Jesuit Climate Advocacy to Prioritize “marginalized communities” in Southern Africa

The Zimbabwean Jesuit Brother said the initiative is part of the Youth for Climate Justice Road to the  2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) that is to be held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

“As we go to COP27 in Egypt, are we prioritizing these affected communities who are most vulnerable, most affected?” Br. Edward posed, and continued, “Are we prioritizing issues of young people in this situation of climate disasters? Are we prioritizing issues of women, of the poor?” 

He went on to say, “The Caravan of Hope intends to amplify the stories of these communities. By adding their voices to the climate discourse, we can bridge the gap between communities most affected and policy makers who will challenge the narratives around our climate future.”

From October 4-15, young climate activists in climate advocacy, media, and social circus “will travel from Chimanimani, Beira, and Chikwawa ending in Lilongwe with a Heal the Earth – Heal the People performance”, Br. Edward told ACI Africa. 

He added in reference to St. Francis of Assisi, “We were so particular in choosing the fourth of October as this is the day we celebrate our Patron Saint of ecology, of all those who love and care for nature.”

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He further said, “In fact, we started with a pledge called the Saint Francis pledge. We invited the young people, and other people, to pledge to pray for mother earth, pledge to advocate for mother earth, and a pledge to care for mother earth.”

October 4, Br. Edward said, is “a very important day for us because whilst we reflect and celebrate Saint Francis, we are also called to respond to the call of Saint Francis, that we need to be reconciled with nature. It is also a call to respond to Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si, the call for urgent action in terms of the climate crisis we are experiencing.”

The JCED Coordinator said the Caravan of Hope intends to “engage the communities and public through promotion of arts and culture as tools for healing, to build resilience and activism, to build knowledge and capacity as climate activists and to be part of the African movement and climate discourse, promoting indigenous cultural knowledge as part of climate justice and sustainable development on the continent.”

This story was first published by ACI Africa on 10 October 2022.

Sheila Pires is a veteran radio and television Mozambican journalist based in South Africa. She studied communications at the University of South Africa. She is passionate about writing on the works of the Church through Catholic journalism.