The issue of ecological debt was raised at a WCC-co-organized panel discussion moderated by Sharon Bradshaw from the Caribbean Conference of Churches (above) during the fifth World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Ecological debt has been accumulated over years by resource plundering, environmental damage and occupation of environmental space by the countries of the global north towards those of the global south. "The people who are living in the poor areas, including indigenous people, must be considered as creditors, the others as debtors," explains Dr Rogate Mshana, head of the WCC's economic justice programme. The discussion aimed at encouraging as many people as possible to form an alliance of creditors in the South to work towards halting the destruction of nature and people's lives.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
The issue of ecological debt was raised at a WCC-co-organized panel discussion moderated by Sharon Bradshaw from the Caribbean Conference of Churches during the fifth World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Ecological debt has been accumulated over years by resource plundering, environmental damage and occupation of environmental space by the countries of the global north towards those of the global south. "The people who are living in the poor areas, including indigenous people, must be considered as creditors, the others as debtors," explains Dr Rogate Mshana (above), head of the WCC's economic justice programme. The discussion aimed at encouraging as many people as possible to form an alliance of creditors in the South to work towards halting the destruction of nature and people's lives.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
"We share a universal responsibility for the humanity and our world" was the main message at a Sunday morning interreligious celebration at the fifth World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Organized by the Interreligious Coalition Porto Alegre and its partners, the celebration brought together representatives of more than fifteen confessions and religions. Members of the Brazilian Lutheran Church, the Anglican Church, the Roman-Catholic Church and the Episcopal Church were among those who represented the ecumenical family. The interreligous community included Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and representatives of Bahai, Shamanist and Afro-Brazilian religions.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
"We share a universal responsibility for the humanity and our world" was the main message at a Sunday morning interreligious celebration at the fifth World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Organized by the Interreligious Coalition Porto Alegre and its partners, the celebration brought together representatives of more than fifteen confessions and religions. Members of the Brazilian Lutheran Church, the Anglican Church, the Roman-Catholic Church and the Episcopal Church were among those who represented the ecumenical family. The interreligous community included Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and representatives of Bahai, Shamanist and Afro-Brazilian religions.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
An enthusiastic audience at a 27 January 2005 WCC panel on “Women's spirituality, life and dignity” during the fifth World Social Forum (WSF) in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
27 January 2005 WCC panel on “Women's spirituality, life and dignity” during the fifth World Social Forum (WSF) in Porto Alegre, Brazil. (From Left) Rev. Dr Ofelia Ortega from Cuba, Rev. Eunice Santana from Puerto Rico, Carmencita Karagdag from the Philippines, and Chung Hyun Kyung from Korea.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
Ms Carmencita Karagdag from the Philippines speaking at a 27 January 2005 WCC panel on “Women's spirituality, life and dignity” during the fifth World Social Forum (WSF) in Porto Alegre, Braz.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
That the feminist approach is not an exclusively Christian one was underlined by Korean eco-feminist and professor of theology Chung Hyun Kyung at a 27 January 2005 panel on “Women's spirituality, life and dignity” during the fifth World Social Forum (WSF) in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
At a 27 January 2005 WCC panel on “Women's spirituality, life and dignity” during the fifth World Social Forum (WSF) in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Rev. Eunice Santana from the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Puerto Rico emphasized that women have always felt “the interconnection between human beings, the creation and the wholeness of life”.
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According to Rev. Dr Wanda Deifelt, pastor of the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil, who spoke at a 27 January 2005 WCC panel on “Women's spirituality, life and dignity” during the fifth World Social Forum (WSF) in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Christianity has to rediscover the human body.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
Members of the ecumenical coalition to the 26-31 January World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, at their opening meeting in the city's Lutheran Church. (26.01.05)
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
Members of an Indigenous people's musical group performing at the ecumenical coalition at the WSF's opening meeting in the city's Lutheran Church. (26.01.05)
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
The ecumenical coalition at the 26-31 January World Social Forum participating in a march in the streets of Porto Alegre on the opening day of the WSF. (26.01.05)
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
A march in the streets of Porto Alegre on the opening day of the 26-31 January World Social Forum. (26.01.05)
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
The ecumenical coalition at the 26-31 January World Social Forum participating in a march in the streets of Porto Alegre on the opening day of the WSF. (26.01.05)
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
A march in the streets of Porto Alegre on the opening day of the 26-31 January World Social Forum. (26.01.05)
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
Participants in the 23-26 January youth pre-WSF event in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
Young people from the ecumenical youth event watch a presentation of the traditional Brazilian capoeira.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
Children from Morro Santana, a YMCA children’s day nursery on the outskirts of Port Alegre, watch a presentation of the traditional Brazilian capoeira.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
Children from Morro Santana, a YMCA children’s day nursery on the outskirts of Port Alegre.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
Children from Morro Santana, a YMCA children’s day nursery on the outskirts of Port Alegre, and participants in the ecumenical pre-WSF youth event, get a lesson in the movements of traditional Brazilian capoeira.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
Theologian Leonardo Boff from Brazil during a break at the 21-25 January World Forum on Theology and Liberation taking place in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
High resolution version
World Forum on Theology and Liberation participants taking an exercise break during a panel discussion featuring theologians Leonardo Boff from Brazil and Chung Hyun Kyung from Korea. (21 January 2005)
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
(From left) Theologians Chung Hyun Kyung from Korea, Frei Beto, and Leonardo Boff from Brazil on a panel discussion during the 21-25 January World Forum on Theology and Liberation taking place in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
© Paulino Menezes/WCC & LWF
