The conference titled ‘Integral Human Development: Pathways to the Common Good’ is held on January 9-10, 2025, at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon, and on January 11, 2025, at Brotéria Cultural Center (Lisbon).
That is the conclusion of the post-Doctoral Program in Integral Human Development, promoted by La Catholica Doctoral School and Porticus (CADOS), where every two years seven research fellows finish implementing projects towards improving vulnerable groups in the Portuguese society.
The final conference's intent is to share the results of that multidisciplinary research projects and engage in dialogue with distinguished personalities from around the world, who can be of inspiration, to explore new pathways in the name of the common good.
Among them, Sister Alessandra Smerilli, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPIHD). In her speech, she reminded that “development is never just economic development”, but it concerns the whole human person, in all its spheres.
She also discussed the challenges and opportunities of current societies, focusing on what Pope Francis calls the technocratic paradigm, which “consists in thinking ‘as if reality, goodness and truth automatically flow from technological and economic power as such’” (LS, 105). But there is no room for resignation, and the CADOS’ postdoctoral programme is proof of this, the DPIHD Secretary underlined.
Thus, S. Smerilli spoke about the possible pathways to undertake, referring to the paradigm of care: “it is necessary to change the social norms of work and care: work and care are interconnected, and we will not be able to value care if we do not restructure the way we understand work”.
She concluded by mentioning Pope Francis book Let us Dream: “We have to find ways for those who have been cast aside to act, so that they become the agents of a new future”. The intervention ended with a moment of open dialogue and debate between the DPIHD Secretary and the public.