A female farmer and a construction worker enter the nativity scene and tell the story of our times.
This is the message contained in the 2025 nativity scene figurine presented to the Archbishop of Cagliari, Monsignor Giuseppe Baturi, by Confartigianato Sud Sardegna and Coldiretti Cagliari. A gesture that combines tradition and modernity, transforming the nativity scene into a reflection of today's society.
The award ceremony took place in the presence of Fabio Mereu, president of Confartigianato Sud Sardegna; Giorgio Demurtas, president of Coldiretti Cagliari; and secretaries Pietro Paolo Spada and Giuseppe Casu.
At the center, a symbolic figure: two workers, a farmhand and a construction worker, called to represent the value of dignified work, inclusion, and safety.
The initiative, now in its sixth consecutive year, is a collaboration between the Symbola Foundation, Confartigianato, and Coldiretti, with the aim of promoting the nativity scene as a living story of the present.
Each year, a different figurine, crafted by a master craftsman, is donated to the Italian bishops to remind them that the Nativity also speaks to today and its challenges.
The choice of the agriculture and construction sectors for 2025 is no coincidence. Two worlds that share a bond with the land and the territory, but also the responsibility of ensuring secure and future-proof employment for communities.
"The quality of work is central to defending people's dignity and the strength of Made in Italy," Demurtas and Casu emphasized, highlighting the role of farmers as a social and human resource, as well as a productive force.
A message also reiterated by Confartigianato Sud Sardegna. "In a time of great global uncertainty," Mereu and Spada explained, "it's crucial to rediscover symbols that speak to authentic values. This figurine evokes the idea of an open community, where no one is excluded and human dignity is a shared priority."
Over the years, the nativity scene has been enriched with new meanings: from solidarity in the time of Covid to digital innovation, from environmental sustainability to youth education, and even the quality of Italian food. This journey, also supported by the Assisi Manifesto, the Fratelli Tutti Foundation, and the patronage of Avvenire, promotes a "gentle narrative" capable of speaking to people's hearts.
Alongside the Child Jesus, among shepherds and families, today we also find the agricultural entrepreneur and the construction craftsman. These simple figures remind us that the nativity scene continues to be a story of hope, work, and rebirth, deeply rooted in everyday life.
(Unioneonline/Fr. Me.)