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With 104 votes in favor, 48 contrary and 31 abstentions, the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (or Third Committee) of the UN General Assembly approved the renewal of the “universal moratorium on the death penalty,” first adopted in 2007.Then, the Committee had approved the moratorium with a mere 99 “yes” and 52 “no” and 33 abstentions; the Assembly backed the moratorium in a 104-54 vote (29 abstentions).
The example of St. Paul is one Benedict XVI hopes the Church will follow to build solidarity and promote peaceful coexistence among all races, cultures and creeds. The Pope said this in the message released for the 95th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, to be held January 18.
The world is heading for an ecological credit crunch as human demands on the world’s natural capital far outstrips the Earth’s ability to sustain it. That is the stark warning contained in the latest edition of WWF’s Living Planet Report, the leading statement of the planet’s health. On a global scale, humans are currently exploiting the planet’s natural resources at an unsustainable rate. We are living beyond our means and must reduce our impact in order to avoid financial, ecological and societal disaster.
Government officials and civil society members from 163 countries, gathered in the Philippines for a meeting on migration, agreed that it was time to look beyond economic benefits and give the phenomenon a ‘human face.’ As the four-day ‘Second Global Forum on Migration and Development’ drew to a close, the consensus was that there needed to be a ‘’rights-based approach’’ to migrant workers, taking into consideration the benefits they bring to both home and host countries.
The Holy See says malaria is still a major threat to human security – someone dies of it every 30 seconds – but the solution is helping the poverty-stricken prevent and treat the disease. This was the observation made by Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, at the 63rd U.N. General Assembly.
‘The World Food and Agriculture Situation of 2008’ studies the consequences of the rapid growth of the production of agrofuels based on crops. The boom in liquid agrofuels has been widely favored by policies adopted in the developed countries that saw this new form of energy as capable of reducing the negative effects of climate change and of contributing to energy security and agricultural development. The growing demand for crops destined for fuel production has significant implications for agricultural markets.
The human being is not a threat to the environment, but rather its steward, says the Holy See. This was affirmed by Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, before the Second Committee of the 63rd session of the U.N. General Assembly. “It is often said that we have to defend the environment,” the Archbishop said. “The term ‘defense’ could mislead us to see a conflict between the environment and the human being. In this forum, we speak of ‘protection’ or ‘safeguarding.’
Benedict XVI says world hunger has its roots in a variety of issues that can be summarized by a false perception of the values that should regulate international relations. The Pope affirmed that national selfishness, unbridled speculation, corruption, consumerism and arms races are consequences of this false perception. He said this in a message for World Food Day ‘08, sent to the director-general of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This year’s theme for the U.N. day was “World Food Security: The Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy.”
The situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is at risk of turning into a humanitarian catastrophe, unless further reinforcements are given to the UN peace-keeping troops so that they can protect civilians, Amnesty International warned. “We urge the Security Council to send immediate assistance to UN troops in the form of additional troop numbers, air support and other equipment. Only then will they be able to disrupt armed group attacks against civilian populations and enforce the UN arms embargo on the DRC, in line with their existing mandate,” said Tawanda Hondora, deputy director of the African Program.
World Mission has been granted two prizes by the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) on October 29. Our magazine was distinguished as the Best Local Community/Parish Newspaper, repeating last year’s feat; and it won for the Best Special Feature – a prose authored by Frs. José Rebelo and Dave Domingues titled A Farm of Hope and published in its issue of April-May 2008. It was a reportage made in Masbate Island, in a farm belonging to the Fazenda da Esperança chain where, through work, community life and prayer, Filipino youth are being rescued from drugs, alcohol and other self-destructive dependences.
