Peace & Solidarity

Cultural heritage

Every time we disregard our roots and forget where we’re coming from, we are impoverished. Our identity is in danger and we risk falling prey to new forms of ideological colonization. At the same time, an over-emphasis on roots, memory and identity can lead us to the kind of nostalgic ideologies which exclude the “other” and leave us stuck in the past.

With Fr Nicholas Doublet, lecturer in Church history at the University of Malta and Dr Karsten Xuereb, researcher in cultural relations with a focus on the Mediterranean, we speak about Malta’s calling to be a “laboratory of organic development” (Pope Francis)… Read more »

The power of hospitality

On the 5th of March, 2002, 250 asylum seekers drifted into Xlendi Bay, Gozo. Their arrival marked what would later be considered as the first major disembarkation of asylum seekers on Maltese shores. Since then, the issue of migration has practically never disappeared from our socio-political agenda. Among friends and colleagues, the pros and cons of welcoming people in a multicultural society are discussed. Come election time, the success or otherwise of our “integration” programmes is debated… Read more »

Sejjaħli b’Ismi

After months of hard work during which a series of dialogue sessions were held between migrants and the host community, the exhibition Sejjaħli b’Ismi was launched on Sunday 11th December. This intercultural project is the result of a collaboration between the Sejjaħli b’Ismi team, the Justice and Peace Commission and JRS (Malta) and commemorates the 20th anniversary since the first major disembarkation of asylum seekers on our shores… Read more »

Truth and Justice – the pillars of Post-War Justice

On the occasion of Human Rights Day on 10 December 2022 the European Conference of Justice and Peace Commissions wishes to offer some reflections on post-war justice (ius post bellum).

For many months now, the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine has been raging. It is contrary to international law. Out of great concern for the people suffering from this brutal war, the European Conference of Justitia et Pax Commissions (Justice and Peace Europe) has repeatedly spoken out on this brutal war1, not only condemning the Russian aggression, war crimes and the countless violations of human rights, but also calling on political leaders to find a solution to this conflict… Read more »

Poverty and homelessness

 “Collaboration is increasingly being seen as an important factor in the work of health and social professionals.” (Ambrose-Miller & Ashcroft, 2016, pp.101)

Poverty is one of the most significant social determinants of health and mental health, intersecting with all other determinants, including education, local social and community conditions, race/ethnicity, gender, immigration status, health and access to health care, as well as the living environment… Read more »

Peace, integral ecology and synodality

The International workshop 2022 of Justice and Peace Europe took place in Assisi from the 7th until the 9th of October. Participants were welcomed by the Franciscan community and led into the opening prayer by a group of young people who are actively engaged in the Italian Justice and Peace Commission. Daniel Darmanin (President) and Mark Cachia (Executive Officer) attended this meeting on behalf of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Malta… Read more »

rethink.mt

To follow up on Pope Francis’ visit to Malta, the Archdiocese of Malta is launching a project titled: rethink.mt: Rethink culture.

rethink.mt is a space for respectful dialogue on complex issues shaping Maltese culture. Supported by the Vicariate for Evangelisation and hosted by Justice & Peace –Malta, discussions will take place with various people active in Maltese society about the kind of culture we are hoping to build together… Read more »

Catholic Social Teaching: a dialogue

Aħseb u Ara is a podcast hosted by the Malta Catholic Youth Network and the Justice and Peace Commission. This project is the result of a collaboration that began in 2021 and led to the Youth Engagement Study research, which was carried out in the same year.

The aim of these podcasts was to discuss themes from the Social Teaching of the Church… Read more »

Listen to the voice of creation: Journey with Hildegard of Bingen

The Justice and Peace Commission, together with the Interdiocesan Environment Commission are organizing an activity to celebrate the Season of Creation 2022. Through this event, they will be joining a number of Christian churches all over the world that every year, between the 1st September and the 4th of October, seek to raise awareness in favour of an attitude of care towards creation and its inhabitants… Read more »

Respect for international nuclear disarmament agreements is not a form of weakness, but a source of strength

With Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its consequences, the world seems to have regressed into a new Cold War dynamic, involving a dangerous rhetoric with threats of use of nuclear weapons. Eroding respect for the principles of international law, including arms control agreements, undermines trust within the international community. Along with renewed strategic rivalry among nuclear powers and evolving technologies, this makes the scenario of an intentional or accidental nuclear detonation very real… Read more »