With the beginning of Lent, Justice and Peace Europe, the Conference of European Justice and Peace Commissions, has launched its annual concerted action for 2017, titled ‘Europe at the crossroads’. Through this document, Justice and Peace Europe aims to contribute to the ongoing debate on the way forward for the European Union.
The document, released following the annual meeting of the Secretaries General in Ljubljana, Slovenia, includes ten concrete proposals which member commissions will implement in their home countries. The ten proposals relate to issues including a common European asylum and migration system, the development of a pillar of social rights, trade policy and the impact of digitalisation, the future of the Eurozone, and European efforts to combat climate change.
Justice and Peace Europe concluded the text saying, ‘Politics is more than the pursuit of self-interest by strategic and tactical means. In a rapidly changing world a dynamic re-interpretation of Europe’s role and responsibility is needed. This is particularly important in a community of states that are strongly interlinked. Europe needs to enhance its capacity “to integrate, to dialogue and to generate” as Pope Francis put it. The Catholic Church, together with the other churches as well as other religious communities and indeed all who strive for the common good can help to revive the European spirit of peace.’
Following a lecture given by Dr Peter Rozic SJ on ‘Corruption in Transition: Securing Democracy and Justice in Post-Communist Europe’ at the annual meeting, it was decided to organise the annual concerted action for 2018 on ‘Democracy and political culture’.
The Conference of European Justice and Peace Commissions (Justice and Peace Europe) is a European network of 31 national Justice and Peace Commissions, working for the promotion of justice, peace, respect for human dignity and the care of creation. The Council for Justice and Peace of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference is a member of Justice and Peace Europe.
For more information on Justice and Peace Europe and to access the full text of ‘Europe at the crossroads’ visit www.juspax-eu.org.
ENDS