On October 1-3, Dr. Julia Young represented Catholic University's College of Arts and Sciences at a conference entitled "Migrants and Refugees in Our Common Home: Roles and Responsibilities for Universities," held in Rome, Italy.
At the conference, Dr. Young gave a talk on "The Roots and Causes of Nativism," about the reasons that nativism has historically surged and declined in societies over time. She also attended keynote addresses (including talks from Sister Norma Pimentel of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande and Amy Pope, Director General of the UN's International Organization for Migration), panel discussions, interactive workshops, breakout discussions, lightning talks, and poster presentations. On Thursday, October 2, the conference attendees were privileged to have an audience with Pope Leo XIV, who urged attendees to "confront the globalization of powerlessness by fostering a culture of reconciliation" and referred to migrants as "witnesses of hope through their resilience and trust in God."
The conference is part of a multi-year global initiative led by Villanova University and partners including the Vatican's Dicastery for Integral Human Development, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Center for Migration Studies, Jesuit Refugee Services, UNHCR, and more. The purpose of the initiative is to mobilize academic communities in addressing the critical challenges faced by migrants and refugees. Throughout the event, participants engaged in meaningful dialogue, shared expertise, and collaborated with one another to draft a global Action Plan on migration and refugee issues.