From 21 to 28 October 2024, a training and exchange seminar was held in Bujumbura (Burundi) at the Centre National des Mouvements d’Action Catholique et des Laïcs, for national leaders and assistants of the Catholic Action Movement ‘JOC’ from 9 countries, the majority of which are in the Central African Region: Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda, Cameroon, Togo, Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo Brazaville and France.
The topics covered are as follows:
- Migration, biodiversity and youth empowerment in Central Africa: Towards a vision of a sustainable future.
- Laudato Deum: what Pope Francis expects of us.
- Training on Life Review
- Parallel session for assistants.
- People’s resilience to climate challenges: the experience of Caritas Africa/Burundi
- The challenges of youth employability in the digital age and artificial intelligence.
- Development of the future annual plan by each National Movement. Possible actions for climate challenges and migration and a parallel session of assistants for future chaplaincy plans.
- Discussions on general issues, the life of the Movements at the National level of each Movement, International Council, Discussions on national membership fees and their impact on the life of CIJOR.
During this seminar, His Excellency Salvator NICITERETSE, Bishop of Bururi in charge of the Laity and Catholic Action Movements in Burundi and at the same time African Coordinator of the International Forum for Catholic Action, celebrated a Eucharist for the participants on 25 October 2024.
On 26 October, the same Bishop spoke about the link between Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti.
Attached are the final declaration and some photos.
Alice Nduwayezu
