New Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal to Be Presented in Rome This October

Rome, Italy (July 20, 2026) - Villanova University and its Office for Sustainability have established the Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal, a new international honor that will recognize individuals whose leadership has advanced sustainability, ecological responsibility, and integral human development.

The Medal seeks to honor those whose work demonstrates a holistic vision of sustainability, integrating care for the environment, social justice, concern for vulnerable populations, and responsible stewardship of economic and natural resources. Distinct from secular awards, it evaluates integral ecology over pure technical metrics, prioritizing the ethical mandate of caring for the marginalized and bridging the gap between rigorous science and moral conviction. Recipients may come from any field or discipline and will be selected based on their demonstrated impact in advancing a more sustainable and equitable world.

The inaugural Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal will be presented by the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, in Castel Gandolfo during the Villanova International Sustainability Conference: Responding to the Cries of the Earth and the Poor, from October 12-15, 2026. The Conference will bring together approximately 300 participants-including academics, researchers, Church representatives, foundations, and public and private sector leaders-in a transdisciplinary forum designed to move from dialogue to concrete, collaborative action. The inaugural Medal winner will be announced in September 2026, ahead of the Conference and the official award ceremony at Borgo Laudato Si' in Castel Gandolfo.

"The Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal reflects a deeply held belief at Villanova University: that care for our common home and care for one another are inseparable," said Villanova University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD. "By recognizing leaders whose work advances both environmental stewardship and the common good, we hope to inspire meaningful and lasting impact in communities around the world."

Villanova University, an Augustinian Catholic institution, shares a special connection with the Holy Father. Pope Leo XIV, then Robert Prevost, earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Villanova in 1977, and the University later awarded him an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree in 2014.

The Medal has been established as a biennial permanent honor bestowed by Villanova University, underscoring the institution's enduring commitment to advancing global sustainability initiatives and fostering integral ecology. It will be presented as part of Villanova's International Sustainability Conference official program.

For the inaugural 2026 award, nominees were evaluated by a selection committee composed of members of the University's Sustainability Leadership Council, following a rigorous evaluation process where candidates are scored against multi-dimensional sustainability criteria.

The launch of the Medal comes amid growing recognition that environmental and social challenges are deeply interconnected. The award reflects a vision of sustainability that extends beyond environmental protection alone, embracing the broader pursuit of human flourishing, social justice, and long-term responsibility toward future generations.

The 2026 International Sustainability Conference will be hosted between the Patristicum in Rome and Borgo Laudato Si' in Castel Gandolfo. Hosting the conference in Rome places it at the epicenter of Catholic social teaching and leverages Villanova's unique institutional ties to the Augustinian Order and the Vatican, bridging environmental science with global moral leadership.

The Conference is being developed in dialogue with several institutional partners, including the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and the Centro di Alta Formazione Laudato Si', the Vatican institution established by Pope Francis to promote integral ecological formation, sustainability education, and initiatives inspired by Laudato Si'.

Grounded in Pope Francis' writings in both Laudato Si' and Laudate Deum, and in the teachings of Pope Leo XIV in his call in Dilexi Te to care for the poor and marginalized, the 2026 International Sustainability Conference is framed by the growing convergence of ecological degradation and social inequality. It aims to tackle this crisis by inviting researchers who encourage new ways of thinking about sustainability in the sciences, philosophy, nursing, law, business, engineering, the humanities and beyond.

Call for Papers and Registration Open

Registrations and academic submissions are open. Scholars, practitioners, and institutional leaders are invited to contribute from any field related to sustainability, spanning both theory and practice. Submissions can be made for lightning talks, poster presentations, or both.

Abstract submission deadline extended to July 31, 2026.

Authors should emphasize how their work contributes to positive impact in sustainability. Multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches are encouraged. Abstracts will be evaluated based on rigor, originality, and clarity.

More information about the conference, including registration and submission guidelines, is available HERE.

Sustainability at Villanova University In 2007, Villanova University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment. In 2018, the Villanova Sustainability Leadership Council was established to develop a 10-year actionable and measurable plan to guide the University's comprehensive effort to support the planet and its people and to ensure prosperity for all. By committing the University to the Laudato Si Action Platform and developing a customized Laudato Si' Plan, Villanova University is taking decisive and unflinching action to build a better future. At the core of all sustainability activities, both large and small, is the University's vision to establish an ethos of sustainable living. As an Augustinian Catholic institution, Villanova is committed to generating and advocating sustainable action to help create a future that provides enough, for all, forever.

About Villanova University Since 1842, Villanova University's Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges-the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation's top universities, Villanova supports its students' intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu