This week, ACT’s General Secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria joined leaders from the world’s major Christian denominations in a joint letter calling on communities to engage in the Season of Creation.

Season of Creation is celebrated every year from September 1 to October 4 by Christians around the world through prayer and action to protect the environment.

The letter affirms the growing commitment of Christian leaders to environmental protection across various denominations. “As the environmental crisis deepens, we Christians are urgently called to witness to our faith by taking bold action to preserve the gift we share,” the letter reads.

“As a faith based network, ACT Alliance recognizes the moral and spiritual obligation to care for creation and for the people and communities that are most affected by environmental degradation,” said Bueno de Faria. “I encourage ACT members to mobilize their communities and networks to engage in the Season of Creation through prayer and action for environmental protection and for solidarity with the most vulnerable,” he continued.

“The ACT Alliance will continue to engage with governments, civil society, people’s movements, faith based organizations, and others for environmental protection. The Season of Creation provides us with a moment to acknowledge the role of human impact on the environment and importantly to reflect on the gift of creation,” said Bueno de Faria.

The letter is available below and on our website here.

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Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?” (Job 12:7-9, NRSV)

Once every year, from September 1 to October 4, members of the Christian family set aside time to deepen our relationship with the Creator, each other, and all of creation. This is the Season of Creation, which began in 1989 with the first recognition of the day of prayer for creation by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Orthodox Church, and which is now ​embraced by the wider ecumenical family.

During the Season of Creation, we join together to rejoice in the good gift of creation and reflect on how we care for it.  This season offers a precious opportunity to pause in the midst of our day-to-day lives and contemplate the fabric of life into which we are woven.

As the environmental crisis deepens, we Christians are urgently called to witness to our faith by taking bold action to preserve the gift we share. As the psalmist sings, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.” (Psalm 24:1-2)  During the Season of Creation, we ask ourselves: Do our actions honor the Lord as Creator?  Are there ways to deepen our faith by protecting “the least of these,” who are most vulnerable to the consequences of environmental degradation?

We invite you to join us on a journey of faith that challenges and rewards us with fresh perspective and deeper bonds of love. United in our sincere wish to protect creation and all those who share it, we join hands across denominations as sisters and brothers in Christ.  During this season, we walk together towards greater stewardship of our place in creation.

“O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.”  (Psalm 104:1-2)  

With you, we give thanks for the community of believers around the world that is bringing love to creation this season, and we praise the Creator for the gifts we share.

In God’s grace,

Archbishop Job of Telmessos, Permanent Representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the WCC, on behalf of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

Most Rev. & Rt. Hon Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

Cardinal Peter K.A. Turkson, Prefect, Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development

Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of World Council of Churches

Rev. Dr. Chris Ferguson, General Secretary, World Communion of Reformed Churches

Bishop Efraim Tendero, Secretary-General of the World Evangelical Alliance

Rev. Dr. Martin Junge, General Secretary, Lutheran World Federation

Mr. Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary, ACT Alliance

Fr. Heikki Huttunen, General Secretary, Conference of European Churches

More information is available at the Season of Creation website SeasonOfCreation.org

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The Season of Creation Steering Committee is comprised of ACT Alliance, Anglican Communion Environmental Network, ARocha, Christian Aid, Global Catholic Climate Movement, Lausanne/World Evangelical Alliance Creation Care Network, Lutheran World Federation, and World Council of Churches.

The anti-government protests which started on April 18 have resulted in further political instability and a rising death toll in Nicaragua. Initially spurred by President Daniel Ortega’s plans to change social welfare conditions, protests became deadly after violent clashes with police. Last week, conflict across various cities in Nicaragua, escalated as a demonstration held by mothers and relatives of disappeared and deceased youth was violently repressed by military and paramilitary groups.

The National Dialogue for Peace which aimed to facilitate discussions between government representatives, students, unions, farmers, and other members of civil society has broken down and has been suspended indefinitely. Growing frustrations over corruption and an autocratic government has exacerbated the situation and protesters are calling for the resignation of President Ortega.

“As ACT Alliance, we express our solidarity with the Nicaraguan people and our concern about the escalation of confrontations across the country.  In this moment, it is crucial to find ways to immediately stop the violence and resume the dialogue– with broad participation– to overcome the current crisis and agree on a national pact to find sustainable solutions to the causes of these conflicts,” says Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary of ACT Alliance.

