In a wounded but not surrendered Kharkiv, art became a living presence, a collective body, a political and spiritual gesture on the occasion of the Jubilee of Hope, an active nonviolent initiative promoted by the European Movement for Nonviolent Action (MEAN), held from October 1st to 5th. The arrival of the (MEAN) delegation, composed of over one hundred Italian and European activists, transformed the Beketov University of Urban Economics into a symbolic meeting place: a space where dialogue became the highest form of resistance. Here, a special Third Paradise was created (as reported in a previous article): Ukrainian students and artists traced the trinamic symbol as a sign of peace that transcends borders, uniting those who create, those who educate, and those who choose to be present despite fear. The work, inspired by that of Michelangelo Pistoletto, was embodied in a reality where war is a daily occurrence, transforming itself into a concrete invitation to preventative peace: the kind that arises before conflict, in the responsibility of human relationships and the courage of closeness. From the classrooms damaged by the bombings to the faces of young people who continue to study and draw, the testimony of the Jubilee's protagonists becomes a tale of active humanity, of art that generates the future. To discover this project of art, creativity, harmony, and solidarity, constructed and orchestrated by Paolo Naldini, director of Cittadellarte, we listen to Angelo Moretti of Project MEAN, Doriano Zurlo, Jubilee communications coordinator in Ukraine, and Alessandro Alliaudi, Rebirt/Terzo Paradiso ambassador. In a three-part interview, they conveyed the strength of an experience that intertwines civic faith and concrete action, reminding us that building peace is not an extraordinary act, but a daily exercise of presence, empathy, and responsibility.

The "Jubilee of Hope" was born in a country ravaged by war. What does it mean to bring a message of peace and hope to Kharkiv, so close to the front? How did the symbol of the Third Paradise, which unites opposing elements to generate harmony, engage with the reality of the war in Ukraine?

Angelo Moretti - We often forget that the body is a unique and extraordinary technology, not a solitary one. It's not enough to "like" the causes we believe in, otherwise our support won't even be felt. The body must move and mobilize when it believes in the causes. And, in the case of Ukraine, we cannot remain indifferent: it is a body close to us, a reachable land. The Global Sumud Flotilla, for example, carried out an extraordinary operation, but it took more than 20 days of sailing to reach the waters near Gaza. We arrived in Ukraine in a day and a half. Europeans' closeness to the country in question is therefore due to their physical presence, not just their declarations. Civil society distances itself from the idea of ​​being involved in peace, believing it to be a situation that can only be decided by the powerful and their armies. But if peace is determined solely by the forces at play, there is likely no future: in fact, if a nuclear power fights a non-nuclear power, it will only be a matter of unequal and unjust forces that creates the conditions for a truce. In our case, hundreds, thousands, millions of people can make a different kind of contribution, given that it takes so little to reach Ukraine.

Doriano Zurlo - We go to Ukraine to feel alive. As long as we're here chatting, it's as if we're not taking control of our lives: situations must be addressed, they must be understood. It's worth making the sacrifice, if only to get to know civil society: in Ukraine, there are people who live like us. As for the Third Paradise, I consider it an extraordinary, marvelous work. I say this as an advertiser accustomed to visual synthesis, to effective communication. Michelangelo Pistoletto worked on a figure, that of infinity, which seemed unchangeable, and succeeded in turning it into a symbol of great depth and meaning. I also found it incredible, fantastic, that the artist recorded a deeply personal video message for Ukrainian students at a university unknown to us. None of us even knew where Kharkiv was before the Russian invasion, except for readers who loved Varlam Tikhonovich Shalamov and other great Russian writers. I found this connection very significant: on the one hand, a giant of contemporary art, and on the other, students drawing with pencils and crayons, who didn't even have any special tools. The drawing of the Third Paradise in Ukraine was embodied; it no longer remained just a symbol, but became a sign that, for me, represents Cittadellarte in Biella in the first outer circle and the University of Kharkiv in the opposite one; together, they give life to the central circle, which represents the hope—noted by all—of an imminent peace. Naturally, I want to thank the director of the Pistoletto Foundation, Paolo Naldini, who had the idea for this unlikely artistic rendezvous in that city, still too remote for us, which historically represents the Eastern gateway to Europe.

Alessandro Alliaudi - I'll echo what Angelo was saying: I was amazed by how easy it is to get to Ukraine. You don't need a visa; it's a simple and inexpensive journey. In short, we can and must go. Everyone we met conveyed their affection and the importance of our presence there. Of course, there are risks, but thinking that they experience danger every day is sobering. At this time when there seems to be a general awareness and mobilization, I hope it will also reawaken attention on Ukraine; perhaps actions like those of the MEAN will inspire others to take action in this direction.

On the other hand, the Trinamic symbol is closely linked to sustainability for me, understood both as care for our planet, but also in terms of environmental, cultural, and social aspects.

In a context of destruction and fear, what value does the choice to use art as a tool for resistance and dialogue have?

Alessandro Alliaudi - Art and preventative peace are fundamental: the former can help implement the latter, because it invites us to look at the world with different eyes. The artist's task in this sense is to help those around him, the society in which he lives, to have a different vision: even if it may seem impossible today to achieve true, profound peace between peoples, the creative person can trace a line of hope.

Doriano Zurlo - Art deals with beauty, even when it challenges it. War, on the other hand, always and only deals with ugliness. From a certain perspective, making art is already a way to stop war. A message communicated in some way by Pistoletto himself.

Angelo Moretti - Art is a vehicle of hope: if we manage to "produce" even during war, we can raise our heads for tomorrow. In countering a conflict, it's not just reporting, exposing, and gathering information that matters, but also art, because it allows for a unique sense of lightness. Relying on a creative refuge and an artistic vision of life helps us think positively about the future, one that doesn't depend on the balance of power.

