On July 6, 1966, Chiara addressed a group of girls – children and teens – gathered at Rocca di Papa who had been received in audience by Pope Paul VI: “This is an historic date, because it is the first time that the Holy Father has received the girls of the Focolare Movement. Just today, I was planning to officially inaugurate both the children’s section – all those who live the Ideal up to the age of 14 – and the youth section – those from the age of 14 upwards.
I know that this was something you really wanted (…) and it seems to me that the Holy Father, receiving you and naming you, has, so to speak, “baptized” the birth of these two sections. […] Hence, a new life begins, which you must throw yourselves into with love and enthusiasm. And this applies to the boys as well”[1]. .
In 1966, before the cultural revolutions of ’68, Chiara encouraged young people to be the protagonists of a new world: a united world. The Gen Movement was born. In the 70s, anticipating the challenges of globalization, Chiara presented them the figure of a “world person” as a model.