The ACT Alliance Nicaragua Forum has issued a Statement reaffirming the need for reconciliation, peace and democracy in Nicaragua. “As faith-based organizations, we work for peace, justice, solidarity, dialogue, inclusion and peaceful coexistence among Nicaraguan brothers and sisters, we reiterate our solidarity and accompaniment to all expressions in favour of reconciliation based on justice and we raise our prayers to the Creator so that the conflict in Nicaragua ceases, the doors to understanding are opened, the rights of all are respected and the welfare of each person is guaranteed,” the Statement reads.

We, the ecumenical and faith-based organizations members of the ACT Guatemala Forum, concerned about the latest events that highlight the complex situation and adverse environment regarding human rights, the search for justice and the struggle against corruption and impunity in Guatemala, state:

• Our concern due to the deep deterioration of Human Rights Defenders in Guatemala. Recently, between May 9 and 14, three community leaders were killed in Guatemala: Luis Arturo Marroquin from the Peasant Development Committee (CODECA); José Can Xol and Mateo Chaman Paau both from the Peasant Committee of the Altiplano (CCDA). Two of these murders took place immediately after the visit of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, who denounced the lack of access to justice and the lack of a guarantee to respect of the rights of Indigenous communities, as well as the high rates of criminalization of their leaders, among other problems.
• Our concern about the continuous trend of shrinking spaces for democracy and the promotion of several laws designed to limit the full exercise of basic and fundamental rights in Guatemala, the proposals for reforms to the Law on Non-Governmental Organizations, the Law on prior Consultation[1], the Anti-Terrorism Law and the Electoral Law in particular.
• Our concerns with the increased hostility towards foreign missions and partners who are supportive of human rights and democracy in Guatemala, including the expulsion of the ambassadors from Sweden and Venezuela. This trend could have a negative and irreversible impact on the fundamental work of institutions working in defence of justice in Guatemala, such as the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) and other state institutions such as the Public Ministry.

The sum of all these actions represents an adverse and regressive environment for democratic institutionalism, governance, justice and human rights in Guatemala which become serious threats to the fight against corruption and impunity. Therefore, we not only express our solidarity with the families and communities who have lost their loved ones, but we also want to call attention to the great risk these events pose to  justice, democracy and respect for human rights in Guatemala.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”  (Matthew 5:10-12)

Genève May 31^st, 2018

Read the statement in Spanish here: Comunicado Foro ACT Guatemala

[1]  Related to ILO Indigenous and Tribal Convention No. 169

“Slavery violates the free will and the integrity of every human being created in the image of God.” – Rudelmar Bueno de Faria.

Earlier this month, an International Forum on Modern Slavery was convened by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, under the auspice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina. The Forum, “Old Problems in the New World,” was cosponsored by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and South America, and Patriarch Athenagoras of the Orthodox Institute of Berkeley, California.

The Forum brought together civil society, faith leaders, government representatives and others to discuss modern slavery. Participants explored the connection of modern slavery to trafficking, the role of Christians and Churches, and some of the initiatives that Faith Based Organizations have adopted in responding to the crisis of modern slavery.

Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary of ACT Alliance, delivered the keynote address. “Slavery violates the free will and the integrity of every human being created in the image of God,” said Bueno de Faria.

Modern slavery broadly refers to a situation where one person takes away the freedom of another. The world’s most widespread form of slavery is debt bondage which occurs when someone borrows money that they cannot repay and is required to work to pay off the debt. Often in these cases there is little chance to fully repay the debt and the type and duration of work is unknown.

Other forms of modern slavery include forced labour, where people are threatened or punished to do something against their will. Forced and early marriage, which is when someone is married against their will or at a very young age. And human trafficking, which involves the transporting, recruiting or harbouring of people for the purpose of sexual and other exploitation.

“As Churches, our prophetic voice is important and must be heard. We have to denounce this injustice, we have to push national governments to implement strict laws against modern slavery, and to provide resources and services for trafficked victims,” he continued.

