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Democratic Republic of Congo: Celebrating 50 Years of Independence! June 29th, 2010
On 30th June 2010, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its independence from Belgium. The DRC has been described as the ‘heart of Africa’ and is home to enormous natural wealth and resources. However, for the last two decades, Congo has been caught up in armed conflict 
described as one the world’s deadliest. The fighting in the eastern DRC is fueled in large part by conflict minerals which include coltan (columbite-tantalite), cassiterite (tin ore) and wolframite (tungsten). These metals are used in consumer electronics such as cell phones and laptop computers. The Congo conflict has left millions of people dead. Thousands of women have been victimized by rape and countless children have been kidnapped to serve as child soldiers.
Marking the 50th Independence anniversary during the annual meeting of the Catholic Bishops, Bishop Nicolas Djomo, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Congo, said that the independence anniversary is an opportune time to offer prayers of thanks to God for a sense of belonging to a united nation and to ask God’s forgiveness for omissions and opportunities lost. He went on further to say that the anniversary is a time to renew a commitment to promoting the common good and national solidarity.
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G8 and G20 Summits in Canada June 27th, 2010
The Group of Eight (G8) and Group of Twenty (G20) summits were held in Ontario, Canada this weekend – June 25th through 27th. The G8 leaders met from Jun 25 through the 26th in Huntsville, Ontario. The G20 summit follows in Toronto, Jun 26-27.The gathering in Canada was to provide an opportunity to world leaders to show their resolve in keeping their promises on global poverty, climate change and deal with financial crisis.
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World Youth Parliament June 23rd, 2010
WYP 2010: Towards a Magna Carta of Values for a New Civilization will be held in New York City, August 9-16, 2010. This is a forum where young people (ages 17-30) will commit themselves to explore the foundations of a new society. Participants will propose guidelines which, with effort and some sacrifice, will signal serious change and a way of life leading to a more just society. Accommodations will be at St. John’s University dormitories. For more information go to: WYP.IDENTEYOUTH.US
To give a flavor of the event, these questions were asked on the website:
- Did you ever wanted to change the world but never knew how?
- Everyone speaks of freedom, but is freedom simply to do what one wants?
- Most young people are pursing academic degrees but did you ever ask yourself what is the purpose of education?
- Did you ever ask what is justice or why do we punish people?
- With the current economic crises in mind, did you ever reflect on our society’s ideas and views on work, economy, wealth, etc.?
- And, most importantly, did you ever ask, “Who am I as a person and a human being? What is the foundation of my dignity, rights, and duties?”
If you have ever reflected on these question or would like to do so, then the WYP is for YOU!
Major Report on Human Trafficking, Forced Labor and Slavery Issued June 23rd, 2010
Global NGO Shows Evidence of Widespread human trafficking across sectors and countries, including the United States
Verité, the global non-profit organization known for its state-of-the-art, ‘worker interview’ social audit, CSR training, labor rights research and supply chain expertise, launched a ground-breaking initiative today entitled HELP WANTED: Hiring, Human Trafficking and Slavery in the Global Economy. As part of the HELP WANTED initiative, the organization released a major report based on a year-long investigation that illustrates the prevalence of forced labor and human trafficking across many businesses across the globe. The group has launched a website to help stakeholder groups with the questions needed to be asked and steps needed to be taken in order to eradicate forced labor and slavery in supply chains around the world. To download a copy of the report and visit HELP WANTED, visit www.verite.org/wellmade.
ICCR Members on The Daily Show: Holier Than Dow June 20th, 2010
Members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) working on financial reform appear on The Daily Show. Samantha Bee interviewed the group of Catholics: Seamus Finn, OMI, Sr. Barbara Aires, SCNJ, Fr. Joe LaMar, MM and Cathy Rowan, representing the Maryknoll Sisters.
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