Justice and Peace 2020 conference: Action for Life on Earth

Marty Haugen

'2020 Vision: Action for Life on Earth' is the theme of the 2020 annual conference of the National Justice and Peace Network of England and Wales (NJPN).

The 42nd NJPN conference will take place 17-19 July at Swanwick in Derbyshire. Bookings are now open and all are welcome.

NJPN says: "Five years on from Laudato Si' we are learning that ecological conversion is a matter of life and death. Decisions at United Nations summits in 2020 on both climate and biodiversity will be critical for salvaging a viable future. The UN Climate Conference will be hosted by Glasgow in November and the Justice and Peace movement will be lobbying there. Join us in Conference 2020 as we make common cause to face the choices, changes and consequences confronting us."

A keynote speaker is climate campaigner and author Lorna Gold. Her book, 'Climate Generation: Awakening to Our Children's Future' highlights stories of people who are doing amazing things to tackle the climate crisis. Liturgy will be led by Marty Haugen, liturgical composer and pastoral musician. Bishop John Arnold of Salford, the lead bishop on the environment for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, will be the conference Mass celebrant. Christine Allen, Director of CAFOD, is to chair. More than 20 stalls will be available in the Just Fair and around 15 workshops available. It will be a practical and life-affirming gathering of the Justice and Peace movement.

The start of a new decade is a time for making resolutions - a time to build practices and actions into our lives which will help tackle the hopelessness that can set in knowing the injustices, violence and environmental degradation happening all over the world. If ever there was a time for 2020 vision, it's now.

So, on the fifth anniversaries of both the Paris Agreement on Climate and Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si', the conference will stimulate moves towards "ecological conversion". It will address structural change and simpler lifestyles. It will push for fossil fuel disinvestment by more Church groups as part of the rise of institutional shareholder activism. Churches will be encouraged to join the sustainability revolution and demonstrate in liturgies that there is engagement with "the Cry of the Earth and the Cry of the Poor". More parishes will be encouraged to join to Livesimply programme, which already involves nearly 80 parishes and schools.

The conference aims to launch a decade of transformative action - in lives and communities. It will discern how to deepen commitment to build a world where all of God's creation can live in peace and prosperity. Participants will be given resources to work together to make this vision a reality.

For more details visit: www.justice-and-peace.org.uk/conference/

or call: 020 901 4864