March is a bustling month for the Claretian Missionaries, who, through the Proclade Internazionale Foundation, make their presence felt at the United Nations, striving to build bridges of connection between the vital work carried out by states and civil society and the struggle for the lives of so many millions of people on all continents.
Following active participation in the United Nations Conference on the Status of Women (CSW 67), the Claretian team is now actively involved in the World Water Conference, taking place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from March 22nd to 24th. In addition to participating in numerous meetings and discussions, the Fondazione Proclade Internazionale is organizing a virtual event accessible from anywhere in the world, scheduled for Friday, March 24th, from 8:30 to 10 am [New York time] [1:30-3 pm, Rome/Berlin/Madrid time]. REGISTER
During the dialogue, a representative from Caritas Internationalis at the United Nations, several individuals connected to water research and its issues in various locations in the Americas will participate, as well as Fr. Jude Thaddeus Langeh, CMF, Major Superior of the Claretian Delegation of Cameroon. Fr. Jude will share with participants the experiences of his delegation, which is deeply committed to ensuring access to clean water and sanitation for the communities pastorally served by the Claretians.
In supporting the conference and World Water Day, the Fondazione Proclade and the Claretian Missionaries wish to endorse the implications of the United Nations’ decision in 2010 to include the right to access clean water and sanitation among basic human rights. In 2023, one in three people lack access to safe drinking water, and a thousand children die each day from diarrheal diseases related to poor hygiene. The United Nations, in support of Sustainable Development Goal 6, emphasizes the importance of access to water and its fair trade and distribution. The virtual event on the 24th, organized in collaboration with PaxChristi International, is another example of the partnerships of the Proclade Internazionale Foundation and the Claretian Missionaries with those who seek to transform the world according to God’s design, a charismatic focus of the Claretian tradition strongly backed by the General Chapter of the Congregation in 2021.
As it happens at various times throughout the year, the congregation’s secretariat for Justice and Peace offers a prayer resource to commemorate World Water Day, celebrated on March 22nd. The “Justice Coalition of Religious” (JCOR) has also provided an extensive guide on the water conference.
Information on the virtual water event organized by Proclade Internazionale:
Press Release
Image | Gyan Shahane on Unsplash
Source | General Prefecture of Apostolate
