ECM Expresses Commitment to Care for the Environment
By Prince Henderson, ECM Communications Officer
A week-long Summer School workshop which was organized by the University of Perugia of the Archdiocese of Perugia and Friends of Malawi in Italy through the Social Development’s Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM) of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) ended on Friday at Msamba Pastoral Centre in Lilongwe.
The Summer School Workshop drew together participants from different sectors of ECM including Bishops, Catholic Secretariat and Diocesan Staff members mainly from CADECOM; academicians and students drawn from the Catholic University of Malawi (CUNIMA) and Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource (LUANAR) and government officials.
Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa, Chairman of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi officially opened the workshop on Monday. In his speech, Archbishop Msusa said the workshop was timely as it was in line with what World Leaders agreed in 2015 as they adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals as global development aspirations for the period 2015-2030.
He said Sustainable Development Goals are development aspirations that not only seek to meet the development needs of the present generation but also promote the utilization of the natural resources and the entire ecosystem to meet the needs of the next generation. “Thus; we do not only think of what is good for me, for us today…… but we also think of future generations…. that’s the way of being human,” he said.
According to Most Rev. Thomas Luke Msusa, the idea of the international Summer School resonates well with the Holy Father’s Encyclical called Laudato Si, on the Care of our Common Home. He said the impacts of Climate Change have not only hit hard on the agricultural production, but has also affected the production machinery. He therefore challenged all in the workshop to take seriously the issues of environmental resources and biodiversity
The Director of Crop Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Dr. Godfrey Ching’oma commended the Malawi Catholic Church through CADECOM for the role it plays in protecting the environment, promoting food security and empowering communities with various strategies to improve their livelihood. He encouraged the Catholic Church to put into practice the recommendations to be agreed upon after the workshop and share with his Ministry and promised to act upon them accordingly.
A representative of Friends of Malawi in the Archdiocese of Perugia, Lara Taglieni said her organization which has been working in Malawi for the past 30 years especially in Zomba where they run some projects felt this was a commendable initiative. That was the motivation for the collaboration with Professor Ciani in the summer School Programme.
Professor Ciani said the workshop has been interesting, exciting and important hence feels ECM through CADECOM will come up with a road map to addressing effects of climate change in Malawi and become a shining example to the rest of Africa.
Over 50 members including Archbishops Tarcizious Ziyaye,Msusa and Bishop Peter Musikuwa,Montfort Stima attended the Summer School workshop.
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