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The Combonian Social Forum - 6TH Communication
The Combonian Social Forum - 6TH Communication
by Fr. Gustavo Covarrubias Rodríguez
Through this letter begins a serial of some more personalised communications which are to be more directed to the participants who are already confirmed in the Comboni Forum II (CF).
Belém, 12.11.2008
To all the participants in the Comboni Forum II
Dear all,
Through this letter we begin a serial of some more personalised communications which are to be more directed to the participants who are already confirmed in the Comboni Forum II (CF). From now onward we hope to have more interaction between us all so that our meeting may be an authentic exchange of good experiences, dreams, and commitments. In this sense, we thank the interest that many of you have taken by answering our 5th communication. From it some doubts, questions, and suggestions have risen. We have collected them all and tried to make a synthesis which is now presented to you.
1. LOGO, MOTTO, AND LANGUAGES FOR THE CF II. To the question asked about these topics we have received the answers of 21 participants.
a) Logo. Eight people have opted for the first proposal, although some of them asked to put the motto within the logo itself. Five people have openly opted for the second proposal, though with some reserves (change the Comboni picture or to add other with some more contextualised details). Two people have been contrary to both proposals, especially because of the Comboni picture that is not well known or too stylised. One of them has suggested to look for another logo. Another six people did not take a position or simply found the discussion irrelevant.
The coordination team, in response to the majority’s point of view and also due to the restrict character of the meeting (both in time and in number of participants), has opted to keep the logo as it was presented in the first proposal (see above), of course, adding place and date of the event. As concerning others details, such as date and motto, these can be worked out in a complementary form but independent of the picture (the logo by its very nature should be meaningful, simple, direct, and aesthetically harmonious).
b) Motto. The motto, which orientates the way the meeting should take, normally should be pertinent and incisive as well as broad not running the risk of being too generic. In this respect, nine participants did not take an open position whether against or in favour of. Eight people have agreed with the proposal. Four people have presented some other proposals. Considering that the motto puts a lot of influence (although it is not determining) into the imaginary of a group that is open to participate, discuss, reflect, and to arrive at a consensus (as we intend to be and do as the Comboni Forum II group), we have collected some of the reasons in favour of the motto together with other suggestions:
- The word “new”… indicates the need to follow the development of the time, of the church, and of the world. (Dário – BNE).
- The motto is in consonance with the central theme of the WSF and with our current Comboni missionary journey in the search of new ways for the mission. (Antonio Carlos – Portugal)
- I think that the motto is up-to-date and provocative within the perspective of a new Comboni mission that should respond to the challenges of our present days. (Raimundo Nonato – BNE)
- I think that the motto is meaningful to all of us (Henry Dunn – BS)
- The motto appears to be up-to-date and commitment-leading since, based on an analysis of the reality both at a national and at an international level, it is necessary to up to date our being and doing mission… I like very much this motto. (Lucha, LMC – México).
- As concerning the motto, it seems to me ambiguous, because it speaks of a new mission… this presupposes to talk about formation, evangelisation, and missionary animation… I thought it would be a Comboni social forum. Therefore, it should touch only specifics themes such as Justice and Peace… Perhaps it could consider some of the XXI century’s challenges for the Comboni mission (globalisation, poverty, contamination, etc). What alternatives can we find to face these new challenges in our mission? (Neto – Peru).
- My suggestion for the logo (motto) is this: “A renewed Comboni Mission at the light of the new world challenges”! (JM Brites – BNE)
- I believe that it is necessary to focus well on the motto in order to avoid a repetition of the points reflected on already in Nairobi. Marcelo Barros, at the end of his article says: “The WSF in the Amazon will be centred on sustainability. The Comboni Forum should deepen how we live it out according to our faith”. In the motto you have written ‘a new Comboni mission is possible, necessary, and urgent!’ It appears to me a theme that is too generic and it hardily will take us to any concrete point. I think it is better that the motto is put in line with the theme of the WSF. (Francesco Pierli).
In response, the coordination team has written to Fr. Pierli: “the chosen theme is actually generic because it should also include many instances and expectations. However, we are consulting all the participants in order to know their opinions about this. There is nothing put as an impediment to change the theme. The most important thing is to qualify the reflection and the initial provocations in the first day (January 26th), taking this as a reading key for the WSF and for an eventual sharing in the Comboni Forum so that points already made in Nairobi may be avoided and qualify our being missionary at the light of sustainability, of proposals and critical approaching on the current model of development, etc. We need to reflect on this between us all and the coordination of the CF II (you, Barros, and the Brazilian team)”.
c) Languages. Regarding the languages, a great majority of the participants agrees to have Portuguese and Spanish as the two official languages of the meeting. There could be a third language for those who have difficulties with the two Latin languages. The majority opted for English as the third auxiliary language. So, since now the communications will be in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. Obviously this should not be a hindrance to have reflections and documents translated into Italian and French as well.
