Brussels, May 8th, 2017 – From May 9th to 13th, supporters of CIDSE’s member organizations will gather in Portugal to experience firsthand the ecological conversion that is called for in Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’.
The transformative journey of the participants will culminate with a “Walk for Change” to Fatima, where Pope Francis will be present to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Marian shrine.
The camp is being organised as part of the Change for the planet – Care for the people campaign in collaboration with CIDSE’s Portuguese member FEC – Fundação Fé e Cooperação. Participants will be staying at Casa Velha, a spiritual and ecological center in Portugal, where they will have the opportunity to share and reflect on how to transition towards just and sustainable models of consumption and production, and put into practice concrete ways of living more sustainably.
“The Laudato Si’ Action Camp is intended to be a simple, shared and sustainable living experience that will take place over three days. As the hosting organization, FEC’s purpose is to gather people from different contexts and with them raise public awareness, participate in mobilization activities and show that it is possible to transform the world we live in, so that [our planet] truly becomes a Common Home, where everyone has a place and of which we are all responsible“, said Margarida Alvim, Project coordinator at FEC.
Participants from Belgium/Broederlijk Delen, United Kingdom/CAFOD, Canada/Development &Peace, Slovakia/eRko, Spain/Manos Unidas, as well as members of IMCS Pax Romana, will be joining FEC volunteers at Casa Velha for three days of collective work and exchanges on sustainable living initiatives.
The experience will end with an 18 km walk to Fatima on May 12th to hear Pope Francis speak on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the visions of the Virgin Mary at Fatima.
Afterwards, participants will be encouraged to remain in contact as a way of contributing to build an international network of people committed to the changes needed to care for our planet and create a just world, and to take action in their home countries.
The camp will be followed by a similar one in early July in Belgium that is being organised by CIDSE’s Belgian Flemish member Broederlijk Delen and that also aims to inspire individuals to live more sustainably and foster a global community of actors for change.
The experiences of participants will be shared on a blog, on social media and on the CIDSE website. Make sure to follow their journey of transformation!
Please note that CIDSE will be present in Fatima on 12-13 May 2017.
For more information or interviews:
Kelly Di Domenico, Media and Communications Officer
didomenico@cidse.org
Tel: +32 (0)2 282 40 73
Cell: +32 (0)4 91 39 54 75