On 18th December 2020, International Migrants Day, the Transformative Community of Practice (TCoP) of the European and African regions of the Society of the Sacred Heart, organized an online conference in collaboration with Justice Coalition of Religious (JCoR), Mercy International Association, and the NGO Committee on Migration.

Sheila Smith RSCJ, UN-NGO Representative of the Society of the Sacred Heart, shared our experience of growing a TCoP focused on “People on the Move.”  She highlighted the contribution of vertical consciousness for the transformation that we seek in order to achieve the Global Compact on Migration.  Vertical consciousness refers to the deep growth that enhances our capacity to be transformed in order to lead transformation. https://bit.ly/364Lwrv

Yolanda Jiménez, JPIC Assistant of the Society of the Sacred Heart, presented three case studies of on-the-ground experiences of the Family of the Sacred Heart in “Welcoming People on the Move” in Italy, Spain, and Poland.  She presented concrete data, highlighting the countries’ approach to migration, their best practices, the agents of transformation, and emerging key issues. https://bit.ly/3qHcdu7

Cecilie Kern, of the Mercy International Association - Global Action and the NGO Committee on Migration, shared the perspective of those who have been entrusted by their organizations to be the bridge between the local and global level, to translate the outcomes and the recommendations that emerge from deep listening and conversations, and to turn these into advocacy at the United Nations. https://bit.ly/3sPANLd

The JPIC Learning Hub thanks the TCoP of the Region of the Europe and Africa for this their first activity as a TCoP in the pursuit of our vision to be “artisans of hope in our blessed and broken world.”

Simultaneous interpretation was available during the online conference.  However, only the original English presentations have been recorded.