GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL COR-UNUM

The 28th Assembly of the Pontifical Council was held in Rome from February 28th to March 1st, the theme of the assembly was ‘Human and spiritual qualities of those who work in catholic charitable organizations”. Marina Costa, International President and member of the Pontifical Council « Cor Unum » represented AIC.

The doctrinal perspective that inspired and enlightened the discussions on the theme, is based on the teachings of the Holy Father in his first encyclical: „Deus Caritas est“. A pastoral objective has guided the discussions: the integral the training of the “actors” of the charitable sector.

The opening speech of the Cardinal CORDES and of the Secretary General, His Grace Mgr. Kastel concerned the activities of the Council itself. This was followed by a speech about the theme of the Assembly, presented by the President of the « Catholic Charities » from the United States, the Rev. Larry Snyder. Then professor Peter Schallenberg presented a reflection on the theme “ The place of mercy in the Social State ”. Later on, the participatory discussions of all the members highlighted the most important points. This is, that the ethic of love has to prevail within any action of charity towards the poor and should not be distorted: in trying to be more efficient, one should not forget that the most important element is love.

His Grace Mgr Rouco Varela, Cardinal Archbishop of Madrid commented on the training of people working – as professionals and volunteers – in the Church socio-charity sector. He said they must be introduced to the intelligence and the integral experience of the Mystery of Love: love of Christ, of which the Church is the instrument and the evidence for life in the world.

Today, this task is even more urgent and important than in other times: as modern man is so arrogant and self-conscious of his power on nature and the human being himself. This has made him more vulnerable than ever to the temptation to do « good works » adapted to his own image and for “his own glory”, the glory of man, and not for the glory of God. For the “players” of the socio-charitable sector to live more and more in the Love of Christ, they have to take an active part in the life of a Christian Community, be it of their diocese or their association, living every day in the communion of word, prayer and becoming deacons to the service of their brothers. It is in this way, deeply rooted in the personal and community experience of the Church, in daily life, that the real committed Christian personality of the players of the socio-charitable sector will increase. So, the “Love civilization” will implant each day more and the poor will be evangelized. The Holy Father granted the members of the Pontifical Council an audience. On that occasion, he expressed his gratitude to all those who work in the charitable sector and who show, through their actions, the concrete presence of the Church with those who suffer from poverty and injustice.

58th Annual DPI/NGO Conference, United Nations New York, September 7 -9 2005
Our Challenge: Voices for Peace, Partnership and Reneval

Numerous proposals to strengthen the United Nations give priority to development, security and human rights issues. The NGO community is concerned that the Organization’s current structures do not adequately facilitate civil society engagement with Member States to bring about far-reaching changes that would empower the United Nations to meet the challenges of the 21st century. As highlighted in the report of the High-level Panel on United Nations-Civil Society Relations, there are many innovative proposals to enhance the Organization’s engagement with civil society organizations. Most NGOs advocate that Member States enter into serious and sustained dialogue with major stakeholders, particularly in regard to structural changes aimed at improving policies and programmes and holding all parties to their commitments.

The AIC is one of the NGO struggling for a serious and sustained dialogue, leading to structural changes in favour of the poor, especially women suffering from all kinds of poverty. AIC will be represented in the Conference by its Past-president Anne Sturm and Cruz Maria de Leon, Board member of AIC Dominican Republic. They will not only participate in panels and discussions but also organize one of the Midday Interactive Workshops. Its title is “Voices for Peace: Violence Against Women – a Violation of Human Rights and Dignity”. Cruz Maria de Leon and Anne Sturm will speak on “Violence related to Poverty” and point out ways to escape from the terrible cycle of poverty and domestic violence, while Charlotte Bunch from the Center for Women’s Global Leadership will speak on “Violence and Women’s Human Rights”, and Professor Blanche Weisen Cook will have a presentation on “Violence against Women in Wartime” - three important aspects of violence against women that certainly will attract participants.
The most important objective of the workshops is to formulate propositions for the Fifty-ninth Session of the United Nations General Assembly starting on September 14. Its President, Jean Ping, will participate in the NGO Conference and present its demands to the General Assembly. The AIC representatives will intercede for declaring domestic violence worldwide a crime (it is not in many countries), that it is not only mentioned in conventions but confirmed by sanctions in concrete national legislation and that fighting poverty with women will be in the focus of international commitment.

