At a time of major upheaval, when so many are disengaged from the political process, the annual Catholic Justice and Peace Network conference in July, Justice, Power and Responsibility: How Can Democracy Work for the Common Good? takes up the challenge of how to empower people to take responsibility and participate in the decisions that shape our lives.
The 2016 conference will take place at The Hayes Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire from 15-17 July 2016. Among the contributors is Simon Barrow, Director of Ekklesia.
Jon Cruddas MP will set out a vision of politics which takes people beyond dependency without abandoning them to the mercy of the markets; Jenny Sinclair of Together for the Common Good will reflect on our responsibility to work for the common good, based on Catholic Social Teaching; Polly Jones of Global Justice Now will address the power of corporations and international trade; and Takura Gwatiyanya of Caritas Harare will look at developing democracy and participation in developing countries.
Workshops will explore: empowering those in poverty in the UK; empowering women in fragile states; the money system; tax dodging; how money and investments fuel wars; rethinking our notion of progress; local responses to fracking and food waste; engaging with minority communities; making the most of the media; local energy co-ops; responding to the refugee crisis; homelessness; engaging with local politicians; improving social media skills.
Governance in the Church will also be addressed, and a Just Fair market place will offer information and resources from many organisations. Programmes will be run for children and young people, linked to the theme of the conference.
Christine Allen of Christian Aid will chair the conference, and a panel discussion will be chaired by Simon Barrow, Director of the Christian think tank Ekklesia, who will also run a workshop on the media.
* National Justice and Peace Network http://justice-and-peace.org.uk/
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