2. QUESTIONNARIE/INTERACTION. As it was mentioned in the previous communications and with the approach of the Comboni Forum, all the participants need to be in an attitude of interaction and reflection so that the reflections that are to occur in Belem may have a previous discussion. For this we need to have a more complete profile of all the participants and their expectations. A form to be filled in will be sent to you. Through it some essential information are being requested, which will be useful for a previous interaction. So, we ask you to complete the form and send it back by e-mail till the third week of October as the latest.
3. READING TEXTS. For the next communication we hope to have ready a “corpus” of material for readings which is translated into the three official languages. Fr. Pierli is writing a reflection in preparation of the meeting. For the time being we send to you all the Final Report of the Comboni Forum I – Nairobi 2007. We take this opportunity to let you know that we have available a DVD and a CD with the staff of this event all in English. If you are interest in having this material, please contact us and we send it to you.
4. INSCRIPTION. Many of the confirmed participants have written to us inquiring about the inscription process for the WSF. Though we asked you previously to each one to do their individual inscription, we are now considering the possibility of doing it as a group. This should not change the inscription fee. In this regarding we transcript here the latest information:
New inscription date for the WSF 2009
The inscriptions have now new date. They shall begin by October 10th. Organisations and self-managed activities will do their inscription first through http://www.fsm2009amazonia.org.br/. Then, inscription will be open to individuals and from November onward will be the turn f journalists and communicators. The inscriptions fees are as the following:
Geopolitical North:
Individuals: R$ 150,00
Organisations: R$ 300,00 (plus a delegate) + RS 90,00 each delegate
Other countries, including Brazil:
Individuals: R$ 30,00
Organisations: R$ 150,00 (plus a delegate) + R$ 20,00 each delegate
Reminder: Geopolitical North includes Germany, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Spain, USA, Finland, France, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Island, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland (except South Korea, Mexico and Eastern European countries).
However, if anybody, for practical reasons, wishes we can do their inscription. The payment may be made in the meeting in January 2009. We finish here. We hope all confirmed participants may have access to this communication, read it with attention and keep in touch.
On behalf of the Coordination team for the CF II,
Fr. Gustavo Covarrubias Rodríguez
fsmcomboniano@gmail.com
Dear all,
Through this letter we begin a serial of some more personalised communications which are to be more directed to the participants who are already confirmed in the Comboni Forum II (CF). From now onward we hope to have more interaction between us all so that our meeting may be an authentic exchange of good experiences, dreams, and commitments. In this sense, we thank the interest that many of you have taken by answering our 5th communication. From it some doubts, questions, and suggestions have risen. We have collected them all and tried to make a synthesis which is now presented to you.
1. LOGO, MOTTO, AND LANGUAGES FOR THE CF II. To the question asked about these topics we have received the answers of 21 participants.
a) Logo. Eight people have opted for the first proposal, although some of them asked to put the motto within the logo itself. Five people have openly opted for the second proposal, though with some reserves (change the Comboni picture or to add other with some more contextualised details). Two people have been contrary to both proposals, especially because of the Comboni picture that is not well known or too stylised. One of them has suggested to look for another logo. Another six people did not take a position or simply found the discussion irrelevant.
The coordination team, in response to the majority’s point of view and also due to the restrict character of the meeting (both in time and in number of participants), has opted to keep the logo as it was presented in the first proposal (see above), of course, adding place and date of the event. As concerning others details, such as date and motto, these can be worked out in a complementary form but independent of the picture (the logo by its very nature should be meaningful, simple, direct, and aesthetically harmonious).
b) Motto. The motto, which orientates the way the meeting should take, normally should be pertinent and incisive as well as broad not running the risk of being too generic. In this respect, nine participants did not take an open position whether against or in favour of. Eight people have agreed with the proposal. Four people have presented some other proposals. Considering that the motto puts a lot of influence (although it is not determining) into the imaginary of a group that is open to participate, discuss, reflect, and to arrive at a consensus (as we intend to be and do as the Comboni Forum II group), we have collected some of the reasons in favour of the motto together with other suggestions:
- The word “new”… indicates the need to follow the development of the time, of the church, and of the world. (Dário – BNE).
