MONTREAL, Aug. 8, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Development and Peace is proud to be an official partner of the 2016 World Social Forum (WSF), which is being held in Montreal from August 9th to 14th.
This worldwide meeting of civil society organizations, social movements, activists and engaged citizens was first started in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 2001 in response to the rapid expansion of globalization policies that were creating exclusion and poverty. Since then, the Forum has been held in India, Senegal and Tunisia, amongst other countries, and for the first this year, is being held in a wealthy nation, signalling the urgent need for a global response to exclusionary economic models that are destroying the planet.
"This is an important event for taking steps to transform the world, which is why Development and Peace is supporting the WSF. We are excited that it is taking place in Montreal as it presents an opportunity to engage concerned people from "rich" countries in their role as global citizens. We hope that people will take advantage of this unique occasion when people committed to economic, social, and ecological justice from around the world gather in Montreal," says Christian Champigny, Deputy Director of International Programs at Development and Peace. "We must all work together if we want real change to happen," he added.
There are over one thousand activities that will take place during the WSF that will engage participants on issues such as climate change, extractivism, food sovereignty and more, and propose alternatives and solutions to the challenges the world is currently facing.
The organization has invited 12 guest speakers from Honduras, Brazil, the Philippines, Nigeria, Haiti, Cambodia, Burundi, Bolivia and Ecuador, who are all working to address injustices faced by their communities with support from Development and Peace.
They will be presenting at various workshops co-organized by Development and Peace, including one on Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si', as well as on agroecology, ecological justice and more. Panelists at these events will share the experiences of their communities and initiate discussions and debates on actions to take to create a better world. Development and Peace's full WSF program is available at devp.org.
The organization is also placing strong emphasis on youth participation and engagement and will have a delegation of 20 youth from across Canada, as well as from Haiti and Cambodia, who will have the opportunity to attend and lead workshops, including on how to get involved in advocacy and mobilizing around climate change. Other Development and Peace members will also be travelling from across Canada to participate in the WSF.
Development and Peace is the official international development organization of the Catholic Church in Canada. It works in partnership with local organizations in over 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin American and the Middle East to create greater justice in the world and to act in solidarity with the most vulnerable.
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