Arusha, Tanzania. On the occasion of 8th Laudato Si Anniversary, 12 Claretian youths led by the SoMi team of the theology formation house of Morogoro participated in an impactful two-day Laudato Si Youth Assembly organized by the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA). This important youth-led conference took place from the 30th- 31st of May 2023, held in the Diocese of Arusha in Tanzania.
With a thematic focus on “Dialogue and Action among young people of Africa living Laudato Si” the assembly sought to strategically mobilize the youthful Catholic demography in a dialogical process for an action-inspired approach towards a practical living of Laudato Si’ values and principles. It also purposed to engage and form catholic youths in policy making and implementation in their respective countries with a view to equip them with the practical skill sets on “Laudato Si’ Generation for Urban Organic Agriculture”
The organizers targeted to mobilize 200 youths (100 men and 100 women) from the nine The Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) countries. Well aware that there is still a significant number of Catholic youths who had never heard of the Encyclical Laudato Si, the Assembly also endeavored to issue the participating youths with hard copies of Laudato Si’ book containing illustrations on how to develop organic PET gardens. Lastly, these forums focused on developing a youth of faith statement on living Laudato Si’ through dialogue and action. The rationale is to engage young people from different AMECEA countries in developing a youth-designed faith statement on Laudato Si’ as it relates to biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change.
Source: Bro. Robert O. A, CMF, part of the UN project of the Claretians.
