Peacebuilding Archives

Caritas Colombia building peace through river-side community

21/09/2020 Colombia, Peacebuilding, Uncategorised by Michelle Hough

Caritas in Colombia helped plan and rebuild a river port in the Catatumbo region, near Venezuela. Rebuilding the port contributed to efforts to link up communities in a zone previously at the mercy of rebel and paramilitary activity. The Colombian government and FARC rebels signed an historic peace agreement in 2016 following decades of civil ...

International Day for Peace: Put “human person above all vested interests”

18/09/2020 Advocacy, Africa, Asia, Central African Republic, Colombia, Development, Latin America, Pakistan, Peacebuilding, Philippines, SDG by Caritas Internationalis

Caritas found profound inspiration in Paul VI’s encyclical Populorum Progressio, where the Pontiff stated that “development is the new name of peace”.

Canonisations of Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Oscar Romero

11/10/2018 Development, Peacebuilding by Caritas Internationalis

Two hugely influential figures in the recent history of the Catholic Church and Caritas Internationalis, Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Oscar Romero from El Salvador, become saints on 14th October 2018 in Rome.

Failing to protect lives in Central African Republic

20/03/2018 Africa, Central African Republic, Conflicts and Disasters, Emergencies, Emergencies in Central African Republic, Peacebuilding by Patrick Nicholson

Half the people of the Central African Republic needs humanitarian aid due to a collapse of the rule of law and a failure by United Nations peacekeepers to establish security.

Pope in Asia: Rohingyas speak of abuses

28/11/2017 Asia, Conflicts and Disasters, Emergencies, Myanmar, Peacebuilding by Patrick Nicholson

by Caroline Brennan, Catholic Relief Services with additional reporting by Harriet Paterson In a late addition to his plans, Pope Francis hopes to meet Rohingya refugees from Myanmar at an inter-religious encounter for peace in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 1 December. He has previously expressed his “full closeness” to the Rohingya people. The Dhaka meeting will ...

Syria conference must invest in future for refugees

3/04/2017 Conflicts and Disasters, Emergencies, Emergencies in Syria, Europe, High-Level Meetings and Events, Peacebuilding by Caritas Internationalis

Caritas agencies call on western countries to do more to help fleeing Syrians, as more than five million people have been forced to cross borders and register as refugees in neighbouring countries. They warn that a Brussels Conference on Syria this week must prioritise mobilising funds for longer-term development for Syrian refugees. In a joint ...

Caritas remembers its patron saint Blessed Oscar Romero

24/03/2017 El Salvador, Latin America, Peacebuilding by Caritas Internationalis

Blessed Óscar Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador, was assassinated while celebrating the Eucharist on March 24, 1980. Bishop Gregorio Rosa Chávez, Archbishop of San Salvador and President of Cáritas El Salvador reminds us of his legacy. How did you meet Monsignor Romero? Monsignor Romero and I are originally from the same diocese, the diocese of ...

Global day of prayer for Syria with Pope Francis in Sweden

4/11/2016 Conflicts and Disasters, Emergencies, Emergencies in Syria, Europe, Middle East & North Africa, Peacebuilding, Sweden, Syria by Caritas Internationalis

Caritas organisations prayed around the world including in Damascus and Aleppo as Pope Francis led 10,000 people in Sweden calling for peace in Syria.

Caritas Syria on frontline in Hassakeh

29/08/2016 Conflicts and Disasters, Emergencies, Emergencies in Syria, Middle East & North Africa, Peacebuilding, Syria by Sandra Awad

The Kurdish YPG militia launched a major assault 16 August against the government-controlled parts of the Syrian city. The Caritas office was on the frontline. Our staff tell their stories.

“You are not alone”: Pope Francis in Lesbos

17/04/2016 Conflicts and Disasters, Emergencies, Emergencies in Syria, Europe, Greece, Migration, Peacebuilding, Refugees by Patrick Nicholson

Caritas staff met Pope Francis on his ecumenical visit to Lesbos, where he was raising the plight of refugees.