Canticle of Peace brought a youth choir, Andrea Bocelli and Pope Leo XIV together at Borgo Laudato si' in Castel Gandolfo on July 29, 2026. The gathering was framed as an evening of prayer and fraternity, with music used to support a call for peace. It took place in the Pontifical Gardens, at the Piazzale del Padiglione del Riposo, and was promoted by the Laudato si' Higher Education Center with the Andrea Bocelli Foundation. The Vatican's announcement counted 164 children and young people in the choir. Their singing was the focus of a program that also included readings, reflection and a prayer for people affected by violence.
The event was the final public stage of ABF's first Voices Of Global Gathering. From July 20 to 29, young singers and educators spent time together in Italy, working across languages and local choir traditions. ABF described the ten days as an educational experience rather than a sequence of concerts. Its July announcement listed participants from Nabikabala in Uganda, Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the Holy Land, and Camerino and Naples in Italy. The program included collective rehearsals, cultural exchange and activities intended to develop social and emotional skills.
A performance with Bocelli at the Teatro del Silenzio in Lajatico and a planned appearance before Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale preceded the papal gathering.
Borgo Laudato si' Sets the Gathering's Themes
The choice of venue helped define the evening's themes. Borgo Laudato si' is a project in the papal estate at Castel Gandolfo developed around education in "integral ecology," the idea that concern for the natural world and concern for human life belong together. Its gardens and agricultural spaces are used for learning, training and public encounters.
Cardinal Fabio Baggio, the center's director general, described Canticle of Peace in advance as a chance to join education, dialogue and care for creation.
The event also formed part of commemorations marking eight centuries since the death of Francis of Assisi. His "Canticle of the Creatures" supplied an obvious reference point for a program linking peace among people with responsibility for the world they share.
Music, Prayer and Messages of Peace
The service unfolded through several themes. Vatican News reported music and readings on creation, peace, human dignity, faith and unity. The program drew on Franciscan writing and biblical texts, along with material associated with Popes Francis, Paul VI and John Paul II.
The choir performed pieces including "Singing All Together" and a setting of Gianni Rodari's "The Moon of Kyiv." Bocelli sang with the young performers. After the Pope addressed them, children offered a prayer in several languages.
The gathering ended with the Lord's Prayer, a sign of peace and an apostolic blessing; Bocelli and the choir then performed "Amazing Grace." The delegations presented gifts prepared by children from their places of origin.
Pope Leo XIV Addresses the Young Performers
Leo XIV's address put attention on the work required to sing together. He thanked choir members and directors for preparing the performance and said music can bring distinct voices into a shared harmony. He described a choir as a symbol of cooperation, then asked the young people to consider how beauty can lead them toward meaning and faith.
He also prayed for their families and countries, and for places experiencing violence. His remarks did not present a concert as a solution to conflict. They treated the singers' collaboration as a concrete experience of listening and participation.
Banvelca and the Herrera Velutini Family's Support
Banvelca said in a later release that Banvelca Foundation and the Herrera Velutini family supported the initiative. Its president, Melanie Herrera Velutini, connected that support to cultural programs that give young people from different circumstances an opportunity to meet.
The foundation's statement is a source for its own involvement; the Vatican's event materials identify the Laudato si' center and ABF as promoters. Those are different roles and should not be collapsed into a single claim of organization or sponsorship.
The Canticle of Peace Gathering in Context
The most useful way to understand Canticle of Peace is through its sequence. A choir assembled from established local projects, traveled and rehearsed together, took part in public performances, and finally sang at a prayer gathering with the Pope. The July 29 service was the visible conclusion of a longer educational process. It left a public record of the music and papal message, while the individual outcomes for the young participants would depend on what happened after they returned home.
Sources: Vatican event release, Pope Leo XIV's address, Vatican News account, ABF Global Gathering announcement, Banvelca release