According to the International Labour Organization and the Walk Free Foundation in partnership with the International Organization for Migration, the rate of modern slavery in 2016 was highest in Africa where there was 7.6 victims of modern slavery for every 1,000 people.

Modern slavery and its human rights implications is of concern to ACT Alliance, particularly in the context of ACT’s work on migration and displacement. Women make up half of the world’s 244 million migrants and half of the world’s 65 million displaced people. It is estimated that 71 percent of modern slaves are women. As a large share of modern slavery can be traced to migration, improved migration governance is essential to prevent forced labour and to protect victims.

“In addition, it is important that Churches make their structures available for social protection and provide the support necessary to reduce the vulnerabilities that may push people into various forms of modern slavery,” said Bueno de Faria.

Putting an end to modern slavery will require a multi-faceted response that addresses the root causes of various economic, socio-cultural (including gendered), legal, and other factors that contribute to vulnerability which often enable abuse.

“As Christians we have a moral responsibility to promote life in abundance, as well as to restore human dignity to all,” said Bueno de Faria. “We have to point out modern slavery as a shameful sin, acknowledging that our ignorance and indifference leads to a tolerance and complacency of the trafficking of persons,” he continued.

“There are many other actions that we can take as Churches to eradicate the trafficking of people. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. The best way to identify the solutions is to have frank discussions with our congregations on the problem in our specific contexts and to identify our roles as Christians to respond to the crisis,” concluded Bueno de Faria.

Over one month has passed since political upheaval engulfed Nicaragua’s capital city, Managua. Demonstrations started on April 18 as Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega planned to change the nation’s social welfare conditions. The decision was met by resistance and protests which became violent after clashing with police. The clashes have had severe consequences including illegal arrests, media censorship, road blockades, injury, and death. President Ortega has since withdrawn this plan and although the violent protests declined, political unrest has prevailed.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) conducted an investigation and a subsequent report on the situation, identifying that at least 76 people have been killed and 868 injured, while the government has only acknowledged 18 deaths. The IACHR also reported that 438 people were detained by authorities in the process.

The ACT Alliance Nicaragua Forum has been closely monitoring the situation. Deeply concerned by the infringements of human rights, the Nicaragua Forum expresses its solidarity with the people of Nicaragua in a Statement released on May 18th, 2018.

“We are concerned in the current conflict, about the suffering of the affected families who have lost their loved ones, the mistreatment of the detainees, the uncertainty of those who do not find their relatives, the economic loss due to the destruction of businesses and public goods, censoring of the media, the bad international image the country is projecting as well as lack of trust that the population has of the National Police, whose mission is to safeguard order and citizen security,” the Statement reads.

The ACT Alliance Nicaragua Forum has called on national authorities, “to respect human rights, freedom of speech, allowing every citizen to make use of their right to peaceful protest within the legal and civic frameworks of the nation.”

On May 16, a series of National Dialogues for Peace was launched by National Authorities in the hope that peace could be restored in Managua. The Dialogues, mediated by the Episcopal Conference of the Catholic Church brought together various interest groups including government representatives, students, unions, farmers, and other members of civil society. The most recent Dialogue that took place on May 23rd was suspended indefinitely by the Catholic Church as no progress had been made between the government and civil society.

“The Dialogues are crucial to guarantee peace, justice and the rights of all people as well to ensure that an inclusive monitoring mechanism is implemented with key sectors including Faith Based Organizations,” said Carlos Rauda, ACT’s Regional Representative of Latin America and the Caribbean.

The IACHR developed 15 recommendations for the State of Nicaragua to implement to safeguard human rights including an immediate stop to the repression and detention of people who participated in the protests.

Safeguarding the rights of the people of Nicaragua is of utmost importance and the ACT Alliance Nicaragua Forum calls on national authorities and the people of Nicaragua to prevent any hatred and revenge that has the potential to further threaten life and exacerbate the crisis.

The ACT Nicaragua Forum’s Statement concludes, “As faith based organizations, we believe in the power of God to bless our nation with lasting peace and consequently call upon our faithful to continue to pray for peace in our beloved country. Our hope and faith are in our great and mighty God. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the communion of the Holy Spirit and the love of the Father be with us in this difficult time.”

The full Statement is available for download here.

