In 2018, my father went to the Rimini Meeting. I still remember the joyful expression on his face when, together with other friends, he told us what he had experienced during those days. I thought: "I want to go to the Meeting. I want to understand why they are so happy." This thought stayed with me until 2020 when, because of the pandemic, I was able to participate virtually. On that occasion I saw the exhibition entitled "Living the Reality," which was an experience that changed my way of studying. Life, such as it is -- the exhibition said -- is worthy of being embraced because it is for me. Someone else made it for me, someone gave it to me.

This year, moved by the amazement that the Meeting had aroused in us that year, we wanted to experience it more deeply. We replayed some of the meetings from this year's edition on Los Locos de la Azotea radio, inviting local guests to discuss them. Andrea was in charge of presenting the programs, four episodes on as many themes (peace, the title of "A Passion for the Person," politics and education) where we proposed excerpts of the dialogues that took place in Rimini and asked our Argentine interlocutors to discuss the relevance and topicality of the themes in the context of our country and South America. The team was made up of university and high school students. Then there were two "in-person" moments, organized by Adriana: one on the figure of Alberto Fariña Videla, a psychologist who got to know the charism of CL through his encounter with Fr. Francesco Ricci, and the other on the history and culture of indigenous peoples.

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And there I was, curious to see what this year's Meeting would be all about. In short, what I had experienced in 2020 happened to me again. I worked alongside people I never thought I would work with, made new friendships, and understood the Lord's preference for me in allowing me to live and collaborate in this event even when I was sick in bed. I understood that the Meeting is a present and living companionship. In other words, I felt embraced and accompanied. It was like having a new friend. The only thing I can say is a simple and powerful "thank you."

Amparo, Buenos Aires, Argentina