The Reconciliation With Creation (RWC) Network held its first delegates meeting at the Metta Karuna Reflection Centre in Siem Reap from 8 to 11 July. Spearheaded by RWC Coordinator Fr Gabriel Lamug-Nañawa SJ, the meeting aimed to gather the RWC delegates for the first time as a group and plan the network’s agenda for the next year.
A highlight of the meeting was a segment called “Hope Talks,” which consisted of a series of presentations on youth-led ecological projects in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Laudato sí. The five grantees of Creators of Hope 2024 shared about their RWC-supported projects, while two youth leaders from Jesuit Service Cambodia (JSC) Ecology Program and the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang shared about their ecological work.
The presenters showed enthusiasm as they discussed the histories, stakeholders, processes, outcomes, difficulties, and future plans of their work. Besides the RWC delegates, students and teachers from Xavier Jesuit School Cambodia also attended to encourage dialogue and genuine commitment among young people to the principles of Laudato sí.
Fauzan Maulana and Caesar Hidayat of the group Guardians of the Anambas Seas presented their advocacy for marine conservation and restoration in the Anambas Islands in Indonesia. Their incredible work in coral reef rehabilitation and adoption piqued the interest of the audience in learning about marine ecosystems. Maulana and Hidayat are hopeful that although extensive damage has been done, coral reef restoration is possible through the promotion of sustainable practices among the communities who rely on the seas for their livelihood.
Jerome Dulin and Sef Arcegono created the film “I Bannag Ta Pansi Batil Potun” to demonstrate the effects of climate change in daily life. Dulin emphasised that while statistics and research on climate change may be difficult for ordinary people to relate to, food is something we all know and love. Through their work, they wish to engage people in conversations about the impact of the ecological crisis on food and natural disasters by leveraging the power of filmmaking.
Creators of Hope 2024 grantees
Karlo Abadines and Vince Perez gave the participants a futuristic view of the ecological crisis. Both challenge the conventional individual-centric ways of tackling climate issues. Building on hope, their work, Towards Emancipatory Utopias, advances the disruption of current systems in favour of pro-environment and pro-people structures through conversations and collaboration.
Sheen Ochavo and Kyrelle Catoto presented the bike-sharing system pioneered and run by their organisation, iKilos Bayugan. Their initiative is the first of its kind to be introduced in Bayugan City, Philippines. Asked about biker safety, Ochavo and Catoto responded that providing helmets and safety gear is one of their targets as their project reaches more communities.
Besides the invaluable feedback the grantees received from the audience, they also had the opportunity to pick up new pieces of knowledge to apply to their respective works. Sharmaine Blas was excited to see the woven products of the communities in Siem Reap. She hoped to learn techniques she could bring back to the women in her community. She and her colleague Jorgia Dagohoy teach women weaving techniques and help them sell their products as an alternative livelihood to farming. Their project, Through Her Hands: Women Weaving Stories, Craft, Restoration, is based in Barangay Alojipan in the Philippines.
The attendees also learnt much about forest restoration and ecology awareness from Panh Chanda, the vice director of JSC Ecology Program, and Nhib Kimheang of the Karuna Battambang Organisation of the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang, who shared about integrating ecological values into religion, schools, and communities for sustainable change.
To cap off the two half-days of talks, the participants visited the Teuk Chhoub Khnar Pou Community Forest and the Jesus Farm, also known as the St Ignatius Parish. Overall, the gathering in Siem Reap not only harnessed information and support, but also poured the blessings of camaraderie, celebration, and hope into the first meeting of the Creators of Hope grantees.