For many years Bread for the World together with its partners, and particularly through ACT Alliance’s advocacy work on climate justice, has supported and enabled communities to fight for changes in policy and practice to ensure that the most vulnerable communities are protected from the worsening impacts of climate change.

More often than not, the difference between a community’s resilience and complete devastation in the wake of intensified climate impacts and disasters is the availability of resources and the capacity to anticipate, prepare for and respond to these impacts in a timely manner. It is against this backdrop that ACT Alliance member Bread for the World (BfdW) organized a study tour around Germany for its partners from around the world.

The study tour brought together 16 BfdW partners from Fiji, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, Bangladesh, Nepal, Tanzania, Ethiopia, India, and Philippines. The main objective of the study tour was to enhance the knowledge of BfdW partners on the technical, socioeconomic and political issues related to climate change adaptation, climate risk reduction, and climate risk insurance and risk financing in Germany.

The study tour visited some of Germany’s regions that are prone to and are frequently affected by extreme weather events including the city of Hamburg, the Island of Föhr in the North Sea, and the Island of Hooge in the Wadden Sea. Partners also met with decision makers, researchers, experts on climate related insurance and risk management, and with community leaders and people affected by extreme weather events.

During a tour of the flood protection initiative of Hamburg guided by Jan-Moritz Mueller from the city’s Flood Protection Unit, participants were informed of the various technologies and capacities that the city has invested in to enhance its resilience to flooding. The protection strategy which also includes an early warning system costs the city upwards of 50 million Euro per year.

“It is incredible to see the robust programmes and initiatives to address the risks and to reduce the impacts of the floods. What came to my mind immediately is the abundance of finances, knowledge and technology in this part of the world. This is what enables action,” said Frances Namoumou, one of the participants from the Pacific Conference of Churches in Fiji.

The visit to the islands of Föhr and Hooge particularly resonated with participants from small, climate vulnerable islands in the Pacific. Not only were the impacts of climate change familiar, but so were the stories from the communities living on the islands. During a local church meeting community members expressed their wishes of not having to leave their homes despite the risk of floods. “It was an eye-opener that climate induced displacement was an issue here as well, and what resonated very much was the fact that the people on these German islands do not want to leave their land, just like we do not want to leave ours,” said Frances.

Tetet Lauron from Ibon International in the Philippines related the connection between communities that are affected by climate change and other risks as a reaffirmation of our shared humanity. “It is interesting to see that people here face similar challenges and difficult questions that we face in our own countries. We have the shared human value of protecting ourselves and the ones that we love,” she said.

Rex Solo from the Solomon Islands was quick to notice the high level of adaptive and risk reduction infrastructures such as dykes, dunes and sea walls on the German Islands. “If there was a way to ensure that funding, technology and capacity could somehow reach us in our countries, then we could build our own adaptive capabilities,” he said.

Tetet further elaborated on the issue of differing country capacities, a concern that is shared by many developing countries. “There is a stark difference in capacity between a rich country like Germany and the countries that we come from. The inequality that we have seen in global development and specifically related to capacities and resources to address climate change is huge. While many of the issues that we face are similar, the difference is also massive”.

According to Vijeta Rattani from India, some of the technologies that she has seen on the tour could benefit people from her country. “There is still very little sharing of resources and capacities between developed and developing countries. This needs to be encouraged in the context of climate action and for the implementation of the Paris Agreement. In addition, some of the technologies could be adjusted so that we get low cost, accessible alternatives,” said Vijeta.

According to Sabine Minninger, Bread for the World’s climate change policy adviser, and the organizer of the study tour, “The main purpose of the study tour was to create a sense of solidarity between the North and South with the understanding that the impacts of climate change are the same.” Sabine continued, “The people from the Hooge and the people from Tuvalu are facing the same threats, the main difference is that Germany is a rich country and has the financial means to avoid the worst havoc even if the global temperature rises beyond 1.5 degree Celsius, while this will be life threatening for the people from Tuvalu.”

Recognizing this reality, ACT Alliance’s global climate justice work focuses on supporting and building the resilience of communities in developing countries. It also calls for developed countries to take responsibility and to provide leadership on climate action.