What was the emotional and human impact of the meeting with students and faculty from Beketov University? Can you share a symbolic moment or gesture from the event that stuck with you, and that you believe embodies the spirit of the Third Paradise?

Alessandro Alliaudi - At the end of my speech closing the university meeting, I proposed that everyone create a Third Paradise by holding hands. That was truly a symbolic moment, during which we physically mingled and touched, and, as always with similar performances, everyone connected with one another; from that moment on, those present began to communicate more harmoniously. I was also struck by the welcome the students and faculty gave us. They showed us the entire department and some bombed areas under reconstruction. It's shocking to see the devastated school buildings, but, just like in the streets, they've done a tremendous job of rebuilding, resilient in the truest sense of the word.

Doriano Zurlo - I was moved by the sight of the students, in the midst of the devastation, drawing with pencils and acrylics at their easels. Art was in the midst of war. Consider, too, that they were at the university especially for us, given that with the ongoing war, classes are mostly held remotely. I was also struck by the speech of the rector of Beketov University: he expressed his amazement that we Italians were there, present with them. He explained, even as a former soldier, that there is nothing more monstrous than war: it destroys bodies, feelings, hopes, ideas, and passions... it extinguishes everything. In his opinion, however, there is something even worse than war, and that is indifference. Here, this moment touched me: he confided that we, present at that moment with Pistoletto's art, made him understand that there is still a part of the world that is not indifferent to atrocities. We gave him hope.

Alessandro, as a Rebirth/Third Paradise ambassador, how does Pistoletto's vision concretely translate into a context of conflict or vulnerability like Ukraine? How do you build a bridge between artists, institutions, and local communities in a tormented territory?

Alessandro Alliaudi - It is precisely in situations and places like Ukraine that bringing the Third Paradise, beyond preventive peace, is most important and meaningful. This latter concept should be spread everywhere, even where peace already exists, working to maintain it. In a place like this, it helps us to hope, to understand how to build this peace. We can thus understand how a difficult situation can give rise to a generative force, even through art, to create something new and better: sometimes even from ugly and terrible situations a flower of hope can grow.

Angelo, let's focus on the role of the European Nonviolent Action Movement, which has long been working to build nonviolent bridges in crisis zones. How did the idea arise, and what impact has the "Jubilee of Hope" had in Ukraine?

Angelo Moretti - It stems from the idea that the Jubilee is a holy year centered on Rome. The idea was to give centrality to another land that is not the capital, but simply an area affected by suffering. There can be no difference between the Jubilee experienced as a pilgrimage and a pilgrimage experienced as visiting someone who is suffering. The risk is that the pilgrimage to Rome becomes a mere celebration, but in reality it was born as an opportunity for rest, for the end of the war, for the liberation of prisoners.
So we went to the metropolitan city closest to the front to send a strong message: if a people is experiencing suffering, we, as we said earlier, cannot remain indifferent. Clearly, it's also a way to attract attention, because the Jubilee is an event in the global spotlight, not just among Catholics. What's unique about this occasion is that it was self-convened: it wasn't organized by religious representatives, but by us lay people, calling on the Catholic Church to be with us. The Jubilee was also about sport, art, culture, and, in general, celebration: thinking of entertainment in Ukraine may seem foolish, yet moments of relaxation and sharing are also important, in addition to basic necessities. We don't just send aid remotely, but we are at the heart of the problem, helping to solve it, seeking solutions with the Ukrainians.

Doriano, what do you think is Europe's role in this form of participatory peace, which starts from the bottom and uses creativity as a common language?

Doriano Zurlo - Europe should encourage and finance this type of action. We put our money into this project: no one is paying us to act like pacifists, as is sometimes claimed. I believe we should pay special attention to these types of initiatives because they embody the truest and most profound spirit of Europe. I hope our continent expresses itself through grassroots initiatives of this kind. Then there is the issue of civil peace corps, the heart of the nonviolent action movement, which should be developed.

We offer a joint look toward the future. How can we go beyond simply being supportive spectators of forms of rebirth like the initiative in Ukraine and become "creators of preventative peace" in our daily lives?

Alessandro Alliaudi – First of all, as I said at the beginning, we can lend a hand directly in Ukraine. It's easy to go there, but the journey and the experience must be taken very seriously and require ad hoc organization. Secondly, I would like to emphasize the beauty of our group, which had high morale from start to finish; the people we met felt it, so it was also wonderful to bring a different atmosphere, a positive feeling, to those areas. Furthermore, as I said during my speech at the university, it can be complex to talk about art and peace in a country at war. Yet, art opens up new perspectives; nurturing every spark of creativity means helping to generate peace.

Doriano Zurlo – We must start from everyday life, learning to dialogue differently, even on social networks, which are the scene of very strong polarizations and positions. We can already begin to take steps to avoid war. Indeed, it is from these behaviors that the seeds of conflict are born: we must not think that violence is solely the "fault" of others, of those in power, because it is an issue that concerns and affects everyone. We must therefore build peace at all times and with everyone.

Angelo Moretti - First of all, you cannot surrender to peace. Then we must be aware that war is waged in two ways: with drones and with the manipulation of information, including fake news. We must all defend ourselves from this second danger. How? By always sticking to official documents when we want to understand what is happening, and not listening to voices on social media, which always tend to polarize or exploit every event. In our daily lives, by applying the principles of preventive peace, we can mitigate these threats and make our contribution. In Italy, for example, we have a massive presence of both Ukrainians and Russians: we start from the bottom, from everyday relationships and dialogues, from practicing active nonviolence as a form of collective defense of oppressed peoples. This is how we change the world.