Who are we?
The Franciscan Mediterranean Network (FMN) emerges from the European Continental Meeting of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM) of September 2019, in Malta, on the occasion of the Eighth Centenary of the embrace of Saint Francis of Assisi with Sultan Malik al-Kamil.
The approved work areas are: a) Migrants and refugees; b) Dialogue/peace and; c) Youth.
After the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 OFM General Chapter, in its 28th Mandate,
requested that “The Minister General and his Definitory, in collaboration with the JPIC Office and the SGME,
must continue with the implementation of the Franciscan Mediterranean Network”.
The first step taken by the OFM General Governing Board in 2022 was the appointment of a Coordination Committee made up of people
from the Franciscan family in order to resume what had already been done. In 2023, projects and roles are defined for each of the work areas, deciding to prioritize migrants and refugees. In 2023, projects and roles are defined for each of the work areas, deciding to prioritize migrants and refugees.
Mission
To contribute from Franciscan spirituality for the construction of the Mediterranean as a place of life, hope and fraternal encounter through service to migrants and refugees, the promotion of dialogue-peace and commitment to young people.
Vision
To be a network that facilitates and articulates with members of the Franciscan family who carry out various types of services in the Mediterranean, offering:
- To Migrants and refugees: reception and shelters, solidarity parishes, legal and social advisory teams, advocacy, and individual services.
- For Dialogue and peace: experiences and proposals for dialogue-peace with the collaboration of study and research centers, Franciscan presences that work in inter-religious and ecumenical dialogue and institutions that carry out peace processes.
- To Young people: spaces for meeting and exchange, learning to embrace different visions, to create together and develop common projects.