As part of his mission to Brazil to attend the COP30 Climate Summit, Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani travelled to Marituba, on the outskirts of the city of Belém, where he visited, together with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, the Hospital of Divine Providence and the Fazenda da Esperança missionary community.
Both institutions are managed by Opera Don Calabria – Congregation of the poor servants of Divine Providence, which has been active in Brazil for over sixty years and currently operates 19 communities providing socio-educational, healthcare, and social services.
Fazenda da Esperança is a therapeutic community supporting individuals recovering from alcohol or drug addiction, as well as other forms of vulnerability, and operates in multiple locations across Brazil.
The Minister expressed his gratitude to the Franciscan missionaries, lay personnel, and numerous volunteers who, together with the generosity of many Italian benefactors, sustain the work of these centres, which have become a true point of reference in the Amazon region – an example of solidarity of which Italy can be proud.
Deputy Prime Minister Tajani further announced his intention to allocate development cooperation funds to the Don Calabria Foundation to expand their activities in Brazil, in close coordination with Brother Gedovar Nazzari, General Bursar of the Congregation of the poor servants of Divine Providence.
“You are essential sentinels, builders of bridges of peace and dialogue, always standing by the most vulnerable, especially children,” Minister Tajani said, highlighting how Opera Don Calabria’s work in Brazil strengthens ties with Italy and fosters enduring bridges between the two countries. Finally, Tajani underscored the central role of the many Italian-run missions abroad and their valuable contribution to Italy’s humanitarian aid and development cooperation efforts.
