Latin America – RJM CANA Assembly | Our place as the network is the most unprotected.
From 15 to October 19, some 70 people from 32 organisations linked to the Red Jesuita Con Migrantes(RJM) [Jesuit Network With Migrants] met in El Salvador to resume its RJM Assembly of the Central America-North America (CANA) region, with participation from Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico, the United States and Canada. We also had special guests from Magis Americas, Entreculturas, Alboan and other network allies, and from the continental-level coordinating team.
In 2022, part of the RJM Continental Assembly was a meeting of regional representative people and organisations. However, no in-person RJM CANA Assembly has occurred since November 2019 in Tijuana. That is why, notwithstanding the recognition of learning from the virtual scheme, the joy of face-to-face encounters struck the first note about this meeting, allowing space for warm embraces.
On October 16, at the University of Central America of El Salvador, an Academic Colloquium was organised by the Theoretical and Research Dimension of CANA before the Assembly's more formal work began. The Colloquium updated us on the social and political context of the CANA region, especially from the perspective of forced migration. We addressed the violence, including climate violence, as a factor in new exoduses; we identified trends in migratory flows and regional policies; we addressed various experiences on comprehensive accompaniment, including perspectives that we often do not make explicit, such as working with migrants's families -- or new challenges-- such as emotional and mental health, etc.
The book Monseñor Romero: Living Testimony of Justice and Christian Reconciliation was presented in the same context. A dialogue between the author, Rafa Moreno SJ and Omar Serrano, vice-rector of the UCA Social Outreach Office, ensued. It was moving because of the network's link with Rafa and Monseñor Romero's inspiration in the struggles we continue to confront today. Celebrating Monseñor Romero on the "sacred ground" of the UCA martyrs was perhaps the most moving moment of the week.
Source: redjesuitasconmigrantes
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