The We Have Faith – Act Now for Climate Justice Pan Africa Cycling Caravan launches this Saturday 29th August. Cyclists are setting off on a 6500km journey from Maputo to raise the voices of people at the forefront of a changing climate. The caravan will go through South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania to Kenya. Along the way the cyclists and activists will collect one million signatures demanding action on climate change.
“This is the first ever long-distance caravan on bicycles led by young men and women from faith communities and civil society organisations in Africa, in support of one of the most important yet challenging issues of our time,” says John Nduna, ACT Alliance General Secretary.
The launch is expected to be presided over by His Excellency the President of Mozambique, plus Government Officials, the ACT Global Ambassador Representative, Bishop Carlos Matshinhe, the Climate Justice National Ambassador in Mozambique Rev. Marcos Macamo among others. After a weekend of action and mobilisation, the cyclists leave the city on 31st August (to coincide with the first day of the UN Climate Talks in Bonn).
“We need an agreement that immediately recognises the need for protection of the millions of people affected by the impacts of climate change, through building their resilience and adaptation capabilities,” says Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, of the Anglican Church in South Africa, who is the global ambassador of the campaign.
We Have Faith – ACT Now for Climate Justice is a joint Pan African initiative of the We Have Faith, Act Alliance, PACJA and Oxfam in Africa. Cycling is part of the global campaign of ACT Alliance and churches all over the world demanding for just, equitable and ambitious climate agreement from COP 21 in Paris, France, later this year.
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Notes:
Campaign up-dates are available on Twitter at @ACTNowforCJ and Facebook. The global petition is available at www.actclimate.org
For further information contact: Benson Ireri (BIreri@christian-aid.org) or Vitumbiko Chinoko (Vitumbiko.Chinoko@actalliance.org, Tel.: +41791063912)
