On the occasion of World Water Day, the Dicastery is presenting "Five Public Conversations Inspired by Aqua Fons Vitae," online from March 22 to 26. The director of Juan Ciudad NGO will speak on March 23.
Last year, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development published "Aqua fons vitae. Guidelines on water, symbol of the cry of the poor and the cry of the Earth." This document is rooted in the Social Doctrine of the Church and is based on the work carried out by members of the Church at the national and local levels in different countries. It also draws on various reports and technical documents from the United Nations, the OECD, and civil society.
"Water" is a term that draws attention to several challenges facing the human family. It should be noted that although "everything is connected," as Pope Francis teaches in his encyclical Laudato si' (no. 16, 117), Aqua fons vitae describes three aspects or dimensions of water: 1) water for human use, a right that also encompasses sanitation; 2) water and human activities, especially agriculture and industry; and 3) water as space, that is, rivers, groundwater, lakes, and especially seas and oceans. For each aspect, the document presents related challenges and operational proposals for local awareness and engagement. The initial part of the document urges recognition of the multiple values of water: a religious value, a sociocultural and aesthetic value, an institutional and peace value, and finally an economic value. The final part of Aqua fons vitae offers a reflection on education and integrity.
It is worth noting that, in the period since the publication of Aqua Fons Vitae, important negotiations have taken place within the scope of so-called "hydrodiplomacy," while the need to protect the oceans and their resources seems to be growing. The lack of adequate WASH (Water, Toilets, and Sanitation) facilities in schools, health centers, and homes has been repeatedly identified as a major obstacle in the fight against the COVID-19 and Ebola pandemics, as well as being one of the main gaps in healthcare.
There are increasing voices warning of the dangers of chemical pollution and microplastics in water. New speculative financial activities have begun to focus on water. It must also be acknowledged that numerous education and training initiatives have been carried out and are being organized, despite the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Commendable awareness-raising and advocacy activities are underway. Initiatives to strengthen sustainable and inclusive agriculture increasingly take into account water constraints related to climate change or competing demands on this precious resource.
The responsible and supportive management of water, this precious common good, will undoubtedly play a key role in the recovery of our societies from the ongoing pandemic, in peace processes and the consolidation of legality, and in the advent of an inclusive, sustainable, and just economy. In this regard, Pope Francis noted in his recent encyclical "All Brothers and Sisters": "When we speak of caring for our common home, the planet, we appeal to that minimum of universal conscience and concern for mutual care that may still remain in people. Indeed, if someone possesses a surplus of water and conserves it for the sake of humanity, it is because they have reached a moral level that allows them to go beyond themselves and their own group. This is wonderfully human! This same attitude is required to recognize the rights of every human being" (no. 117).
This year, World Water Day will be celebrated on March 22nd with the theme "Valuing Water." The Dicastery is taking this opportunity to organize a series of public dialogues to further promote Aqua Fons Vitae: five webinars designed for a broad audience, with a popular purpose and the desire to promote interdisciplinary collaboration. Speakers from different countries, religious congregations, various ecclesiastical structures, and international or regional organizations will share their ideas and testimonies on Aqua Fons Vitae themes. These webinars are organized in collaboration with one or more organizations. They will take place in different languages and at different times, one per day, from March 22nd to 26th.