“All partners taking part in the study tour are involved in project work on the frontlines of climate change or in political advocacy work within the UN climate negotiations. Together, we continue to call for climate justice and for appropriate means of implementation from rich countries to the poor countries. Comparing the adaptation projects in Germany and seeing the suffering of the poorest people in Bangladesh clearly shows the lack of proportionality of access to technical support and finance for the poorest people to protect themselves,” said Sabine.

The study tour also presented the opportunity for partners to meet and engage with representatives from key German institutions that are pioneering policy and political approaches for addressing climate change, including climate insurance. Partners engaged with representatives from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the G7/ G20 InsuResilience Secretariat, the Munich Climate Risk Insurance Initiative, and the German Bank for Reconstruction and Development (KfW). In addition, partners met representatives from the UNFCCC and also visited the Agricultural University of Geisenheim, where cutting edge research and development on adaptation in the context of Viniculture is currently underway.

Sophie Gebreyes, country representative of ACT Alliance member the Lutheran World Federation in Ethiopia said, “We are constantly experiencing humanitarian situations that are either induced or exacerbated by climate change. This study tour has been a wonderful opportunity for me to reflect on how a developed country like Germany is addressing these challenges and how we may be able to do the same in our own contexts.” Sophie added, “I had never met anyone from Tuvalu before.”

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Written by Isaiah Toroitich, Global Advocacy and Policy Coordinator, ACT Alliance

Desafío que Aceptamos: Campaña regional de la FUMEC sobre justicia socio ambiental, economía y construcción de Paz.

Desde hace algunos años la Federación universal de movimientos estudiantiles cristianos (WSCF) viene entrenando estudiantes y jóvenes en el servicio ecuménico y la incidencia en escala local en el trabajo por la justicia económica y ecológica.

Más recientemente, y dentro del marco de trabajo de la campaña en América Latina y el Caribe “Desafío que Aceptamos”, se realizó un encuentro de formación y entrenamiento en agosto de 2017 en Barranquilla, Colombia.  Ocho movimientos afiliados a la FUMEC de diversos países de la región participaron, entre los cuales se encuentran Cuba, México, Colombia, Venezuela, Brasil, Perú, Bolivia y Argentina.  Como región se le ha venido haciendo seguimiento a la planificación y objetivos del encuentro de entrenamiento “Juventud por Eco Justicia y Paz: Desafío que Aceptamos”

En dicho encuentro tres pilares fueron desarrollados: La relación entre ética, cambio climático y Economía; la relación entre la Justicia de género, Derechos humanos y  Ecología y por último la manera como estas relaciones de poder afectan a los más vulnerables y el mantenimiento de una Paz duradera y justa. A este trinomio de análisis lo denominamos Eco Justicia: Economía, Ecología y la búsqueda de Paz en su sentido más  integral.

Desde ese punto de partida, los jóvenes analizan el contexto latinoamericano y sus vulnerabilidades, y reflexionan desde una perspectiva ética sobre las relaciones de desigualdad en torno a la explotación de los recursos naturales, la economía y sus consecuencias frente al cambio climático. En base a estos análisis es que venimos realizando actividades de entrenamiento local e incidencia en las comunidades donde los y las jóvenes miembros de los Movimientos de la FUMEC desarrollan su trabajo.

Nuestra idea es, además, la creación de un grupo estable de trabajo sobre justicia climática y socio ambiental a nivel global -la FUMEC es una organización global con más de 107 movimientos afiliados- Entendemos que el trabajo que acompaña las grandes políticas climáticas tanto en lo local como en las conversaciones globales dentro de las COP tienen que tener un correlato en el trabajo local. Por ejemplo, concientizando a las personas para ser más activas y responsables en el cuidado del medio ambiente y en la participación activa y con principios ciudadanos en espacios entre gobierno, sociedad civil y organizaciones basahadas en la Fe.

No es una tarea fácil, ya que es realizada sin los recursos apropiados necesarios para la incidencia pero,  con la fuerza y movimiento de los miembros de una organización como la FUMEC que es liderada por jóvenes y estudiantes hemos logrado avanzar en diferentes aspectos.

Entre los desafíos que tenemos por delante será la unificación de narrativas para la incidencia. Nuestra participación en el grupo de trabajo de ACT alianza, así como en otros espacios regionales permitirá desarrollar más claramente estas narrativas y desarrollo de capacidades instaladas para que más jóvenes y estudiantes puedan unirse a este trabajo.

