On March 18th, ORCIE hosted an engaging webinar titled From Ecological Debt to Ecological Hope, part of our ongoing engagement in the Jubilee 2025 campaign, “Turn Debt into Hope.” With 136 registered participants, the event brought together religious leaders from Canada and Brazil to address the urgent need for ecological and financial justice in the Global South. The webinar’s primary intention was to highlight the burden of unjust, unpayable debts faced by many countries and to discuss how religious communities can amplify their voices within the Jubilee campaign, especially that of religious in the Global South. The session featured guest speakers from diverse backgrounds: Elton Bozzetto (Brazilian journalist), Sr. Nilva Dal Bello (CSJ Brazil), Sue Wilson (CSJ Canada), and Sasquia Antúnez Pineda (ORCIE’s Advocacy and Communications Officer).
Key Takeaways: The speakers shared insights on the urgent need for debt cancellation, with reflections on the Biblical call for social and ecological justice. As Pope Francis stated, “God is the first to forgive debts, as we always ask in the ‘Our Father.’ The Jubilee calls us to translate this forgiveness into social terms so that no individual, family, or people is crushed by debt.” This message was central to the calls to action brought forward during the webinar, including: Reigniting the meaning of the Jubilee Year in terms of Biblical social and ecological justice. Amplifying the voices of religious and social movements for ecological justice in the Global South. Building the ecumenical justice movement in Canada and internationally. Gathering 100,000 signatures from Canadians on the Jubilee petition to support debt justice.
The discussions were enriched by interpretation in French, English, and Portuguese.
Missed the Webinar? Find the links to all resources here: