On March 9 and 10, the Laudato Si’ Center for Higher Education and the University of Notre Dame will launch the Global Alliance, an international initiative that brings together universities and international organizations committed to fight climate change.
Vatican News On March 9 and 10 the Laudato Si’ Center for Higher Education, in partnership with the University of Notre Dame, will launch the Global Alliance, an international initiative dedicated to integral ecology and sustainability. Representatives from more than 60 universities across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa, along with leaders from major international organizations will gather for the inaugural event at the Laudato Si’ Village (‘Borgo Laudato Si’’) in the Papal Gardens in Castel Gandolfo, about an hour away outside of Rome. The event will take place across two days and will feature talks, opportunities for discussion and reflection, and moments to exchange experiences on how to foster an integrated approach to sustainability, grounded in the principles of Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ and the Social Doctrine of the Church. A shared journey of hope “The Global Alliance is born as a shared journey of hope, bringing together science, communities, and faith to care for creation,” said Cardinal Fabio Baggio, General Director of the Laudato Si’ Center for Higher Education, and one of the founders of the Global Alliance. “It seeks to protect the most vulnerable and to build together a sustainable and just future that respects every person.” The University of Notre Dame’s President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C, also highlighted how the establishment “is deeply committed to the moral vision of Laudato Si’, to safeguard those on the margins and care for our common home.” “We are honored,” he continued, “to partner with the Vatican in this Global Alliance that will bring together distinguished leaders and researchers in sustainability and integral ecology from around the world to create a more just and resilient future for all.” A network to tackle environmental issues The Global Alliance was created to connect universities, research centers, communities, and institutions that are committed to promoting sustainable practices, in order to leverage synergies between research, education, and community action. The network aims to establish a shared infrastructure capable of amplifying the global impact of integral ecology by uniting faith, science, and social justice. This will then help tackle environmental degradation, inequality, and ecological injustice. Expected outcomes form this event include the formation of a global network of institutions, the creation of thematic working groups for developing research agendas and educational tools, and the strengthening of Catholic visibility and contribution to the international sustainability dialogue.