Desde diciembre del 2017 y hasta junio del 2018 se desarrollan actividades de seguimiento al proyecto, cada movimiento tiene autónomamente un pequeño proyecto para cumplir con los desafíos y objetivos que nos venimos planteando como federación. En el segundo semestre del 2018 y con los resultados de los proyectos y la campaña regional expondremos los resultados generales de la campaña y analizaremos como estos resultados impactan en nuestros países latinoamericanos y caribeños.

Este es el Desafio que Aceptamos.

Marcelo D. Leites
Secretario Ejecutivo FUMEC ALC

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The Challenge We Accept: World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) regional campaign on socio-environmental justice, economy and peace building.

For some years, WSCF has been training students and young people in ecumenical service and advocating on the local scale in the work for economic and ecological justice.

More recently, and within the framework of the campaign in Latin America and the Caribbean the “Challenge we accept“, a training meeting was held in August 2017 in Barranquilla, Colombia. Eight movements that are affiliated to the WSCF from different countries of the region participated, among which are Cuba, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. As a region we have been monitoring the planning and implementation of the training meeting that focused on, “Youth for Eco Justice and Peace: Challenge We Accept”.

In this meeting three pillars were developed: The relationship between ethics, climate change and Economy; the relationship between Gender Justice, Human Rights and Ecology, and finally; the way in which these power relations affect the most vulnerable and the maintenance of a lasting and just Peace. We call this trinomial of analysis Eco Justice: Economy, Ecology and the search for Peace in its most integral sense.

From this point of view, youth analyzed the Latin American context and its vulnerabilities, and reflected from an ethical perspective, on the relations of inequality around the exploitation of natural resources, the economy and its consequences in the face of climate change. Based on these analyses, we have been carrying out local trainings and advocacy activities in the communities where the young members of WSCF Movements are carrying out their work.

Our idea is to develop a steady, global working group on climate and socio-environmental justice. WSCF is a global organization with more than 107 affiliated movements. We understand that the work that accompanies the great climate policies, both in the local and in the global conversations within the COPs, have to have a connection to local work. For example, raising awareness among people to be more active and responsible in caring for the environment and in active participation in citizen engagements in spaces between government, civil society and Faith based organizations.

This is not an easy task, as it is carried out without the appropriate resources necessary for advocacy, instead, it is driven by the strength and dedication of the members of an organization such as WSCF, which is led by young people and students. Together, we have made progress in different areas. Among the challenges that lie ahead will be the unification of our narratives for advocacy. Our participation in the working group of ACT alliance, as well as in other regional spaces will allow us to develop these narratives and the capacities of youth more clearly so that more young people and students can join this work. Since December 2017 until June 2018, follow-up activities have been developed for the project, each movement has a small project to accomplish the challenges and objectives that we have been proposing as a federation. In the second half of 2018 and with the results of the projects and the regional campaign, we will present the general results of the campaign and analyze how these results impact our Latin American and Caribbean countries. This is the Challenge that we accept.

Marcelo D. Leites
Regional Secretary WSCF LAC and Eco Justice Global Program Director

ACT Alliance condemns the killing of Palestinian people on their own land.  Such disgraceful acts of violence must stop.  The ACT Alliance stands in solidarity with its members, the ACT Palestine Forum, ecumenical partners and churches in the Holy Land and the global church in their ongoing humanitarian work, and in calling for an end to violence and the protection of human rights.

Since the evening of Monday 14 May 2018 Palestinians who were peacefully protesting on  the Gaza side on the Israel Gaza eastern border have been met with Israeli live ammunition, resulting in over 60  lives lost and over 2800 people injured; this being the deadliest days of the Israeli – Palestinian conflict since the 2014 Gaza War.  The Palestinians were killed or maimed on their land, protesting for their right to return to their homes and lands; against the moving of the United States Embassy to Jerusalem; and protesting against the blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The ACT Alliance condemns these completely  disproportional acts of violence and violations of International Humanitarian Law, and International Human Rights Law, especially the right to Freedom of Assembly.

