Declaration of Commitment 

“Laudato si’ in Action: Addressing the Ecological Crisis in Asia Pacific” Capacity building of Asia students to be critical and analytical educators and advocate of environmental justice
Organized by: International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS) Pax Romana
Hosted by: All India Catholic University Federation (AICUF)
Venue: Indian Social Institute, Benson road, Bengaluru, India

Asia Pacific Council (APC) of International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS) Pax Romana, held the workshop named “Laudato si’ in Action: Addressing the Ecological Crisis in Asia Pacific” from 21^st to 25^th May 2017 at Indian Social Institute, Benson town, Bengaluru. This workshop aimed to help young leaders awaken from dormancy about their responsibilities in the society, countries of Asia Pacific. This is exactly in the line of the spirit of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato si’ and Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences special pastoral concerns on Climate Change and Food Sovereignty, Global Warming and Ecology.

We, as the young leaders from different countries attended sessions which have strengthened our convictions and given us new insights that can be taken back to our own countries by implementing some of the solutions arising out of our reflections. We had an exposure programme in some local places of Bengaluru where we witnessed the damage of environment, shared our thoughts about the issues in our countries, reflected about eco spirituality and made some commitment for sustainable development at a personal, state, national and the global level, using Laudato si’ as frame of reflections and actions.

What we learnt:

• We realized how the crisis of climate change and global warming are serious and urgent matters to consider.
• We were alarmed by the growing global culture of ‘throw away’, indifference and exclusion rooted in systematic structures and consumerism spawned by market-driven capitalism.

Reflections:

We felt guilty and anguished to see deforestation, privatization of natural resources and degradation of nature under the banner of ‘Development’, thereby depriving safe environment to all. We resolve to commit ourselves and promote ecological education among our friends, families, institutions and communities. We express our gratitude to Pope Francis for his courageous leadership in addressing the inter-related crisis of climate change and ways of life threatening earth in our times.

Our Commitments (Personal & Movement):

We declare our belief that for sustainability of the envisaged global leadership, youth in all countries need to take up the leadership in responding to the ecological crisis and work for the protection of Mother Earth.

Grounded in our unwavering commitment to truth, we commit ourselves as leaders of International Movement of Catholic Students of Asia Pacific Countries to work together regionally and globally, through all the means available to study, promote, and act on the ideals and vision of integral ecology laid out by Pope Francis.

We realize that the role of our generation is very important for building up of peace and justice in the context of environmental problems and need to engage them creatively to build a generation, which upholds the values of equality, justice and genuine human development.

As per the motto of APC study session ‘Ego to Eco’, we the members of the IMCS Pax Romana promise to undergo ecological conversion and commit ourselves to fight against the causes of the ecological crisis.

More specifically, we commit ourselves as university students to the integral care for the planet, integral human development and concern for the poor through   testimonies, campus activities, outreach services, political and social involvements. Through our genuine commitment to fight against climate change brought about by neoliberal market forces, we will provide capacity building opportunities for our students to shape as global ecological citizens and adopt eco-friendly lifestyles. We also foster eco-spirituality which requires kindness, compassion, and empathy to heal our wounded planet.

We commit ourselves to work for global social justice and solidarity which the Gospels, Catholic Social Teachings and Laudato si’ as laid out by Pope Francis and dedicate our lives, work, energies and resources. Thus we commit ourselves to work relentlessly in campaigning against causes of climate change at the local, state, national and global level.

A call for collaboration towards a healthier planet

We emphasize the fact that networking is fundamental and important in the process of social change and the struggle for environmental justice. Hence we insist on the spirit of collaboration as a way of building more sustainable and integrated initiatives for a better future.

We call upon the business companies to look for new alternatives that can ensure the achievement of their objectives without any damage to the local environment and the dignity of local people. We invite the economic world for a responsible use of limited resources.

We invite all the ecological and environmental organizations to associate with us in order to implement innovative initiatives that can change the way communities create and keep healthy relations with The Mother Earth.

We call, all people of good will to join this global movement that can lead us towards a better future for which we can be proud of having tried our best to keep the earth as safe as God wants it to be from the beginning.