Dominican Life 
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CSOCD 60 theme is: “Inclusive and resilient recovery from COVID-19 for sustainable livelihoods, well-being and dignity for all: eradicating poverty and hunger in all its forms and dimensions to achieve the 2030 Agenda.” be held from February 7-16, 2022.
This week at the UN, the Commission on Social Development begins. The Civil Society Forum working group will kick off its FORUM with an Orientation on Friday, February 4.. The CSOCD working group has an excellent relationship with the Commission and its director, so much so that on the Commission website the Working group is highlighted with its agenda as well as that of the Commission that It will officially begin February 7th through the 16.. Each year a different theme related to the Sustainable Development Goals is announced. The focus this year’s theme is eradicating poverty and hunger in all its forms. It is a timely theme considering the impact that the pandemic has had on food security and poverty worldwide.
Each commission is made up of a Bureau. Its role is the preparations for and in ensuring a successful outcome of the commission. Bureau members for this session are:
| Chair | H.E. Ms. María del Carmen Squeff | Argentina |
| Vice-Chairpersons | Mr. Stefano Guerra | Portugal |
| Ms. Hellen M. Chifwaila (Designate) | Zambia | |
| Mr. Jiakun Guo (Designate) | China | |
| Ms. Iwona Lula (Designate) | Poland |
The Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres offers a report each year.
We learned that almost 108 million people were pushed into extreme poverty in 2021 because of the pandemic. Those living in poverty which is ($1.90 per day) was raised to 711 million (as of June 2021). The undernourished increased worldwide. Food insecurity increased by 30.4 per cent (2.4 billion people, an increase of 318 million from 2019). Please read the GA’s report and his six recommendations. He is hopeful that Agenda 2030 will still be met.
In addition to the Secretary-General ‘s report, Civil Society produces a declaration. This declaration is what we as civil society see is needed to end poverty, hunger and other issues in the following years.
We invite you to share the Declaration in your networks! All signatures received by NGOs and individuals around the world will be shared with Governments and the United Nations at the opening of the 60th session of the Commission for Social Development on February 7th, 2022. Click here to view the Civil Society Declaration | Sign in support of the Civil Society Declaration 2022!
The Declaration proposes the following recommendations:
The Civil Society Declaration contains a ten-point Call to Action. The Call to Action is creative and doable. Here are some of the proponents of the document:
Please read the Declaration and sign it. The more signatures we have from people like you and me the more importance it takes on. We need your affirmation.
One more thing to assist you to follow along during the CSocD60. The Justice Coalition of Religious (JCOR) developed a guide that contains the schedules of the UN events, Civil Society Forum, slides, links to the UN website as well as social media. It’s an all-inclusive guide to this Commission. Please take advantage of it. It is an excellent tool. JCOR is made up of twenty religious’ congregations. The Dominican Leadership Conference is among the JCOR members.
I look forward to seeing you here at the CSOCD 60.
Video: https://youtu.be/iYFKb1KS4d4
In the gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, despite the obstacles and struggles, the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth inspires us to bring new hope to our world. Responding to the Gospel call to care for our neediest brothers and sisters, the Dominican family in Venezuela, consisting of 21 friars, 195 sisters, 85 lay people and 42 young people, carries out 6 parishes, 32 schools, and 15 social programs (nursing homes, foster homes, houses of preaching and hospitality, vicarages and refectories).
Through the Citizenship and Hope project, the Dominicans in Venezuela recognize that education (study) is the most effective way to contribute to the construction of a better country.
With a presence throughout the country, they care for more than 600 children in parishes, 21,815 children and young people in schools, 7% of whom receive scholarships from religious communities to pay for their studies and 56% receive assistance with food, uniforms, school supplies, clothing and footwear, spiritual and psychological care, for a total of 16,000 families, more than 400 elderly people in nursing homes and more than 40 girls in foster homes.
The CITIZENSHIP AND HOPE project is carried out through 4 programs that allow us to cover in a broad and organized way our general objective “To educate citizens from the Dominican educational ideal that, in the light of faith and Christian and civic values, strengthen the defense of human rights in Venezuela with the exercise of citizenship.”
As we learn of our important mission of the Dominican Family this Advent may we be inspired and attentive in solidarity with the people of Venezuela.
