Foto: Jorge
Serrano / Entreculturas
IGNATIAN
FAMILY ENCOUNTER AND WORLD SOCIAL FORUM
NAIROBI, JANUARY 2007
ENTRECULTURAS
REPORT
ON THE IGNATIAN FAMILY ENCOUNTER AND THE
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM.
INDEX
1.
IGNATIAN
FAMILY ENCOUNTER
2. THE SOCIAL
APOSTOLATE OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS IN
3.
THE WORLD
SOCIAL FORUM.
4. RECOMMENDATIONS AND
PROPOSALS FOR ENTRECULTURAS.
1. IGNATIAN FAMILY
ENCOUNTER
1.
Dates 17 – 19 January, 2007.
2.
Place:
3.
Participants: Around 150 people coming from:
· Social Sector African Jesuits
· Hekima College African Jesuit
students
· Social Apostolate from other Assistances:
EEUU (4),
· Xavier Network (10).
4.
Encounter Objectives
General objective: to strengthen the Social
Apostolate in
Specific objectives:
(1)
to
develop the Ignatian perspective (spirituality) or the value framework which
has been guiding the Ignatian family’s apostolic commitment towards the
transformation of individuals and communities; and
2. to strengthen the existing apostolic initiatives
for social transformation and to plan an effective partnership and networking
among them.
5.
Encounter structure
|
DAYS |
SESSION 1 |
SESSION 2 |
SESSION 3 |
|
Plenary 08.30-10.30 |
Workshops 11.00-14.00 |
Concluding |
|
|
17 January |
Inauguration: Theme 1: Ignatian
Contemplation on the Trinity: Source of Our Passion for Justice in the World
Today.
Fr. Fratern Masawe Theme 2: Challenges and
Opportunities for Way of Proceeding with
the workshop (Methodology). Fr. Groum Tsefaye (10 minutes) |
There will be 5 specific
workshops: (1)
Refugees
and Migrants—JRS Tel. No. 3878260 (2)
HIV/AIDS- AJAN mczerny@jesuits.ca (3)
Conflict, War and Peace- Hekima Peace
Institute. (4)
Debt, Trade and
Governance: the international development agenda -IJND (5)
Management
and Depletion of Natural Resources CEPAS &
CEFOD |
Continuation of the
discussions and Brief Summary from the Workshops |
|
18 January |
Theme 3: Ignatian
Values and Methodology in Addressing Social Issues in Fr.
Valerian Shirima Theme 4: Ignatian
Pedagogy for Societal Transformation. Sr. |
Continuation of the
discussion and Brief Summary from the Workshops |
|
|
19 January |
Theme 5: Collaboration
within the Ignatian Family and Beyond Fr. Donat Bafuidinsoni Theme 6: Reflecting on
African Experiences in Social Change: Working toward an Ignatian Framework
Levi Matseshe, Frs. Turner/Ocipe and Fernando (confirmed) |
Steering Committee will
lead the groups in a process of prayer and discernment and final summary |
|
|
Note: Lunch
will be served between |
|||
6.
Main conclusions
6.1.
Shared reflections
· The Ignatian spirituality drives us to contemplation and to engage in radical actions, with a
commitment similar to the “Holy Trinity who decides to send the Second Person
for the world’s salvation”[1].
The Ignatian spirituality as a starting point, framework and way of action for
personal transformation.
· Who tells what history to whom? The issue of identity.
- Therefore,
what image of
- Where lies the
Africans´ responsibility? “The lack of a leading elite with ethical
responsibility and engagement with its own countries and inhabitants”[4].
More specifically
the African Jesuits have the responsibility of thinking and building a new
- Focus
on changes in a global context.
Change our view whenever necessary. Pay, for instance, special attention
to the role of
- The
Ignatian family. What does it include? Which are the internal relationships
developed within? Who should lead the process? The central role of the
spiritual exercises. The Jesuit-laymen relationships.
6.2 Conclusions of the issues addressed in group discussions:
REFUGEES AND FORCED MIGRANTS
The accompaniment as a specific
answer of the JRS. Stand with the refugees, listen to them, placing the person
at the centre and listening to their truth.
Globalization has favoured
international mobility and the exchange of goods (trade); money (finances);
culture, information. However, freedom of movement is still restricted
(increasingly so). The refugees suffer this tendency to control people’s
movements and the differences between refugees and migrants are increasingly
unclear.
Refugee camps as places that limit human
rights. Settlements are a more flexible formula, but equally imperfect.
