Learning to listen” “” “

A contribution by the Churches and governments to promote cooperation between the European Union and the Latin-American countries The second summit between the European Union, the countries of Latin America and the countries of the Caribbean was held in Madrid from 17 to 18 May. Three years after the Summit of Rio de Janeiro, the Heads of State and of Government of the three regions – adopting a political declaration called the ‘Madrid Compromise’ – pledged to “continue in the strategic association based on the declaration and of the Plan of Action of Rio de Janeiro”, with the aim “at once of tackling the major challenges and seizing the opportunities of the 21st century”, on the basis of shared values and principles. The summit placed the emphasis on the reinforcement of the democratic institutions, on the acceleration of the process of modernizing society, on sustainable development, and on the eradication of poverty, with particular attention focused on “cultural diversity, justice and social equity”. In the days preceding this summit, the European Churches and those of Latin America held a joint meeting, also at El Escorial, Madrid, on the theme “Latin America and European Union; together for the universal common good. The contribution of the Church” (cf. SirEuropa no. 19/2002). It was attended by some 170 delegates from 38 countries of Europe and Latin America. Below we give some of the opinions we sounded out from Church representatives as regards the EU’s commitment to Latin America. Latin America calls….“We believe that only Europe can listen to us and redress the balance of world policy”. So says Father Armando Raffo, from Uruguay, secretary of the Latin-American Conference of Religious (CLAR), which brings together religious congregations (male and female) throughout the continent and is based in Bogotà (Colombia). In his view, the most effective proposal to help Latin America is “to abolish the protectionism to be able to sell our goods”. Moreover, he says, “it’s important to have very strong international authorities capable of controlling how the money is spent and to help our countries especially with education, because there’s still a great deal of illiteracy”. Father Raffo does not have much confidence in the summits of heads of government, because “Europe is already so much preoccupied with it own problems it’s difficult to see how it could really be interested in us. But it’s important to realize that as a result of globalization we have all become interdependent and that we need to listen to and help each other”. There are some 200,000 religious in Latin America, for the most part engaged in pastoral care to the poor, to the young, to women. “We ask for greater closeness to the problems, and aid to the experts who come to Europe to study, so that they may return to Latin America to help us. We also urge that protectionism in the rural environment be re-examined, because this is ruining the work of our peasants and robbing them of hope”. Archbishop Rosendo Huesca Pacheco of Puebla (Mexico) makes the following suggestions: “We hope that solidarity is not just a romantic discourse, but serves to develop programmes, exchanges, experiences”. In Mexico the effects of globalization, according to Archbishop Huesca, “are ruining our traditional values due to the close proximity of the USA. It’s a globalization only of the market, and inhuman. There should also be a globalization of work, and not just of merchandise”. …Europe responds. “In a world so strongly interdependent Europe must realize that it has a need for interlocutors open to dialogue and collaboration. Latin America is a young continent with immense riches and potential, which could do a great deal also in the international organizations if its own dignity were recognized”. The point is made by Bishop Attilio Nicora, delegate for juridical problems of the Italian Episcopal Conference and vice-president of COMECE, emphasizing that “the construction of a new Europe cannot be limited to an enlargement of its own security and its own prosperity”. The attention to Latin America, in this case, is consonant – he says – “with the cultural identities that are at the basis of the traditions of the two continents”. In his view the abolition of protectionism on European products is “one of the priorities to be pursued”, even if “there remains a problem of short- and mid-term strategies which it is not realistic to assume can be resolved in a short time”. Nonetheless, he stresses, “the necessary gradualness of approach must not exclude, or conceal a rejection of, a more open dialogue on a system of trade that is really free, just and capable of showing solidarity”. “Development can only start out from civil society. Neither from the market, nor from the State, which are indispensable but not sufficient. So we must involve the two sides of the Atlantic in effective forms of partnership”. That’s the view of the Italian economist Stefano Zamagni. In his view it’s essential “to modify as soon as possible the statutes of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank; create a solidarity fund for emergency situations, resourced by extraordinary revenues and managed by transational expressions of civil society; and develop forms of partnership between Latin-American and European civil society, on the model adopted by the Italian Church in its campaign for the remission of the foreign debt of Zambia and Guinea, through a foundation that spends the money on healthcare, culture and education”. In England and Wales, on the other hand, as reported by Clare Dixon, of Cafod, an aid organization similar to Caritas, there has never been much attention to Latin America, because it was long perceived as a client of the USA. “But today we want our government to assume its own responsibilities towards these countries – she says –. It’s also a question of convenience because if Europe intends to be selfish, its problems risk growing. If there are no possibilities of a dignified life in the South, it’s clear that the one remedy will remain that of emigration”. In the view of Elena Lasida, of the French Justice and Peace Commission, the meeting of the Churches of Europe and Latin America has been positive, “especially to seek to overcome reciprocal prejudices”. Nonetheless “it’s only a first step – she says –. To have real effects of change a long time will be needed. Now the challenge is not to stop at declarations of principle but seek forms of common engagement”. Patrizia Caiffa – Sir correspondent in Madrid