ACT Alliance will host a Global Conference on Latin America and the Caribbean from March 27th to 29th, 2019 in Guatemala City. The conference will define strategies to contribute to achieving political solutions, social reconciliation and solidarity to counteract the backlash against human rights and the increase in inequalities, violence and emerging conflicts in Latin America.
“The Conference will help us to discern and discuss proposals to face the complex and volatile situation in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as its intersection with global political processes and their implication for human rights, security, democracy, humanitarian needs and sustainable development”, said Carlos Rauda,ACT’s Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean.
The region is facing a growing crisis affecting different countries and subregions, with a variety of major implications, from humanitarian crises to violence against human rights defenders to a shrinking space for civil society. In many countries, the polarised, simplistic fundamentalist narrative monopolizes the public sphere. It is harder and harder for those who attempt to close the divide with moderate viewpoints, that try to recognize the nuanced nature of the conflict to be Heard. All of these dynamics are affecting the people, especially the most vulnerable.
The members of ACT Alliance, ecumenical organisations and faith-based organisations (FBOs) in Latin America are worried and affected by these trends.
“Theological analysis is essential to us, given our identity as a faith-based organization. We have to base our response and actions on our identity and on our global strategy,” said Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary of the Alliance.
It is expected that sixty people from ACT Alliance, universities, the UN, government representatives, FBOs, civil society organizations, social movements and media representatives will participate in the event.
ACT Alliance is a coalition of 152 churches and church-related organisations working together in over 140 countries to create positive and sustainable change in the lives of poor and marginalised people regardless of their religion, politics, gender, sexual orientation, race or nationality in keeping with the highest international codes and standards.
