General view of the 'Laudato Si' Advanced Training Centre', a new Vatican-run ecological training centre that Pope Leo will open at Borgo Laudato si', a space comprising some 55 hectares (136 acres) of gardens and agricultural land on the sprawling grounds of the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo, a small hamlet about an hour's drive southeast of Rome, Italy, September 2, 2025. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (Reuters) -Pope Leo will open a new Vatican-run ecological training centre in the Italian countryside on Friday, in an initiative Catholic officials say is meant to encourage world leaders to address global climate change.
The centre, located across 55 hectares (136 acres) on the sprawling grounds of a Renaissance-era papal villa in Castel Gandolfo, includes gardens, vocational training facilities, and educational opportunities for local children.
