85 young people from 13 different European countries gathered from August 12th to 22nd in Selva di Val Gardena, in the splendid Italian Dolomites. The participants stayed at Villa Capriolo, a retreat house run by the Jesuits of the EUM Province.

Two workshops were offered:

• "Faith & Politics," with 30 participants, to reflect on the Christian vocation to political life. It featured testimonies from protagonists of European civic engagement, insights from Ignatian spirituality, and the sharing of ideas and perspectives.
• The rest of the young people took part in "Trails of the Heart," rotating between two modules: one on "Bible and Literature" — praying and sharing starting from literary texts and film-related insights — and one on "Restorative Justice" — on the art of taking care of relational wounds and looking ahead.

This was the first international gathering of its kind held in Selva di Val Gardena. The number of participants, and above all the atmosphere, were extraordinary.

These were ten intense and beautiful days: we received challenging input, listened to the Word of God, shared deeply as a community, played, relaxed, and enjoyed good food (prepared by a team of ten wonderfully generous volunteers). We also went on three day-hikes, one of which began at night so we could watch the sunrise.

We look forward to the next edition, perhaps in winter too, with the Dolomites covered in snow and landscapes just as enchanting.

Fr. Guido Ruta, SJ (director of the work in Selva di Val Gardena)