Press Release

Bratislava, 17-20 March: European Catholic Social Days

The 3rd edition of the European Catholic Social Days will be held on 17-20 March 2022 in Bratislava. The event aims to promote dialogue on social justice within the Church and among Europeans in a context marked by demographic imbalances, technological disruption and ecological injustices. Journalists can now request accreditation.

The initiative will gather 200 delegates from every corner of Europe. Participants will include Church representatives, EU and national politicians, academics, young people and members of Catholic social movements and organisations.

Participants will discuss some of the most pressuring challenges in European societies. Three main sessions are planned: a) demographic transition and family life; b) technological and digital transition; c) ecological transition.

Speakers will include Dubravka Šuica, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Democracy and Demography, H. Em. Cardinal Michael Czerny SJ, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, H. E. Mgr. Paul Tighe, Secretary for Pontifical Council for Culture, H.E. Mgr. Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, and Mr. Milan Krajniak, Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic.

During these 3rd European Catholic Social Days special attention will also be paid to the situation in Ukraine and the Eastern border of the EU and moments of prayer will be organised to ask for peace and the conversion of the hearts.

Keynote speeches and panel debates will be accessible to everyone via streaming on the official website of the event: www.catholicsocialdays.eu

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the physical presence has been limited to 200 persons. The rest of the participants will join via livestreaming, with interactive settings.

Journalists and media operators who would like to attend and cover the event can now request their accreditation. The event organisers may limit the number of participants according to anti-COVID-19 measures taken by the local authorities. Confirmed participants will receive an e-mail by the event organisers. Click here to request your accredidation.

The setting of the event will respect the anti-COVID-19 measures taken by the local authorities: limits in physical participation, social distance, facial masks, ventilation of the rooms.

The initiative is co-organised by the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE), and the Slovak Episcopal Conference, in collaboration with the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

The event was presented in December 2021 during a Press Conference held at the Holy See. Watch the full video of the Press Conference.

The previous two editions were organised in Gdansk and Madrid, respectively in 2009 and 2014. The official Twitter account is: @EUcatholicdays.