On February 10, 2026, Min-On President Koji Yamaguchi and MOMRI Director Olivier Urbain welcomed Francesca Benna, a PhD student in Peace Studies at Sapienza University in Rome, Italy, for an in-depth discussion of her current research. We discovered striking common ground between her findings on meditation and mindfulness, on the one hand, and musicking, on the other. Both practices can be approached with the expectation of improving mental health, strengthening social connection, and deepening engagement with global crises. Ms. Benna’s multidisciplinary perspective —integrating ethnography, neuroscience, and elements of quantum physics— resonated strongly with MOMRI’s own multidisciplinary efforts to identify meaningful indicators and develop the most appropriate analytical frameworks.

Ms. Benna expressed particular interest in MOMRI’s ongoing and planned collaborations with universities, as well as our work across different regions of the world, including Europe, through the Affiliates and Dialogue Network initiatives. We intend to continue this exchange in order to strengthen our shared capacity to support the flourishing of human life while navigating cultural diversity across religious and cultural contexts.