Press Release

From 25 to 27 April, the Group renews its condolences for the passing of Pope Francis and reaffirms its commitment to the events planned in line with Bergoglio’s legacy on the protection of natural resources

On the occasion of the Jubilee of Teenagers, taking place in the Capital from 25 to 27 April, Acea – the leading water operator in Italy and the second largest in Europe – renews its condolences for the passing of Pope Francis and confirms its commitment to the scheduled events. Over the three days, the company will raise awareness among thousands of young people arriving in Rome, helping them discover their role as “guardians of water” and showing them that each concretely represents the crucial “drop” in building a sustainable future. A message aligned with the defence and protection of natural resources, as emphasized in Pope Francis’s encyclical “Laudato Si”.

Acea will distribute over 170,000 litres of water to the young pilgrims through 17 water trucks that will be stationed at the locations where the main events will be held in the coming days: Friday 25 April, in the area dedicated to the “Via Lucis” prayer at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in EUR; Saturday 26 April during the funeral of Pope Francis, and Sunday 27 April, again in Saint Peter’s Square, where the Holy Mass concluding the Jubilee of Teenagers will be celebrated. Six water trucks will be stationed in these areas: via Giulio Cesare, at the corner with via Barletta, Piazza dei Tribunali, via Giulio Cesare, at the corner with via Lepanto, via Fra Albenzio (near Cipro metro station), via Crescenzio (near Piazza Risorgimento), Piazza Cavour, on Saturday only, where the Jubilee event for teenagers, “Dialogues with the City”, is scheduled to take place. On 25, 26, and 27 April, some water trucks will also be stationed at the Nuova Fiera di Roma, one of the locations arranged as accommodation for the pilgrims, where many young people, many of them from abroad, will be staying.

At the water distribution points, QR codes will be available to inform them about the water education program currently underway in Italian schools, designed for the many young people attending the Jubilee. The project was launched through the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Acea and the Ministry of Education and Merit, with the shared goal of promoting a culture of water conservation and environmental protection. Through another QR code, it will be possible to download the Acquea APP, developed by the Acea Group to help users locate the nearest of Rome’s 3,500 geolocated water points - fountains, nasoni, or Acea Water Houses - where they can quench their thirst. Finally, during the Jubilee of Teenagers, Acea will distribute over 10,000 water bottles to young people.