Global Citizenship and Integral Ecology

Por José Maria Brito, SJ
Dic 27th, 2016

Fundação Gonçalo da Silveira, an NGDO of the Portuguese Province of the Society of Jesus, and the Associação Casa Velha – Ecologia e Espiritualidade promoted the 1st “Global Citizenship and Integral Ecology” Meeting which took place on November 10th at CUPAV – Centro Universitário Padre António Vieira, in Lisbon.

global-citiz-and-ecology

The aim of the meeting, which was held as part of the Ca(u)sa Comum project, was to gather different civil society organizations to reflect on various possible paths and cooperative work to join Global Citizenship Education and Integral Ecology. The meeting was attended by 21 participants from 12 different institutions with relevant work in both areas. Throughout the day it was possible to get to know the project, learn about the different institutions attending, – i.e., their mission and concrete action – as well as to share ideas and visions.

Ecology is one of the greatest challenges of our times, a point of discussion and a concern for both political and civil society leaders. With this project, Uma Ca(u)sa Comum – Educar para a Cidadania Global pela Ecologia Integral, both entities which are linked to the Portuguese Jesuits, are committed to the dialogue between civil society organizations so that – together – we can look at ecological matters and the world as a common cause (and a common home (casa)) and understand and reflect on ecology as one of the structural causes at the source of situations of poverty, social injustice, and inequality on a global scale.

Over two years, the Ca(u)sa Comum project will work in Portugal with Civil Society Organizations, educators, students, informal groups and public sector (in the areas of Cooperation, Environment and Education). Two additional meetings are planned, in addition to several other activities such as the production of educational resources, training of facilitators and implementation of training at two Schools, as well as a Seminar and, in the advocacy area, the development of recommendations for key stakeholders.

This is an initiative of Fundação Gonçalo da Silveira and Associação Casa Velha – Ecologia e Espiritualidade, co-funded by Camões – Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua, I.P. 

Source: Jesuits in Europe