Detention camps in developed countries. The need to propose alternatives to
improve the situation of refugees, their insertion in the community and dependency
limitation. Support the campaign against detention centres, promoted by the JRS
together with other organizations.
The need to recover traditional
African values, such as hospitality. The refugees who were formerly regarded as
guests have now become strangers.
The need to improve articulation
with other activities carried out by the Society and Ignatian Family.
Foto: Jorge
Serrano / Entreculturas
HIV/AIDS
Work focused on the training of
agents, accompaniment of the sick and reflection.
Debate on AJAN´s role regarding its
approach to pharmaceutical industries in order to have access to retrovirals.
WAR, PEACE AND CONFLICT SOLUTIONS
To be aware of the grave, complex
and diverse conflict situations existing in
Look for the deeper causes of
conflict: access to natural resources and other economic issues; corruption and
lack of engagement of the political elite; fundamentalisms and lack of respect
for plurality.
GOVERNANCE, TRADE AND DEBT
Recognize the characteristics
of the current neo liberal development model: the reduction of the state,
supremacy of the market on all areas of activity; opening of external barriers;
reduction of the public expenditure; macro economic adjustments.
Assume the absence of an alternative
global model. But continue to influence so that higher social concerns might be
incorporated in the model and focus attention on smaller and alternative
proposals that advance towards an economy of solidarity. They are not
alternative models but small steps forward in specific cases.
The external debt continues to be a
central issue in order to attain the development of many countries. The pending
questions are: What happens with countries that are now out of the HIPC group?
EXPLOITATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
This is an issue closely linked to
the two previous ones. The “bad governance” favours the exploitation of natural resources and the interest for these, forces corrupt governments. This
is also one of the deeper causes for armed conflicts.
Which goals can be
achieved? Fair compensation, transparency, education of local leaders, good
governance. The fundamental question is to try to leave in the country a higher
share of the added values generated in the manufacturing process.
The importance of strengthening the
role of civil society as watchdog in these processes: capacity building and
education are the key issues.
Specific situations:
Foto: Jorge
Serrano, Entreculturas
6.3 On the Ignatian perspectives
of transformation
Values
- Search
for truth
- Passion
and Compassion
- Inner
freedom
- Ignatian
spirituality. Discernment
- Dialogue
- Sharing
with others
Methodology
- Listening
to people. Attentively, from the heart. To be where
the people are. “To be in exile with exiled people”[6].
- Accompany.
Stand with them, so they can stand up.
- Promote awareness, organization and participation
of excluded groups and persons. Pay attention to the dependencies which are generated.
- Reflection.
Critical analysis
- Search
for transformation
- Networking
- Advocacy
Proposals
- Networking
- Structure
the work of the Society of Jesus in
- Establish
and strengthen relations with other organizations and church and social
networks.
- Advocacy
- Present
a more realistic and positive image of
- Accompany
advocacy work
- Need
of training and internal capacity building for advocacy work.
2.
SOCIAL APOSTOLATE OF THE SOCIETY IN
This
document tries to show the situation and perspectives of the social apostolate
in the different African Provinces. The information comes from the members´
meeting of the social apostolate held in
The report
gathers data and information given by the participants. In some cases, italics
are used for comments, evaluations or recommendations for Entreculturas or
other agents.
SOCIAL APOSTOLATE IN JESAM
The
(Fratern Masawe, African
Provincials Coordinator):
o
Strengthen existing social
structures in the area of peace buildings. As some of the centres were
explicitly mentioned by name, it is important for us to hear from them if they
have indeed been strengthened. Have you, since then been strengthened: JRS, Hekima Institute of Peace,
CERAP, JCTR, Hakimani, CEPAS, Hekima Peace Forum, CEFOD, Silvera House, Arrupe
Centre, etc.
-
2.-
Establish a JESAM Peace Website (responsibility of JESAM Social Apostolate
Co-ordinator) with links to provincial/regional Social Apostolate websites, and
develop e-news bulletins.
-
International
networking and regional solidarity between Jesuits - A directory of social
apostolate, data base for the Assistance.
-
Training
on peace, reconciliation and justice at different levels of formation as well
as in apostolic communities. Value oriented formal and popular education on
peace-related ministries in parishes, schools, universities etc.
-
A
theological reflection based on Ignatian Spirituality on the issues of peace
and conflict transformation. Research and publication with reliable data.
-
Explore
the feasibility of appointing a team of African - Madagascan Jesuit experts at
AU (