11–13 November, Piacenza, Italy – Europe Yatra 2025
After completing the Munich program, Amma visited the local ashram and continued toward Italy. The drive led through the breathtaking Alps—snow-capped peaks rising in silent majesty on either side.
On the way, Amma made a short stop at the shores of Lake Garda, the largest lake in Italy. In the gentle afternoon light, the lakeside pause soon became a joyful satsang, filled with Amma’s laughter, stories, bhajans and lunch prasad.{read more}
When Amma arrived in Piacenza, the hall overflowed with devotion as thousands welcomed her like a mother returning home. Devotees held colorful paper hearts as symbolic offerings of love and gratitude, alongside one large heart reading, “Thank you, Amma, for blessing Italy for 30 years.”
The opening ceremony was graced by esteemed guests. Dr. Katia Tarasconi, Mayor of Piacenza, offered a heartfelt welcome: “I really wanted to welcome Amma to the city of Piacenza. At a time in history when there is so much violence and evil in the world, Amma’s message is the most important message of all.”
While Amma was seated on the peetham, against the backdrop “You are the light – tu sei la luce,” beams of sunlight touched the stage and fell upon Amma.
Romina Power, beloved icon of Italian music and cinema, shared her deep admiration: “Amma’s humanitarian projects speak for themselves—there is nothing more to add. Being close to Amma is a constant source of love.”
She then sang a few lines of her legendary song Felicità, changing the refrain to: “Felicità… è stare con Amma in questa occasione.” The whole hall joined in, echoing the melody with devotion and joy.
Anna Agnelli, director and filmmaker of ‘Amma’s Way‘, offered her gratitude: “I thank Amma for coming back to Italy, even though distance does not exist—she is always with us. Amma is the inspiration behind all projects, but we are her hands. We must keep this truth in our hearts and serve her mission.”
Amrita University signed an MoU with Italy’s National Research Council (CNR), collaborating with its Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection (IRPI). After the signing, Dr. Tommaso Moramarco, Director, IRPI, said: “Thank you for giving me a completely new experience. I am a researcher, and I didn’t know Amma, but she surprised me. I live in the land of St. Francis of Assisi, and I found Amma’s mission to be very much in line with St. Francis. It was Amma who inspired the universities represented here and gave us the strength to be convinced of what we are doing by signing the MoU. With this, we aim to contribute to mitigating climate change.”
Amrita University signed another MoU with the University of Rome Tre, represented by Prof. Giovanni Formica, Head of the Department of Architecture.
Dr. Moro, economist and C20 Sherpa in 2023, shared how he discovered civil society’s ability to uplift the most vulnerable people when Amma became the Hon’ble Chair of C20 in 2023.
Across all three days, Amma gave satsang, sang bhajans, and led meditation. In the Italy program alone, Amma gave mantra initiation to 1,364 people, marking a profoundly sacred milestone in the lives of these devotees.
During darshan, local devotees sang bhajans with all their heart. Amma joyfully encouraged them—clapping after each bhajan and even giving a big thumbs-up to the singers.
Each day, Amma concluded the program with a few graceful dance steps, filling the hall with delight. On the final evening, Amma danced together with three small children, creating a moment of pure sweetness that brought smiles and tears to many eyes.
After blessing Piacenza with three days of programs, Amma stayed overnight at MA Center Italy in Gavi. That evening, despite the cold, Amma met the volunteer devotees outdoors—sharing jokes, satsang, and bhajans—and then served dinner prasad. The next morning, Amma departed for MA Centre in Brombachtal, Germany, the next stop of the Europe Yatra.
—Kannadi
