Cuba USA

Evo Morales Opens World Meeting of Social Movements in Bolivia

Pope Francis will attend the meeting with over 1,500 representatives from social movements from throughout the world. The World Meeting of Social Movements, representing 150 social organizations from Latin America and around the world, began Tuesday in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, kicking off several days of events and workshops that will also feature the participation of Pope Francis.

Bolivian President Evo Morales formally opened the gathering Tuesday afternoon. “It is the hour of the peoples of the world ... It is the hour of social movements. We should discuss the origins of poverty and inequality and combat those institutions,” said President Morales. "When I see these people, the faces of people, it gives hope.

One can feel that the people have the ability to transform (things), to build a more human, more fraternal, (and) equal world,” said Marina dos Santos, representing the Brazilian Landless Peasants Movement, known as the MST.

This is the second World Meeting of Social Movements, the first of which was held in October at the Vatican. Pope Francis, who also participated in the first gathering, is set to meet with participants Thursday. RELATED: Social Movements Seek Ally in Southern Hemisphere's First Pope The gathering opened with a panel presentation on the “Fight for Mother Earth,” which dealt with the pope's encyclical addressing the pressing need for action to combat climate change. During his exposition, MST leader Joao Pedro Stedile said, “the paradigm had changed,” and that social movements needed to be prepared to put forward its own version of what sustainable agriculture should look like. Luis Infanti, the bishop of the Chilean diocese of Aysen, also spoke and invoked the recent comments by Pope Francis.

"The pope calls us to become aware in order to break and bring down the structures that enslave us everyday more and more," Infanti said. The World Meeting of Social Movements is gathering of over 1,500 people from over 40 countries.

- Fidel Castro: To Struggle For Peace Is The Most Sacred Duty Of All Human Beings
source Granma Sadly, almost all religions have been obliged to decry the destructive reality of war and its terrible consequences. They have been obliged to devote their greatest energies to this task. The singular importance of the meeting between...

- The Latin America And Rebel Pope
By Manuel E. Yepesource Manuel Yepe word pressA CubaNews translation. Argentinean Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the first non-European on the papal throne in over a thousand years, has quickly become a favorite of Catholic religion –with over 1,300...

- Cuba Denounces Presence Of 'mercenaries' In Americas Summits
Known “mercenaries” are accredited to participate in the forums being held during the Summit of the Americas. The official Cuban delegation to the parallel forums for the Summit of the Americas denounced the presence of people who have “betrayed”...

- World Meeting Of Popular Movements With The Pope: Impressions Of A Historic Encounter
By Ignacio Ramonet Source Alianet Le Pape François : «Quand je défends les pauvres, certains m’accusent d’être communiste ! Tuesday, October 28, has witnessed a historic moment. First of all, because it is hardly usual for the Pope to call...

- Historic Pope's Visit To Cuba And The Us?
Pope Wanted to Cross Mexican Border Into USA... Francis to meet with illegals during September visit? Pope's visit could stir immigration confrontation 50,000 Hispanic Americans will welcome Francis to D.C. yet will he visit the Cuban dissidents?...

Cuba USA