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Make Amends
2005 is the year to make a really big noise on trade, debt and aid, with fifty agencies, faith groups, trade unions, and celebrities united in a campaign called 'Make Poverty History'. It will culminate in Edinburgh on the 2nd of July, when one million people are expected to march. Will you be there with me?
In the course of this year 10 Countries in Africa will have the Presidential elections while another 9 will have the Parliamentary ones: the Central African Republic in January; Djibouti in March; Guinea Bissau in May; Burkina Faso, Gabon, Zanzibar later on; Egypt, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Tanzania in October. From the 26th to 31st of January 05 the 5th World Social Forum took place in Porto Alegre, Brazil as opposed to the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland. Thousands of members of movements of the civic society gathered to discuss about the state of the world and what to do to make the world a more just place for all. With the usual themes such as war, debt and privatisation there was a completely new one, spirituality: the challenge of faith to transform the world and for the total liberation of man.
In February of 60 years ago Bob Marley was born. In his tribute there will be a mega concert in Addis Ababa, and a new musical on his life will open in the East End of London. On March 24th is the 25th anniversary of the martyrdom of Mons. Oscar Romero, I suggest that we may speak about him to the people in our appeals. To finish with, here in Glasgow, we have started a new approach to Youth ministry by feeding in the themes from Justice and Peace of the greatest interest to the three schools visited. The themes, agreed with the religious education department, ranged from from Human Rights to Fair Trade and Famine, from Arms Trade to Child Soldiers, from Global Citizenship to Asylum Seekers. Two Ugandans: Mr. Innocent Jakisa and Mrs. Mary Jean Kabera, in a very emotional way, shared with the students their traumatic experiences of torture, imprisonment and persecution for their political beliefs.
We are grateful to Fr. Martin who sent to all our communities a compendium by the title of 'The Rough Guide to a Better World and How You Can Make a Difference'. Our thanks also to Fr. Carlos who sent here to this office the 'Houseman Peace Diary 2005 - with the World Peace Directory'. It has well over 2000 addresses of J&P groups from around the World. Many documents that I receive especially from the AEJPN are there for your consultation in the Web Page. All you have to do is to click on the word Documents and then choose whatever topic you may be interested in.