The First Congress of Solidarity of Saint John of God, held in Barcelona from November 17 to 19, proposed a new model of solidarity to address the new realities of vulnerability and empower those served. Brother José Luis Fonseca, Provincial Superior, closed the event by appealing to the need for solidarity and hospitality to achieve a more mature and just society.
The 1st San Juan de Dios Solidarity Congress proposed a new solidarity model to extend care to new groups at risk of exclusion and to deepen the involvement of those served in their recovery processes. More than 600 professionals, volunteers, users, collaborators, and Brothers met with experts outside the institution to define the strategies San Juan de Dios should follow in the area of solidarity. Networking with other organizations such as Oxfam IntermĂłn, CĂĄritas, Doctors Without Borders, and Friends of the Elderly has allowed for conclusions to be drawn that can be extrapolated to the entire sector.
Juan Ciudad NGO, created by the Hospitaller Order in Spain, participated in the congress by holding a closing ceremony to commemorate its 25 years of work in the social and healthcare fields through International Cooperation, for Sustainable Human Development, and the defense of Human Rights. The event was attended by: Brother JosĂ© Maria Viadero, director of Juan Ciudad ONGD, and the Brother MoisĂ©s MartĂn, head of the Office of Missions and International Cooperation of the General Curia.
Over the three days of the congress, an intense debate developed, leading to key insights such as:
- Social inequality generates inequalities of opportunity. For example, we cannot expect a person who doesn't have a plate on the table to face a job interview with ease.
- Health is not only a biological issue but also a social issue, as demonstrated by the difference in life expectancy between neighborhoods within the same city.
- The right to decent and affordable housing doesn't allow for conditions. Everyone, regardless of their origin or class, deserves a place to live.
- User participation must be at the center of attention. We must abandon paternalism and empower the people we serve to decide about their lives: Nothing about us without us.
Faced with these realities, San Juan de Dios reaffirms its duty to care for others, an essential commitment that has been at the heart of the institution since its founding in the 16th century.We need solidarity and hospitality to achieve a more mature and fair society.", he concluded Brother JosĂ© Luis Fonseca, Provincial Superior. âThe Province is full of challenges that must be embraced with passion; the greatest challenge is to update our mission to meet today's needs and to have an open heart to face them.", he added.
Along these lines, the doctor in philosophy from the University of Barcelona and advisor to the Order in the field of solidarity, Begoña Roman, stated in the inaugural conference of the Congress that "Solidarity is not comfortable in an unjust society, but we cannot become demoralized; we must stand by each other."A call not to become complacent and to open our eyes to the new situations of vulnerability generated by the system, such as refugees, evicted families, or the working poor."There is no institutional solidarity without personal solidarity; commitment cannot be occasional or intermittent, and must transform the causes.", he added.
The congress was attended by Brother Jesus Etayo, Superior General, and of Monsignor Joan Josep Omella, Cardinal Archbishop of Barcelona, who, in the Eucharist celebrated yesterday, Sunday, recalled that "Poverty is not only the lack of material goods, it is also loneliness, the absence of culture, illness or not finding meaning in life.â.
To close this congress, Juan Ciudad NGOD enlisted the help of musician and composer Seydu. Together, they provided festive musical notes to conclude the three-day congress and celebrate Juan Ciudad NGOD's 25 years of work.
More information:Â https://solidaritat.santjoandedeu.org/es
