Pope Francis has called for the deployment of indigenous and scientific knowledge in addressing climate change challenges.
He stated this on Thursday, March 14, 2024, while addressing participants in a workshop organised by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in the Vatican, to discuss the role of ethnoecological knowledge in developing local solutions with global consequences for climate and biodiversity agendas.
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The Pope equally advocated for a closer collaboration between both bodies of knowledge to address climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and threats to food and health security facing the world today.
According to him, indigenous knowledge offers a crucial contribution to tackle the climate crisis with unique experience in matters related to the environment.
Themed, ‘Indigenous Peoples’ Knowledge and the Sciences: Combining knowledge and science on vulnerabilities and solutions for resilience’, the 2-day conference explored opportunities for cooperation between indigenous peoples and the science community on climate change.
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“Listening to indigenous peoples, in order to learn from their wisdom and from their lifestyles, and at the same time listening to scientists, in order to benefit from their research,” the Pope stated in a speech read by Pierluigi Giroli.
According to him, the initiative makes a significant contribution to acknowledging the value of the wisdom of Indigenous peoples’ to advancing an integral and sustainable human development.
Acknowledging diversity to promote human fraternity, the Pope stated further that the workshop also sends a message to government leaders and to international organisations, on the need to acknowledge and respect the rich diversity within the human family.
He stated that indigenous knowledge must be protected, to prevent the loss of cultures, traditions, spiritualities and languages, which would represent an “impoverishment of knowledge, identity and memory for all of us.”
Pope Francis also stated that projects of scientific research and investments ought to be directed decisively to the promotion of human fraternity, justice and peace. Accordingly, he stated that resources can be coordinated and allocated to respond to the urgent challenges facing the earth.
The Holy Father disclosed that an open dialogue between indigenous knowledge and the sciences is very important in addressing climate change challenges. He stated that such initiative presents an alternative vision to the one that is presently driving the world to increased conflict.
“Open dialogue between communities of ancestral wisdom and those of the sciences, can help to confront in a new, more integral and more effective way such crucial issues as water, climate change, hunger and biodiversity,” he stated.
The Pope noted further that the entire patrimony of knowledge should be employed as a means of overcoming conflicts in a nonviolent manner to combat poverty and the new forms of slavery.
“God has made us stewards, not masters of the planet. All of us are called to an ecological conversion; a commitment to saving our common home and to fostering intergenerational solidarity in order to preserve the life of future generations, rather than wasting resources and aggravating inequality, exploitation and destruction.”
He further encouraged the representatives of indigenous communities and scientists attending the workshop to continue to cooperate in the service of truth, freedom, dialogue, justice and peace.
“The Church is with you, an ally of the indigenous peoples and their wisdom, and an ally of science in striving to make our world one of ever greater fraternity and social friendship,” Pope Francis stated.
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Kaduna abduction: Adegbite calls for collective action, prayers for victims
SEYI JOHN SALAU
The Executive Secretary of Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) has called for collective action and prayers for the quick return of the school pupils abducted in Kaduna recently.
“I pray for those children with growling in my heart, with agony that those people that have taken them into captivity will not rest until they release them,” he said.
He stated this during the recent courtesy visit by the Association of Christian Correspondents of Nigeria (ACCoN), on his appointment as the executive secretary (ES) of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC).
According to him, “insecurity in Nigeria has never been this bad, and that Nigerians used to be peaceful with one another. We live in peace with everybody; even with Fulani.”
Adegbite further said that the abducted children have done nothing wrong by going to school. “They don’t know anything about government; they don’t know anything about governance. They are just living their lives innocently.
“And, I imagine for somebody to kidnap me when I was a young boy; it’s a trauma for the children; it’s trauma for the parents,” Adegbite stated.
Speaking further on the incessant abduction in the North West, he said, “They did it to the Baptist student in the same Kaduna, and they got N400 million before they were released, and they were releasing them in batches.
“They collected food, Okada, before they released them, and they have done another one. The Chibok girls: some of them are still with them. Why are we being wicked to one another; to each other in a nation called Nigeria?” he asked.
The Association, in a statement jointly signed by Adeola Ogunlade, president, and Olusegun Obisesan, general secretary, said that Adegbite has continued to show leadership, commitment, dedication, forthrightness, and patriotism to the Church and the nation at large.
“This new feat gladdens our hearts as an association that is committed to advancing God’s kingdom through our pen. We are very hopeful that his tenure will bring positive changes to the face of pilgrimage in Nigeria.”
The group also stated that NCPC needs the prayers, support, and collaboration of the Church at this time and that it will continue to pray for Adegbite and the entire team at the Christian pilgrim’s board.
The Association assures him of continued partnership and support for a successful tenure at NCPC. “We implore him to continue to show goodwill and the leadership model that is needed in scaling up the opportunities and the spiritual rejuvenation that pilgrimage offers the church and Nigeria.”
