By NICOLE WINFIELD | Associated Press | Published: May 6, 2021
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ROME — An eclectic mix of participants are taking part in a unique three-day Vatican conference on COVID-19, other global health threats and how science, solidarity and spirituality can address them.
Along with Pope Francis, the event includes Dr. Anthony Fauci, soprano Renee Fleming, the CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna and the lead guitarist of Aerosmith.
The conference, which begins Thursday and ends Saturday with a virtual audience with the pope, was planned well before the pandemic erupted last year. Organizers say it has only taken on more relevance amid a growing appreciation of the need for global access to health care, new advances in vaccine technology and greater understanding of the mental health cost of loneliness.