Justice, Peace & Environment

As the eyes of the world turn to Paris for the Olympics, Christian Aid has warned that the Paris Agreement target of limiting temperature rise to 1.5C is under threat unless world leaders rapidly increase their efforts to tackle the climate crisis. Last month the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed that the critical 1.5C global heating threshold agreed in the Paris Agreeme... Read More

On Tuesday, 23 July 2024, Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, the Holy See's nuncio to the United Nations in Geneva, offered the following statement, at the Second Preparatory Committee of the 2026 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. . Mr Chair, At the outset, my Delegation wishes to congratulate you on your appointment and to thank you for the consultations th... Read More

The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams is among 1,200 signatories of an open letter to Attorney General Richard Hermer KC, criticising the massive jail sentences meted out by Southwark Crown Court to five Just Stop Oil activists for their part in a four day demonstration on the M25 in 2022. Roger Hallam, 58, was jailed for five years after being found guilty of conspiracy to cause ... Read More

As the eyes of the world turn to Paris for the Olympics, Christian Aid has warned that the Paris Agreement target of limiting temperature rise to 1.5C is under threat unless world leaders rapidly increase their efforts to tackle the climate crisis. Last month the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed that the critical 1.5C global heating threshold agreed in the Paris Agreeme... Read More

'Just Politics' was the focus of the 46th National Justice and Peace (NJPN) Conference held over the weekend at Swanwick in Derbyshire. Politicians, community organisers, religious, clergy, students and charity workers were among 160 people who came together for an intense weekend of listening and sharing. Besides talks and workshops, there was a Just Fair Market, children's activities, art and po... Read More

Sarah Teather, Director of Jesuit Refugee Services UK (JRS UK) Yvette Cooper has sent the following open letter to the UK government's new Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper. Dear Yvette Re: building a better asylum system Congratulations on your recent appointment to the post of Home Secretary. I am writing to you as the Director of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) UK. We accompany people seeking sanc... Read More

The Rt Rev Guli Francis-Dehqani, Anglican Bishop of Chelmsford, gave the following keynote address last night, at the opening session of the National Justice and Peace Network Conference 2024 in Swanwick - on the theme of 'Just Politics'. It's a pleasure to be here this evening. I'm grateful for the invitation to speak on the theme of this year's conference - Just Politics. It's a theme that imme... Read More

National Justice and Peace Network The votes have been cast, the people have spoken, indicating a desire for change. There will be difficult and challenging times ahead for our newly-elected government and for all who wish to see a kinder, more gentle and respectful form of interaction throughout society. The NJPN conference -19-21July in Derbyshire - with the title 'Just Politics', comes at an op... Read More

This past week has been one of the deadliest in the Gaza Strip since October, with Israel carrying out a series of massacres of displaced Palestinians sheltering in schools, mosques and a designated humanitarian 'safe zone' in Al Mawasi. Meanwhile, the new British government has been completely silent, continuing to provide Israel with arms and impunity to unleash this unconscionable violence. Thi... Read More

Local Citizens UK groups have put out an urgent call to all their partners to try and find volunteers, working in groups of six, to help support their effort to resettle 100 Afghan families in UK in the coming two months. This is not a request for hosting or accommodation. The resettlement scheme is a partnership between Citizens UK and the UK Government, called 'Communities for Afghans', which a... Read More

Leaders of the major world religions have been gathered in Hiroshima this week to reaffirm their commitment to making sure that artificial intelligence (AI) is developed ethically and responsibly for peace. Titled 'AI Ethics for Peace: World Religions commit to the Rome Call', the two-day forum was co-organized by the Pontifical Academy of Life (PAV), Religions for Peace Japan, the United Arab Emi... Read More

The Home Office Vigil Prayer Group is nearing three years of its monthly vigil in front of the central offices down the road from the Westminster Parliament. We have handed in no petitions, but instead have said commemorative prayers for the hundreds who die every month in trying to reach Europe and the UK. We pray for those making the decisions leading to these deaths. We pray for those trying to... Read More

Jesuit Refugee Services have expressed grave concern at a new report by inspectors who made an unannounced visit to Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre earlier this year, and found what they described the "worst conditions" they had ever seen. Much of the accommodation was decrepit, violence and other unacceptable behaviour such as drug use had substantially increased and there had been num... Read More

About 100,000 people took part in the latest national demonstration in London on Saturday, calling for an end to the genocide in Gaza. Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Buddhist campaigners joined many secular groups appealing for the British government to stop selling weapons to Israel, restart funding for UNRWA and seek peace. This latest protest came after the local health authorities and aid agenc... Read More