“Match” and “heart”: two words that, when combined, can become a message of peace. That was the opening of the video message Pope Leo XIV sent for the 2025 “Partita del Cuore” (Match of the Heart), played last night at the “Gran Sasso d’Italia Italo Acconcia” stadium in L’Aquila. A sporting and charitable event that brought together teams of politicians and singers on the field, all united by a shared goal: to raise funds for a project managed by the Bambino Gesù Hospital and Foundation in partnership with Caritas Italiana, which is dedicated to the welcome and care of children from conflict zones. In his message, the Pope reflected on the broader significance of this undertaking: "A match", he remarked, "is not just a competition, but an encounter: a moment in which even adversaries discover a cause that brings them together". And the heart, he continued, "is the location where this encounter takes place: with God, with people, with the most true sense of humanity". Recalling the historic "Christmas truce" of 1914, when German, French, and English soldiers challenged each other to a football match near Ypres, the Pope emphasized that even in the darkest moments, bridges can be built: "It is still possible - it is always possible - to come together, even in a time of bombs and wars. But we must have the courage to seek encounter. Because today's greatest struggle is to rediscover the other as a fellow human being, rather than an enemy". These phrases are inextricably linked to the Partita del Cuore's identity, which has long combined sport, entertainment, and unity. "I am delighted that this is taking place in an event that is both sporting and televised, and that is raising funds for healing, not for destruction", stated Leo XIV. "When properly executed, sports can transform conflict into interaction, division into unity, and isolation into community". The Pontiff then stressed the symbolic significance of the teams that took the field: one made up of singers and the other of politicians. "This serves as a reminder that politics has the potential to unite rather than divide, provided that it transcends propaganda and commits itself to the challenging art of confrontation. And that music accompanies our words, gives voice to our memories, and helps us grow". And children know it well, "because they have pure hearts and know how to see God". His thoughts shifted to the children for whom this game of solidarity is being played. And with a sympathetic yet forceful look, the Pope closed with an invitation to all: "Learn from them. Have the courage to welcome. Rediscover your faith and call for a truce to stop the spread of hatred. Our humanity is at stake. May this game be a positive step toward peace".