On 20th October 2016, the Coordinating Committee of the Emilia Romagna-Marche and Toscana regions of the Italian SSIO organised a public meeting at the Sathya Sai Centre in Faenza, Ravenna, as part of the worldwide Serve the Planet project, under the designated 2016 theme, “Love for Animals.” The event, organised by 20 volunteers, was attended by needy local refugee families with children, mostly of North African origin and of Islamic faith. The guests were served snacks, and mothers and children participated in two separate activities highlighting the importance of caring for animals. A teacher narrated a story, written by a young student, that depicted the pure, spontaneous love between a child and her small dog. The children then painted pictures illustrating the characters from the story, along with their renderings of the dog, while their mothers described their traditions and culture regarding love for animals. The group joined in unison in an inspiring song about nature, and the children received school supplies. The event concluded in a spirit of loving friendship, unity of faiths and cultures, and shared love for nature.

photo-1-artistic-activity-of-children-copy