The European and Latin-American Churches united in the fight for the recognition of water as one of "man’s rights, guaranteed by public power". They have discussed it over these days in Porto Alegre (Brazil) at an ecumenical meeting organised by the National Council of Brazilian Churches with the general secretaries of Ccee (Council of European Bishops Conferences) and Celam (Council of Latin American Bishops Conferences), a delegation of the Swiss Churches and other Brazilian authorities. "Before the fact a large part of humanity have no access to drinking water explained mgr. Aldo Giordano, secretary general of Ccee and before the risk that the fight for possession of water may become one of the most serious reasons for future conflict and wars, the Churches commit themselves to raise the believers’ awareness of the problem; to motivate public opinion and political forces against the uncontrolled privatisation of water; to support the governments of their countries to declare water as one of man’s rights; to urge the UN to develop an international water treaty". The Brazilian Bishops Conference focussed its solidarity campaign of Lent 2004 on this subject. The Churches of Brazil and Swiss signed a common declaration on April 22nd 2005. Water will also be discussed at the European ecumenical assembly, due in Sibiu in September 2007, and tomorrow, February 14th, at the plenary session of the World Church Meeting in Porto Alegre, which will cover a document about water.
