Change in the coordination of the GIAN initiatives: Forced Migration and Justice in Mining
We welcome Alberto Ares SJ, as the new coordinator of the Forced Migration initiative of the Global Ignatian Advocacy Network (GIAN/FM).
Since 2018, Javier Cortegoso has coordinated this GIAN initiative on behalf of the Jesuit Network, Migrantes/LAC, and the CPAL. Under his leadership, coordination and collaboration among major superiors' Conferences were strengthened, shared analysis of migratory contexts was promoted, and advocacy initiatives were encouraged, particularly in situations of the border, detention, and extreme vulnerability. On behalf of the entire Society and of the SJES, I express my deep gratitude to Javier for the human and apostolic quality of his service. We continue to count on him on this path of collaboration.
Alberto Ares is a Jesuit from the Spanish province with a long career in supporting and defending the rights of migrants and refugees. Former director of the University Institute for Migration Studies (IUEM) at the Pontifical University Comillas, he is now the director of JRS Europe. His social, academic, and management experience in international work is a valuable contribution to advancing this shared path.
With their arrival, we hope to deepen the global and Ignatian dimensions of this GIAN initiative, giving impetus to the articulation of all the actions of the Society of Jesus that aim to defend the dignity of migrants and promote a culture of hospitality, regardless of whether they are works specialized in refugee or migration matters.
Thanks to the Conference of Jesuits of Europe and Alberto for this new service. Welcome!
We would also like to welcome Dr. Sergio Cabrales Domínguez, Professor at the Rafael Landívar University of Guatemala, who, on behalf of the University and the CPAL, took on the service of coordinating the Mining Justice initiative of the Global Ignatian Advocacy Network (GIAN/JiM).
Sergio has a PhD in sociology and is a researcher focusing on social movements, authoritarianism, and democratic resilience in Central America. He succeeds Dr. Guillermo Otano Jiménez, a political advocacy technician at the ALBOAN Foundation, who led the GIAN/JiM for the past 7 years. A special thank you for his devotion and dedication to developing and strengthening the work of the Society of Jesus in this challenging field. Over 20 institutions and projects worldwide are now engaged in advocacy at the local, regional, or international level, and the work has become more consistent. With a new team, he can push even further.
Sergio accompanied, as vice-coordinator, one of the most veteran members of the GIAN/JiM: Toussant Kafarhire SJ, from the Central African Province, current director of the Pedro Arrupe Center for Research and Training (CARF) in Lubumbashi, has agreed to provide this service. PhD in Global Politics and International Relations; his research interests focus on social justice, democracy and peace, political violence and conflict, religion, and global public health policy.
The political and social times do not augur clear futures, and the challenges imposed by industrial mining, with the objective/verifiable damage it does, especially to the environment and to the most fragile people and communities in the most exploited and impoverished countries in the world, will multiply. It will be necessary to grow in the articulation of the work among the members of the GIAN/JiM and to collaborate with other institutions of the Church and outside the Church, to resist with a critical eye and the light and courage of the Holy Spirit, so that the impoverished and vulnerable can also have life in abundance.
To ALBOAN and Guillermo, thank you very much for the work done; we continue to count on you on the path of GIAN/JiM. To the University Rafael Landivar, to the CARF, to the CPAL and the JCAM, to Sergio and Toussant: welcome to this new service.
Roberto Jaramillo SJ
SJES Secretary, Rome
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