Luminosa Award

To recognize persons or groups whose lives and works contribute to universal brotherhood, the Focolare’s goal, the Luminosa Award for Unity has been given annually since 1988. It is sponsored by Mariapolis Luminosa, the Focolare’s little city in Hyde Park, New York.

Both the little city and the award take their name from Margarita Bavosi, a focolarina from Argentina who died in 1985, offering her life for the cause of unity. ‘Luminosa,’ meaning light, luminous, was the name that was given to her because everything about her was luminous. She directed the movement in Spain for many years.