On Monday, June 28th, 2021, at 13:00 GMT the II Colloquium JESEDU-Global2021 was officially opened! Over 400 leaders from our Jesuit schools around the world attended the Opening Ceremony. Here they learned more about what to expect in the following days of the Colloquium and met their colleagues from other Jesuit schools in breakout rooms. Other members of our global community were also part of this fantastic event, watching the Opening Ceremony through a live broadcast via the Colloquium Hub on Educate Magis.

The event was held in English but the audience had the option of choosing real time interpretation in Spanish and in French. This together with the engaging facilitation by the three hosts, Fr. Manny Uy SJ of the Philippines, Ciara Beuster of Educate Magis, and Felipe Carrillo of FLACSI, gave the opening ceremony a personal and warm atmosphere. « We are not together face to face, catching up over a cup of coffee like we have done in past global gatherings », one of the hosts commented. « But thanks to technology and the hard work of everyone involved in the realization of this global event we are able to meet virtually and share together. »

Fr. José Mesa SJ, was also present at the opening ceremony. His speech was inspiring and informative on the purpose of this and other global gatherings. Fr. José also invited everyone, in light of the Ignatian Year, « to see all things new in Christ and renew our commitment for a Jesuit Education that can actively participate in the construction of a world of human fraternity where the ecological, social and spiritual crisis can be opportunities for transformation leaving behind all that divide us and make us see others as strangers, rivals, or enemies. Jesuit Education is an education that can bring to our world the reconciliation and hope we need ».

We also listened attentively to Fr. General’s speech, « As humanity, it is important to ask what type of education we need for the present and the future so that new generations who attend our schools have the opportunity to be educated as people for and with others, involved in the construction of the new world we want ».  He emphasized the importance of the discernment process and offered his support and accompaniment to all participants who are undergoing this process during the duration of this Colloquium, « it is through discernment that we can accompany, listen to and together with our students build a truly hoped-filled future as the Universal Apostolic Preferences ask us. »

To conclude the event, we were surprised with a beautiful and moving song « In everything love and serve the Lord », performed by students from the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific.

Leaders from our Jesuit schools will be participating in Global Discernment Circles throughout this week.

On July 2nd, the synthesized fruits of these discernments and the reflections gathered during the pre-colloquium will be shared in the Closing Ceremony. Everyone from our global community is invited to watch the Closing Ceremony on Friday, July 2nd, at 13h00 GMT through this page or alternatively on the Educate Magis You Tube channel.

There will be another wonderful surprise! Don’t miss out! Save the date!

If you missed the Opening Ceremony you can watch the recording here!