The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) and the Geneva Forum of Catholic-Inspired Organizations are organizing the virtual webinar “A Jubilee of Hope for Migrants and Refugees. Faith and Human Rights Perspectives”, co-sponsored by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPIHD) and the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the UN in Geneva.
This online event, open to the public, will bring together representatives from the Catholic Church, faith-based organizations, grassroots civil society, and UN-related agencies, to reflect on the message of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee of Migrants . Special attention will be paid to the current challenges experienced by migrants, refugees, survivors of human trafficking, and those providing assistance to them.
Inspired by the words of Pope Leo XIV, keynote speakers will share their forward-looking perspectives on how faith communities, civil society, and multilateral institutions can uphold human dignity, human rights, and international law in policies and practices related to migration and forced displacement, especially in view of the current fast-changing context.
Among the speakers at the event are Cardinal Fabio Baggio, CS, Under-Secretary of the DPIHD; Bishop Mark Seitz, Bishop of El Paso and Chairman of the Committee on Migration of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB); Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and other Specialized Institutions in Geneva; Ms. Elizabeth Tan, Director of the Division of International Protection at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); Sr. Olivia Umoh, DC, Director of Safe Child Advocacy and Coordinator of Talitha Kum Ghana; Mr. Davide Bernocchi, Secretary General of the International Catholic Migration Commission; Ms. Hala Al-Kayal, Syrian civil society activist and former refugee. The webinar moderator will be Mr. Victor Genina, Director of Integral Human Development at Caritas Internationalis.