor who treated them, professor Antonio Grieco, former director of the transplant unit at Policlinico Gemelli, Catia Casagrande and Chiara Daconto shared their testimonies on how organ donation gave them back full lives. catia, after two kidney transplants thanks to the generosity of her mother and brother, has returned to a full life and recently became a mother; chiara, 26 years old, underwent a liver transplant and has resumed a normal life like her peers, recently graduating in medicine.

alessandro vernucci, a former leukemia patient, thanked all blood donors by recounting his long journey of chemotherapy and blood transfusions, leading up to a bone marrow transplant from family stem cells that restored him to better health.

then it was the turn of antonio staiola, a 'champion' in blood donations with over 100 donations, who was honored by the Donatori Nati association for his outstanding humanity.

finally, together with Cristiano Camponi, Director General of the National Institute for the Promotion of the Health of Migrant Populations and the Fight Against Poverty-related Diseases, the event explored the theme of supporting the most fragile and vulnerable as an expression of solidarity, recalling the efforts made in Ukraine to strengthen healthcare assistance to the population.

throughout the afternoon, the Ministry of Health's "donate life, donate blood" campaign was broadcast on the large screen set up in piazza di spagna, featuring video stories about donation and solidarity. educational materials were distributed to all participants and citizens, and information on blood and organ donation was provided at the stands of the associations and institutions set up in the square.

In the eastern suburbs of Rome, free eye exams will be offered to vulnerable and marginalized individuals from March 31 to April 16, 2025, thanks to a special stop of the Giornate della Vista—a visual health project by the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation. This initiative marks the launch of the first ophthalmology clinic set up for the Holy Jubilee 2025.

The clinic will be hosted at the Civil Protection Headquarters in Tor Bella Monaca (Via di Gagliano del Capo, 30, Rome), where nearly 1,000 individuals living in poverty, social exclusion, or fragile health conditions will receive free vision care.

The clinic site is provided by Municipality VI of the City of Rome, which is actively involved in scheduling appointments by mobilizing its network of local charities to reach the most vulnerable members of the community.

“Prevention and teamwork are two founding principles of our National Civil Protection Service,” said Fabio Ciciliano, Head of the Civil Protection Department. “I see both of these values strongly represented in this project, which brings together volunteers, public institutions, and private organizations. That’s why I’m especially proud that the first ophthalmology clinic of this Jubilee initiative is hosted at one of our Civil Protection centers.”

“The Giornate della Vista continue our commitment to prevention in the Municipality of Rome VI – Le Torri,” added Nicola Franco, President of Municipality VI. “After screening over 500 children for amblyopia, we welcome this initiative that will provide free and thorough eye checks to our most disadvantaged residents. We thank the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation for their generous support and hope this initiative will become a recurring event.”

The team of ophthalmologists and orthoptists providing the free eye screenings includes staff from Prof. Leopoldo Spadea, Director of the Ophthalmology Unit at Policlinico Umberto I, and Prof. Carlo Nucci, Head of Ophthalmology at the Tor Vergata University Hospital.

Based on medical prescriptions, the Foundation will also donate prescription eyeglasses to patients, and all children will receive a pair of sunglasses.

“The University and the Tor Vergata Hospital are proud to support the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation’s mission to reach vulnerable populations with limited access to healthcare,” said Prof. Carlo Nucci, Vice-Rector of the University of Rome Tor Vergata and Director of its Ophthalmology Department. “A cooperation agreement has been established to involve ophthalmology residents and hospital specialists in this effort. This reflects our commitment to community engagement and underlines the role of prevention and access to care as key tools to reduce the burden of visual disabilities. Eye health campaigns have proven effective in lowering avoidable eye diseases, healthcare costs, and improving overall quality of life, social integration, and psychological well-being.”

“This important initiative involving the Ophthalmology Clinic at Policlinico Umberto I – Sapienza University of Rome,” said Prof. Leopoldo Spadea, “is a valuable opportunity to raise awareness about eye health. Providing free screenings helps detect conditions that, if left untreated, could seriously affect quality of life. It also offers a strong learning opportunity for young doctors committed to serving the community, reinforcing the link between research, clinical care, and social responsibility. Promoting a culture of prevention is essential to ensuring better visual health for all.”

“Supporting underserved areas is a mission close to our hearts,” stated Andrea Rendina, Secretary General of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation Italy. “These areas are not just geographic margins or movie backdrops, but places where national challenges become painfully real. Civil Protection and our Foundation are united by a shared spirit of inclusion, solidarity, and humility—values we’ve already seen in action in Caivano and now renew in this first Jubilee clinic. We’re committed to supporting the new national plan for the suburbs, alongside the dedicated eye care professionals who make it all possible.”

The Tor Bella Monaca clinic is the first of a series of clinics the Foundation will open throughout the Holy Year. Under the initiative "OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation for the Holy Jubilee 2025," the goal is to provide 2,000 free eye exams and donate approximately 1,500 pairs of prescription glasses, improving vision—and with it, lives—for those who need it most.

The initiative is sponsored by the Dicastery for Evangelization – Jubilee 2025, the Chamber of Deputies, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, the Lazio Region, the Department of Social Policies and Health of the City of Rome, and Municipality VI of the City of Rome. It also involves key organizations including Comunità di Sant’Egidio, Caritas, Pianoterra Onlus, and Associazione Insieme per l’Accoglienza.

There’s a silent pain growing around us—spreading through the cracks of our society, too often ignored, underestimated, or dismissed. It’s mental suffering. No longer a niche issue, no longer “someone else’s problem.” It’s here, now. And it speaks through the voices of confused adolescents, adults in crisis, and forgotten elders.

Compared to 50 years ago, the mental health landscape has changed dramatically. Today, it’s a true global emergency. Emotional dysregulation disorders are on the rise, along with self-harm, suicide attempts, eating disorders, and borderline personality issues. The transition into adulthood increasingly comes with a weight of fragility that society is not ready to carry.

The pandemic didn’t create the cracks—it just made them wider. Add to that loneliness, instability, and a future that feels uncertain, and the pressure becomes unbearable. Substance abuse, often intertwined with existing psychiatric conditions, has reshaped the face of mental suffering—more complex, harder to define, tougher to treat.

We can’t look away anymore.

The Jubilee of Mental Health was born from this urgency.
An entire day—April 3, 2025, at the Aula Magna of the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome—from 9:15 AM to 5:30 PM, where experts, institutions, journalists, academics, and civil society will come together to listen, understand, and shape new solutions.

Key topics will be explored through a multidisciplinary lens:

• Mental health and society, with representatives from the Ministry of Health, WHO, Censis, leading journalists, and healthcare professionals.

• Health policy, to understand what the public system must do.

• Prevention and innovation, with insight from the Italian National Institute of Health and AIFA.

• Work and inclusion, breaking the stigma in professional environments.

• One Mental Health, a global, integrated approach to mental well-being.

• Youth, sports, and spirituality, exploring new paths to healing, resilience, and meaning.

Participants will also be invited to join working groups, where discussion turns into action, and shared goals turn into tangible proposals.

This isn’t just an event. It’s a collective act of responsibility.

Join us.
Participation is free (subject to availability). Register here 👉 [Register Online]
Because mental health can’t wait any longer. And change begins with those who choose to show u

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