Cuarto domingo de Adviento: Plantando semillas de esperanza a través de la Familia Dominicana
En el evangelio del cuarto domingo de Adviento, a pesar de los obstáculos y las luchas, la visita de María a Isabel nos inspira a llevar una nueva esperanza a nuestro mundo. Respondiendo a la llamada evangélica de atender a nuestros hermanos más necesitados, la familia dominicana en Venezuela, formada por 21 frailes, 195 hermanas, 85 laicos y 42 jóvenes, lleva a cabo 6 parroquias, 32 escuelas y 15 programas sociales (asilos, casas de acogida, casas de predicación y hospitalidad, vicarias y refectorios).
A través del proyecto Ciudadanía y Esperanza, los dominicanos en Venezuela reconocen que la educación (el estudio) es la forma más eficaz de contribuir a la construcción de un país mejor.
Con presencia en todo el país, atienden a más de 600 niños en las parroquias, a 21.815 niños y jóvenes en las escuelas, de los cuales el 7% recibe becas de las comunidades religiosas para costear sus estudios y el 56% recibe asistencia en alimentación, uniformes, útiles escolares, ropa y calzado, atención espiritual y psicológica, para un total de 16.000 familias, más de 400 ancianos en asilos y más de 40 niñas en casas de acogida.
El proyecto CIUDADANÍA Y ESPERANZA se lleva a cabo a través de 4 programas que permiten cubrir de manera amplia y organizada nuestro objetivo general “Formar ciudadanos desde el ideal educativo dominicano que, a la luz de la fe y los valores cristianos y cívicos, fortalezcan la defensa de los derechos humanos en Venezuela con el ejercicio de la ciudadanía.”
Que al conocer la importante misión de la Familia Dominicana en este Adviento, nos sintamos inspirados y atentos en la solidaridad con el pueblo de Venezuela.
Video: https://youtu.be/F0Kx2orhtrU
On the Third Sunday of Advent, we hear the voice of John the Baptist, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” (John 3:11) This year Dominicans across the world look to the cry of the poor and desolate reality of Venezuela. Venezuela has reached levels of extreme poverty due to multiple factors, including lack of access to basic goods and services, skyrocketing inflation that does not allow for sufficient income, lack of decent jobs with fair wages, and loss of the quality of education. As well as the destruction of the oil industry, which for a long time was the main source of public and sometimes private funds.
This reality is the consequence of a system that has gradually become encysted in the State system, controlling all public powers and committing abuses and excesses.
The overall impact is that we have a country that has been economically and demographically crippled, with high rates of poverty and inequality, and with great skepticism about the future.
On September 29, 2021, the Institute of Economic and Social Research of the Andrés Bello Catholic University released the National Survey of Living Conditions for the year 2021 conducted between February and March, covering 22 states and reaching 17,402 households
The study reveals that poverty in Venezuela remains at “maximum possible levels of 94.5%”, while extreme poverty continues to grow and covers two-thirds of the country’s households with 76.6%, an increase of 8.9 points from 67.7% last year. This is one of the fundamental causes of the Venezuelan exodus, one of the largest in the world with more than 6.5 million Venezuelans who have fled, doubling the number of refugees from Afghanistan.
Let us not turn a blind eye and be silent to the plight and hunger of the Venezuelan community this Advent. As the Gospel calls us to lift up the voice of John the Baptist, we are called to hear his voice ringing true today.
Tercer domingo de Adviento: La voz de los pobres
El tercer domingo de Adviento, escuchamos la voz de Juan el Bautista: “Quien tenga dos mantos, que comparta con el que no tiene. Y el que tenga comida, que haga lo mismo”. (Juan 3:11) Este año los dominicos de todo el mundo miran el grito de la realidad pobre y desolada de Venezuela. Venezuela ha alcanzado niveles de pobreza extrema debido a múltiples factores, entre ellos la falta de acceso a bienes y servicios básicos, la inflación disparada que no permite obtener ingresos suficientes, la falta de empleos dignos con salarios justos y la pérdida de la calidad de la educación. Así como la destrucción de la industria petrolera, que durante mucho tiempo fue la principal fuente de fondos públicos y a veces privados.
