Buoyed by the success of the ‘Just Politics’ Conference in Swanwick, the National Justice and Peace Network (NJPN) executive gathered recently in Wistaston Hall, Crewe to review and evaluate the year that culminated in this timely conference. NJPN and their members continue to be exercised and challenged by the significant issues that face those furthest behind with a particular and an ongoing focus on the Movement of people, the Environment, Peace and Poverty & Inequality.
The peace and quiet of Wistaston, offered the executive a time to reflect and consider their work and plans in the context of the theme of the forthcoming Jubilee year, “Pilgrims of Hope”. The Jubilee year promises time to re-establish a proper relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation, with a specific significance on the acts of social justice. Recognising that hope is faith in action the NJPN are concerned with the restoration of the dignity of the person with the lived experience and in drawing upon the Jubilee symbolism of “opening the holy doors,” they resolve to do their level best to garner support to wedge these holy doors open to draw on the hope that is embodied in the recently agreed “Pact For The Future.”
The pact aims to reinvigorate the Sustainable Development Goals and to turbo charge the Paris Agreement, also addressing peace and security at a time of so many conflicts. The NJPN sees that their responsibility is ‘not to let the bad news win,’ and feels that with so many concerned people and groups there is a real and obvious hope brewing on the cusp of this Jubilee year. The NJPN take real inspiration from Pope Francis who regularly speaks to the promise that we can successfully address all of the existential crises that confront us. He importantly supports this statement by issuing the challenge that we all have a part to play in the delivery of solutions, especially for those future generations who have no voice now but ours and so we have a responsibility to prophetically work for a just future for all.
The NJPN intends to imminently gather the ‘Just Politics’ conference attendees to consider the implications of the outcomes and the actions that were prompted given the inspiration from, not just the keynote speakers, but especially from the youth who delivered an impassioned and motivating session to seasoned activists.
And over the course of the next year there are a number of both in-person and online NJPN events planned that will be ‘Jubilee’ themed and framed in our brand new ‘Pact for the Future,’ but all with an underlying aim to restore the dignity of the person furthest behind, to give opportunities to those with a lived experience to be heard and to be agents of real change in our collective futures. As Pilgrims of Hope the NJPN embarks on this journey to pursue, a just peace, a just equality, a just movement of people and justice for our environment but in recognising the power and strength of the network they are resolved to renew and re-energise the membership in their collaborative efforts to make a real and lasting difference. Keep and eye on the NJPN website for details of future plans and events.
Brian O’ Toole
(NJPN Executive)