Sustainability
"God will ask us whether we have cultivated and safeguarded this world He created, for the benefit of all and of future generations, and whether we have cared for our brothers and sisters. So, what will we answer?"
Pope Leo XIV, International Conference Raising Hope for Climate Justice
In the time we are living, marked by environmental, social and cultural crises that challenge trust and cohesion among people, there is a growing need to rediscover a language that unites, builds bridges, and generates hope. In this year in which the Church celebrates the Jubilee “Pilgrims of Hope”, we are invited to walk together toward a more just and supportive future, founded on attention to what is fragile and deserves care.
“One cannot claim to be a disciple of Jesus Christ without sharing His gaze upon creation and His care for all that is fragile and wounded.”
Pope Leo XIV, "Raising Hope for Climate Justice"
It is from this vision that the collaboration between Nova Opera and AzzeroCO₂ is strengthened, two organizations united by the desire to contribute—each with its own tools—to a more sustainable and inclusive world. A meeting between art and responsibility, considering sustainability as a necessary journey: a way of inhabiting the Earth with respect, awareness, and hope. “Music bears good fruit” is the slogan that marked the beginning of the collaboration last year and which now expands further.
A shared journey
Nova Opera has a vocation rooted in the values of solidarity, dialogue, and the “way of beauty” as a universal language. Its mission—bringing art, culture, and humanity where they are most needed—intertwines with the principles of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, which invites us to care for our common home and to orient our actions toward the common good.
In this path, AzzeroCO₂ supports Nova Opera as a technical partner, providing expertise and tools to integrate sustainability into every stage of the Concerto con i Poveri, through an approach grounded in practicality and gradual improvement.
Sustainability as a journey
In 2025, the collaboration is strengthened with the goal of making the Concerto con i Poveri an increasingly sustainable event, in which the artistic dimension harmonizes with environmental responsibility. The project includes the assessment of the event’s carbon footprint, analyzing almost all emission sources (*), and the offsetting of calculated emissions through the purchase of certified carbon credits from a hydroelectric energy project along the Teesta River in Sikkim, northern India. A pathway toward ISO 20121 certification for sustainable event management is also planned, with medium-term objectives designed to guide the progressive improvement of the concert’s environmental performance. Each action represents a step toward a greater awareness of the impacts generated and their gradual reduction in the years to come.
The Patriarchs of Nature: a bond between art, land, and memory
A new project is also part of this collaboration. After last year’s solidarity olive grove, this year the focus shifts to supporting the association I Patriarchi della Natura, committed to safeguarding the national arboreal genetic heritage.
Through a donation, Nova Opera and AzzeroCO₂ will contribute to the collection, study and propagation of seeds and cuttings from monumental trees or species at risk of extinction.
As a tangible sign of this commitment, the Vatican will receive a “Cypress of St. Francis”, approximately 70 cm tall and three years old, a direct descendant of the centuries-old specimen that has stood in the convent of Verucchio, near Rimini, for over 830 years.
The tree will be planted in a space of the Holy See as a living legacy and symbol of the bond between nature and community: by preserving its genetic memory, a unique heritage is safeguarded—one that spans centuries and continues to speak of hope.
The 2025 edition of the Concerto con i Poveri also returns in the spirit of sharing, expanding its commitment to sustainability. In harmony with the Jubilee of Hope, the event seeks to embody the values of responsibility and solidarity, offering outwardly an invitation to look to the future with confidence, safeguarding the good that has been entrusted to us.
- transport of people (Choir of the Diocese of Rome, Nova Opera Orchestra, technical staff, Bublé team, 8,000 guests including 3,000 poor);
- transport of goods (equipment and catering);
- energy consumption of the Paul VI Hall (electricity and natural gas);
- overnight stays of the Bublé team;
- packed dinner for 3,000 poor guests;
- communication materials (roll-ups, totems, booklets, lanyards).