AIC to be represented at UN/DPI/NGO conference on implementing development goals set by world leaders.

ANNE STURM, international President, ROSE DE LIMA RAMANANKAVANA, AIC Vice-president from Madagascar, and MADELEINE MORRISSEY (USA), main representative of AIC at the UN in New York have been representing AIC at the 57th Annual United Nations Department of Public Information/Non Governmental Organization Conference at UN headquarters in New York, 8 to 10 September 2004. Entitled «Millennium Development Goals: Civil Society Takes Action», the conference focused on the role of NGOs, civil society and governments in the implementation of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which were adopted by 189 UN Member States in 2000.

Conference delegates attended five plenary sessions with governmental, UN Agency, NGO, civil society and local community leaders to assess the progress each sector has made on the goals, reviewing successful programs to be replicated, proposing possible strategies for raising resources required for the implementation of the MDGs, and heightening public awareness of the Goals.
In the closing session Jacques Attali, President of PlanNet Finance, stated that “Governments will not be able to reach these goals by themselves and that it is not the role of private corporations to do it. To achieve these goals, it will be necessary to make intelligence, fraternity, respect of the other, tolerance, curiosity, volunteership, the pleasure of pleasing, the pleasure of making someone else happy triumph over the values of nation and market. Or all the values that would entail the notion of humanitarian and volunteer action. ”. He proclaimed that:
“A world without poverty is possible if microfinance becomes a priority, microfinance being the only way human beings can earn their living in order to give each and every one the possibility to implement his/her dreams. A fraternal world is possible. It should be possible to give each and every one the means to have access to basic needs, that are water, air, food, accommodation, knowledge, freedom. Even if these projects cannot be implemented from one day to the next, they can be implemented rapidly: you, the NGO, have indeed shown, for long, that reaching the impossible was for you a challenge”.

Jeffrey Sachs, Special adviser to the UN Secretary-General on the Millennium Development Goals complained that the international community rather was ready to finance war than peace and if only the industrialised countries were ready to give the 0.7% of their gross national product (GNP) promised, that is the 60 milliards of Dollars missing, the MDG could be realised till 2015, on condition that financial and commercial aid was given by rich countries and that the national governments started working on necessary reforms. He stated that the 11 years from now to 2015 were sufficient to make the Millennium Goals a reality that could be to save the lives of 3 million of children who otherwise would die every year from Malaria in Africa. This would need specific, well targeted actions, being investment for the future of this planet and humanity. In spite of 1 milliard of people world wide fighting against poverty and 10 million loosing this fight every year, it would be possible to eradicate poverty till 2025 if only the leaders of the world would have the moral force and the firm determination to take the goals serious and to define concrete actions.

This was confirmed by 30 Midday Workshops, one of them sponsored by AIC in collaboration with Christian Children’s fund (CCF). The theme being “Children and the Millennium Development Goals: Eradicating Extreme Poverty and Hunger”, the speakers focused on children’s perception of poverty (Daniel Wordsworth CCF), its causes and consequences (Alberto Minuhin UNICEF), and necessary solutions (Rose de Lima Ramanankavana AIC). She highlighted initiatives in Madagascar, including a nationwide public awareness raising campaign, parental skills, training and legal services to educate and empower parents. She addressed the link between empowering parents and reducing the risk of poverty for their children. The workshop was moderated by Anne Sturm, Madeleine Morrissey was the secretary.
Rose de Lima was one of six representatives chosen to present the outcome of the workshops and discussions in the final Plenary Session: They proved that there was remarkable progress in some countries, mostly owed to the contribution of NGO and civil society working at the grass-roots and lobbying in governments, however in other regions there was no improvement. Like Jeffrey Sachs they proclaimed that all projects would be no more than patchwork, if there was not the definite commitment of governments and global players to create equal conditions worldwide for trade, economy, agriculture and to fight corruption and armed conflicts thus enabling all human beings to live in peace and justice.

For further information see:http:// www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/57conf.htm.