Esta realidad es la consecuencia de un sistema que se ha ido enquistando en el sistema estatal, controlando todos los poderes públicos y cometiendo abusos y excesos.
El impacto general es que tenemos un país paralizado económica y demográficamente, con altos índices de pobreza y desigualdad, y con un gran escepticismo sobre el futuro.
El 29 de septiembre de 2021, el Instituto de Investigaciones Económicas y Sociales de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bello dio a conocer la Encuesta Nacional de Condiciones de Vida para el año 2021 realizada entre febrero y marzo, abarcando 22 estados y llegando a 17.402 hogares
El estudio revela que la pobreza en Venezuela se mantiene en “niveles máximos posibles de
94,5%”, mientras que la pobreza extrema sigue creciendo y abarca dos terceras partes de los hogares del país con 76,6%, un aumento de 8,9 puntos respecto al 67,7% del año pasado. Esta es una de las causas fundamentales del éxodo venezolano, uno de los mayores del mundo con más de 6,5 millones de venezolanos que han huido, duplicando el número de refugiados de Afganistán.
No hagamos la vista gorda ni nos quedemos callados ante la difícil situación y el hambre de la comunidad venezolana en este Adviento. Como el Evangelio nos llama a levantar la voz de Juan el Bautista, estamos llamados a escuchar su voz que resuena hoy.
The title may seem like a bit of a strange way of reporting on what happened at COP 26 in Glasgow last month. However, it is a good way to point out certain outcomes. The question: did COP 26 achieve its goal, true or false? Did we reach an agreement on fossil fuels, true or false? Was Loss and Damage approached in this COP, true or false? Did the COP countries meet their financial goal in 2020 true or false?
Cop 26 began with the greatest planetary crisis our world has ever seen. The IPCC, which is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, reported that Climate Change published in August confirmed sweeping scientific facts and the unequivocal human-made nature of the climate change crisis: our world is burning, melting, flooding, suffering extreme droughts and impacts multiple domains of society.
We, you and I, are responsible for climate change and the fact that we are making our planet ill. If we do not radically change the policies and practices responsible for our climate change crisis.
There is no planet B.
The summit resulted in the Glasgow Climate Pact (GCP). The meeting took place from November 13-26th. There were nearly 200 countries that participated. The aggressive commitments are needed to prevent temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius. But this is worrisome.
However, the outcome document mentions fossil fuels for the first time. It calls for a “phase down” vs. “phase out” policy when it comes to coal. India and China were great influencers at the end of the summit on fossil fuel.
This was the first time that Loss and Damage was addressed in the COP. So may Indigenous peoples and others have suffered great loss and damage as a result of climate change.
Though no direct subsidy was agreed upon at least loss and damage were stated in the document. Some of the damage is permanent e.g. communities that are wiped out, to islands’ disappearing beneath the waves , to water resources that are drying up. This is. A beginning to reparation and change needed in certain parts of the world. It’s possible that loss and damage may be one of the bigger issues leading up to the COP27 in Egypt next year.
Unfortunately, the $100 billion a year that rich nations committed to in 2009 have still not been reached. Though the countries are still on the hook to fulfill this goal as soon as possible as well as report on their progress. The post climate finance goal is expected to be set by 2024.
One of the most valuable Engagements to COP 26 was the Faith Based Organizations. They brought an incredible light and strength and faith perspective to climate change.
Their faiths organized what they called the Talanoa Interfaith Dialogue on Sunday, November 14th. This gathering was filled with various images of people from the global community. There were pilgrims who walked 500 miles called the “Walk the Talk to Talk the Walk”. It took them 60 days to walk. The faith community called for the delegates to take a stand. Remarkably committed people committed to Mother Earth and her well-being.
The largest delegation in Glasgow was the corporate sector; over 500 credentialed delegates arrived. Youth and Civil Society were often excluded and had a difficult time getting into both the green and blue zone areas.
Can we keep the Temperature Goal of 1.5, True or False? If all COP26 measures are implemented it might be possible to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. The tightening of methane emission rules will help as will the brake on deforestation agreed to by banks to end financing linked to deforestation.
A significant outcome of COP26 is that climate change is a public health issue.
To be continued.
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