Ahead of the special session of the UN Human Rights Council on 18 May, 2018 to discuss the deteriorating situation in Gaza, the ACT Alliance supports the call for investigations  of violations of international law in the events that have unfolded since 14 May in Gaza.  The ACT Alliance condemns use of lethal force except as a last resort.

The ACT Alliance urges the Security Council and State Parties to the United Nations to step up efforts to find a peaceful resolution; and is discouraged by the outcomes of its Tuesday 15 May emergency meeting.

The ACT Alliance fully supports the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) in its statement of May 14 2018, for a two state solution “We want to see two viable and sovereign independent states, living side by side with agreed upon borders, and with Jerusalem as a shared city for Christians, Jews and Muslims”[1]

ACT Alliance reiterates its words of 12 March this year, when it launched a study on – The Protection of Space for Civil Society and Human Rights Defenders – the Case of Israel and Palestine-

“The freedom of assembly and association is a fundamental right enshrined in international law.  It is our moral responsibility to stand with those working in difficult contexts. Standing with human rights defenders who are working in restricting situations is standing with humanity”.[2]

During this trying and difficult time for ACT members, the ACT Palestine Forum, ecumenical partners and churches in the Holy Land and the global church,  the ACT Alliance extends its solidarity, and continues to accompany them in their humanitarian response, justice and peace efforts.  An ACT alert on the situation heeding for support has been issued today as members are working frantically to do all they can to help.[3]

ACT Alliance reiterates its concern from December 7, 2018, “We call upon the international community to continue to recognize the international status of Jerusalem and to push for a peaceful and just settlement based on the UN Resolutions and respect for the human dignity and life of the Palestinians.”

Rudelmar Bueno de Faria
General Secretary, ACT Alliance

Current ACT Alliance statements on Palestine by ACT Alliance

ACT Alliance study on the ‘Protection of Space for Civil Society and Human Rights Defenders – The Case of Israel and Palestine’

https://actalliance.org/act-news/act-alliance-study-on-the-protection-of-space-for-civil-society-and-human-rights-defenders-the-case-of-israel-and-palestine/

ACT expresses concern over US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel

https://actalliance.org/act-news/act-expresses-concern-over-us-recognition-of-jerusalem-as-capital-of-israel/

[1] Bishop Sani Ibrahim Azar: In a Statement on the Opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem) http://www.elcjhl.org/statement-concerning-the-opening-of-the-u-s-embassy-in-jerusalem/

[2] – Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary of ACT Alliance

[3]  https://actalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Alerts_Conflict_OPTs_Gaza.pdf

“We have heard about what happens when floods hit developed countries, they quickly rebuild and life continues. But when floods hit in countries like Uganda as is happening right now, you can’t imagine how long it takes for us to get things back to normal,” said Edith Kateme-Kasajja, climate finance negotiator from Uganda and negotiator of the Least Developed Country Group during the ACT Alliance side event at the Climate Conference in Bonn.

“We are calling on our colleagues and development partners to ensure that countries that are resource constraint and vulnerable to climate change are given the priority to access climate finance,” she continued. Kateme-Kasajja’s call shed light on the challenges and concerns of many developing countries to access climate finance in order to respond to the negative impacts of climate change.

The side event was co-hosted by ACT Alliance, along with the Danish 92-Group, a coalition of Danish NGO’s working on environmental and development issues. The purpose of the side event Counting Climate Finance that is Fair and Transparent, was to explore and to discuss the accounting, transparency and accessibility of climate finance which has become a central theme in the climate negotiations in the lead up to the 24^th Conference of the Parties (COP24) to be held in Katowice, Poland later this year.

The side event also aimed to encourage discussion on the various opinions on what should comprise climate finance from the perspectives of CSOs and governments. A range of organizations and representatives participated, including Vicky Noens of the Government of Flanders- Belgium, Edith Kateme-Kasajja of the Government of Uganda, Tracy Carty of Oxfam International, and Mattias Söderberg of ACT Alliance member DanChurchAid.

Climate finance is an essential form of support for particularly vulnerable countries to be able to make progress on sustainable development. In Paris, at COP21, countries agreed to mobilise at least 100 billion (bn) USD per year in the form of climate finance from the year 2020 onward. This finance is intended to provide support to countries that do not have the capacity to adequately respond to climate change.

Mobilizing the 100bn USD as committed to by parties, and developing clear rules, guidelines and modalities to do so will be important in order to safeguard trust and political goodwill between parties, which is key to any multilateral process.

“This year parties are expected to finally agree on accounting standards for climate finance that will govern what gets reported against the 100bn USD commitment. It is critical that the rules are developed and that we build confidence that the 100bn is being met in a fair and transparent way,” said Tracy Carty of Oxfam International.

Mattias Söderberg of ACT member DanChurchAid presented research from ACT Alliance EU’s Analysis of Climate Finance Reporting of the European Union. According to the report, climate finance from EU institutions and EU Member States has increased significantly from EUR 9.5 bn in 2013 to EUR 20.2 bn in 2016.

“While we appreciate that there has been an increased attention to adaptation, we need to consider the balance between adaptation and mitigation,” said Söderberg. “A little over 30% of climate finance has gone to adaptation, and this is not what we call a balance,” he continued.

In the context of climate change, adaptation refers to the wide range of actions taken to reduce or prevent the damage or potential damage that could be caused by the impacts of climate change. For this reason, adaptation is of utmost importance for many developing countries. Mitigation refers to the actions taken to reduce the potential of global warming, by reducing the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Kateme-Kasajja responded on this matter, “when accessing and providing money, adaptation should be given a priority. As least developed countries, we give adaptation the highest priority because we are poor and we take time to adapt to climate change.”

Vicky Noens, of the Government of Flanders- Belgium, acknowledged that the need to balance the support for mitigation and adaptation is an issue that must be addressed on the international level. Noens further acknowledged a common challenge of accessing climate finance, “some countries receive more funding because of enabling environments and this needs to be addressed.”

Enabling environments refer to conditions including legal, organisational, informational, political, cultural, and others, that might affect the ability of an institution to efficiently use or allocate the support it receives.

Despite a clear call from many developing countries on the need to balance support available for adaptation with that available for mitigation, Noens stated that approximately 95% of the voluntary contributions to the Adaptation Fund have been provided by the EU and member states.

While the balance between the support for adaptation and mitigation has been a contentious point between parties in the negotiations for many years, another concern shared by developing countries is their access to climate finance. The ACT Alliance EU Report identifies that most of the climate finance from the EU goes primarily to middle income countries, with Turkey having received a large amount of EU funds, “Turkey alone receives more funds than all of the least developed countries together,” said Söderberg.

“We are aware that emerging economies are taking the majority of the money available as climate finance, and this is very disheartening. I thought that this Convention is about supporting countries that are vulnerable, capacity constrained and cannot cope with climate change, “said Kateme-Kasajja. “Let us go back to the spirit of the Convention and let us remember that it is the most vulnerable who require support.”

The discussions at the side event explored the current status of the climate finance discussions and identified some of the current challenges that Parties will need to continue to work on to overcome. ACT Alliance firmly believes that climate finance must be fair, accessible and transparent to ensure that trust can be maintained between countries, so that those who face the greatest of climate change burdens are appropriately supported.

Last Monday the ACT General Secretary, Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, met in Buenos Aires with the President of the White Helmets Commission of the Argentine Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Alejandro Daneri (first on the right). Discussions revolved around the possibilities of synergy between both institutions, both in relation to the humanitarian missions carried out by White Helmets in Africa and Latin America, and in strengthening in Argentina the resilience capacity of communities and the promotion of innovative actions.

ACT General Secretary was accompanied by Nicolás Rosenthal, Executive Director of Protestant Foundation Hora de Obrar and Coordinator of the ACT Alliance Argentina Forum, and by Humberto Shikiya, General Secretary of CREAS and member of the ACT Membership and Nominations Committee.

Ambassador Daneri was accompanied by Ambassador Alejandro Nieto and Mrs María Mercedes Dalla Via, representing the White Helmets, and Ambassador Claudia Russo Bernagozzi, for the Worship Secretariat.

ACT Alliance is the largest global Christian alliance of Protestant and Orthodox churches and organizations dedicated to humanitarian aid, transformative development and public-political advocacy. It is present in more than 100 countries, through 146 organizations, with a global budget of 3.5 billion dollars.

Source: Fundación Protestante Hora de Obrar