- The motto is in consonance with the central theme of the WSF and with our current Comboni missionary journey in the search of new ways for the mission. (Antonio Carlos – Portugal)
- I think that the motto is up-to-date and provocative within the perspective of a new Comboni mission that should respond to the challenges of our present days. (Raimundo Nonato – BNE)
- I think that the motto is meaningful to all of us (Henry Dunn – BS)
- The motto appears to be up-to-date and commitment-leading since, based on an analysis of the reality both at a national and at an international level, it is necessary to up to date our being and doing mission… I like very much this motto. (Lucha, LMC – México).
- As concerning the motto, it seems to me ambiguous, because it speaks of a new mission… this presupposes to talk about formation, evangelisation, and missionary animation… I thought it would be a Comboni social forum. Therefore, it should touch only specifics themes such as Justice and Peace… Perhaps it could consider some of the XXI century’s challenges for the Comboni mission (globalisation, poverty, contamination, etc). What alternatives can we find to face these new challenges in our mission? (Neto – Peru).
- My suggestion for the logo (motto) is this: “A renewed Comboni Mission at the light of the new world challenges”! (JM Brites – BNE)
- I believe that it is necessary to focus well on the motto in order to avoid a repetition of the points reflected on already in Nairobi. Marcelo Barros, at the end of his article says: “The WSF in the Amazon will be centred on sustainability. The Comboni Forum should deepen how we live it out according to our faith”. In the motto you have written ‘a new Comboni mission is possible, necessary, and urgent!’ It appears to me a theme that is too generic and it hardily will take us to any concrete point. I think it is better that the motto is put in line with the theme of the WSF. (Francesco Pierli).
In response, the coordination team has written to Fr. Pierli: “the chosen theme is actually generic because it should also include many instances and expectations. However, we are consulting all the participants in order to know their opinions about this. There is nothing put as an impediment to change the theme. The most important thing is to qualify the reflection and the initial provocations in the first day (January 26th), taking this as a reading key for the WSF and for an eventual sharing in the Comboni Forum so that points already made in Nairobi may be avoided and qualify our being missionary at the light of sustainability, of proposals and critical approaching on the current model of development, etc. We need to reflect on this between us all and the coordination of the CF II (you, Barros, and the Brazilian team)”.
c) Languages. Regarding the languages, a great majority of the participants agrees to have Portuguese and Spanish as the two official languages of the meeting. There could be a third language for those who have difficulties with the two Latin languages. The majority opted for English as the third auxiliary language. So, since now the communications will be in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. Obviously this should not be a hindrance to have reflections and documents translated into Italian and French as well.
2. QUESTIONNARIE/INTERACTION. As it was mentioned in the previous communications and with the approach of the Comboni Forum, all the participants need to be in an attitude of interaction and reflection so that the reflections that are to occur in Belem may have a previous discussion. For this we need to have a more complete profile of all the participants and their expectations. A form to be filled in will be sent to you. Through it some essential information are being requested, which will be useful for a previous interaction. So, we ask you to complete the form and send it back by e-mail till the third week of October as the latest.
3. READING TEXTS. For the next communication we hope to have ready a “corpus” of material for readings which is translated into the three official languages. Fr. Pierli is writing a reflection in preparation of the meeting. For the time being we send to you all the Final Report of the Comboni Forum I – Nairobi 2007. We take this opportunity to let you know that we have available a DVD and a CD with the staff of this event all in English. If you are interest in having this material, please contact us and we send it to you.
4. INSCRIPTION. Many of the confirmed participants have written to us inquiring about the inscription process for the WSF. Though we asked you previously to each one to do their individual inscription, we are now considering the possibility of doing it as a group. This should not change the inscription fee. In this regarding we transcript here the latest information:
New inscription date for the WSF 2009
The inscriptions have now new date. They shall begin by October 10th. Organisations and self-managed activities will do their inscription first through http://www.fsm2009amazonia.org.br/. Then, inscription will be open to individuals and from November onward will be the turn f journalists and communicators. The inscriptions fees are as the following:
Geopolitical North:
Individuals: R$ 150,00
Organisations: R$ 300,00 (plus a delegate) + RS 90,00 each delegate
Other countries, including Brazil:
Individuals: R$ 30,00
Organisations: R$ 150,00 (plus a delegate) + R$ 20,00 each delegate
Reminder: Geopolitical North includes Germany, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Spain, USA, Finland, France, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Island, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland (except South Korea, Mexico and Eastern European countries).
However, if anybody, for practical reasons, wishes we can do their inscription. The payment may be made in the meeting in January 2009. We finish here. We hope all confirmed participants may have access to this communication, read it with attention and keep in touch.
On behalf of the Coordination team for the CF II,
Fr. Gustavo Covarrubias Rodríguez
fsmcomboniano@gmail.com