What is TI PNG? From Ms Yvonne Ngutlick, their Communications and Public Relations Officer, she wrote a brief profile of TI PNG as follows:

“Transparency International PNG is a member of Transparency International a worldwide global movement. The member country organizations are independent and are called chapters. There are over 100 national chapters around the world. The TI PNG chapter fights against corruption and promotes openness, honesty and accountability both in public and private dealings.

We do not support individual politicians or parties. Instead we try to strengthen the integrity systems of our country such as the police, the parliament and the judiciary”.

How does TI PNG fight corruption today?  They have many partners with different capacities to assist members to report corrupt practices or issues observed.

• The Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre office helps anyone prepare complaints about corruption to be sent to the ombudsman’s office and other agencies (TI PNG do not investigate or prosecute corruption complaints)
• TI PNG provide regular comment in the media about corruption issues such as the controls on leaders.

-       provide teaching materials for the education systems on good governance and corruption

-       train youth leaders in governance issues through the Annual Youth Democracy Camp

-       lobby for freedom of information and protection for whistle blowers

-       observe elections and comment when the processes used are not democratic or lawful

-       run awareness and advocacy campaigns both in the mass media and through drama in villages on governance and corruption issues

• TI PNG support and work with many partners in the Community Coalition Against Corruption such as the Youth Against Corruption Association, Churches and Businesses.
• TI PNG implement projects such as the Forest Governance Initiative which helps research and propose better processes and laws for the management of the natural resources.

The variety of network possibilities will make it easier for us to help and support this fight against corruption.  One such avenue is the organization Youth Against Corruption Association. YACA was set up in 2002 by John Glynn at Jubilee Catholic Secondary School.  Over the years, it was introduced to other schools. We have started with a group of Grade 6 to Grade 8 pupils in St. Michael Primary School in Alexishafen. Actually it was started as Vocation Club since they are too old to join the Sunday School.  However, gradually the members were taught topics other than vocation. As members of YACA, they have to pledge: always to speak the truth, respect other people’s property, to be gentle in actions and words, to pay debts and to keep promises.

Since sometime in June, PNG will hold its elections to elect members of the Parliament, TI PNG organized a Voter Education Regional Forum to educate voters on their rights and responsibilities.  I attended the one for the Momase Region which was held at Divine Word University Auditorium.  The participants were encouraged to be observers at the polling place on the day of voting. In 2007 elections, our Sisters were given IDs as observers by the Electoral Commission. We were placed in Malala, Alexishafen, Divine Word University and Holy Spirit Convent, Madang. So I gave our names to be observers again in June.  As observers, we can report anomalies or frauds at the polling place.

There are other ways we can support the fight against corruption through the members and partners of TI PNG:

• Community Coalition against Corruption – 67 groups coming together to fight corruption
• Forests Anti-corruption Solutions and Advocacy – address and prevent corruption as a primary driver of illegal logging and continuous destruction of forests.
• Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre – provides free legal assistance by structuring corruption complaints.
• Sir Anthony Siaguru Walk Against Corruption – among other objectives, the walk provide a peaceful avenue for citizens to express their opposition to corruption.
• Youth Against Corruption Association – a membership based organization that is run by youth who are committed in the fight against corruption in PNG by refusing to practice corruption in oneself and rejecting the attitudes that support it.

By Mary Jeanette Matela, SSpS

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the decision by Papua New Guinea to carry out elections within the timeframe stipulated by the constitution, following recent uncertainties in relation to the country’s next parliamentary elections, and stressed that they should be carried out in a transparent and peaceful manner. Read more

Source:  UN News Centre – Top Stories

United Nations Special Rapporteur Rashida Manjoo on Violence against Women in Papua New Guinea

During the Universal Periodic Review for Papua New Guinea (PNG) at the Human Rights Council in Geneva last year, several nations noted the high level of violence in the country and called for a mission by the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women. The UN Special Rapporteur, Ms Rashida Manjoo, visited Papua New Guinea in March this year. She noted efforts made in the country such as the establishment of a CEDAW implementation strategy, efforts to establish a National Human Rights Commission, and the development of a National Policy for Women and Gender Equality. However, she also noted that violence against women is a pervasive phenomenon in Papua New Guinea, with a wide range of manifestations occurring in the home, in the community and in institutional settings.

Violence against women in Papua New Guinea begins in the home. With regard to intimate partner violence, according to a 1992 report produced by the Constitutional Law Reform Commission (CLRC), “two thirds of married women in PNG had been hit by their husbands”. An academic study conducted in 2009 shared similar findings, noting that 65.3% of the interviewed women were survivors of domestic violence.

Young girls, particularly those living with relatives or step-parents, are reportedly at high risk of sexual violence, which is perpetrated by male relatives such as uncles, cousins, brothers or male family friends. Although marital rape is penalized by the Criminal Code, only two cases have been prosecuted since the relevant legislation was enacted in 2003.

During her visit to the Highlands region, the Ms Manjoo was shocked to witness the brutality of the assaults perpetrated against suspected sorcerers – usually older women, which in many cases include torture, rape, mutilations and murder. Sorcery related violence is commonly perpetrated by young men or boys who often act under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The Special Rapporteur also examined the situation of women in detention. In prisons in the country 90% of women are serving time for murder. All the women convicted for murder that she interviewed were victims of family violence, including being subjected to polygamy and neglect, and, many of them had acted in self-defence. For women in prison who have their children living with them, the prison does not provide food or other necessities for babies and children, and this remains the responsibility of the mother. In a provincial police station, she found women and girls who had been kept in custody for up to three months in extremely inadequate conditions, while awaiting trial. Some of them had not had access to a lawyer.

I attended a public forum with the Special Rapporteur in the capital Port Moresby. The meeting started with her giving a short address noting that empowerment of women must be coupled with social transformation, to fully address the systemic and structural causes of inequality and discrimination, which most often lead to violence against women. After her introduction she then listened to the opinions of those present who wanted to make a statement.  I spoke about how violence against women is one aspect of the wider issue of violence for both men and women in PNG and how there are some men who would like to be involved in advocacy against such violence but do not know how to begin. The support and other relevant services that do exist for victims of all forms of violence, are being provided largely by the civil society, which includes the Churches. However, I am under the impression that the Church needs to work not only in pastoral care, but also more closely with those in policy and planning. The findings of the Special Rapporteur will be discussed in a comprehensive way at the UN Human Rights Council in June 2013.

By Philip Gibbs,SVD

Papua New Guinea: “Accountability, rather than impunity, for all acts of violence against women”

Working with ECOSOC: an NGOs Guide to Consultative Status

Antonio M. Pernia, SVD Outgoing President

We turned a page at the last meeting of the Board of Directors of VIVAT International held in Rome on 23 January 2012. In accordance with its Charter, after a three-year term, the presidency of VIVAT changed hands, from the SVD Superior General to the SSpS Congregational Leader, Sr. Ma. Theresia Hörnemann. A corresponding change also took place in the Executive Team in the VIVAT Office in New York. Fr. Felix Jones, SVD took over as chairperson from Sr. Zelia Cordeiro dos Santos, SSpS.

With the admission of the congregation of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ (ASC) as full members of VIVAT, the membership of the Board of Directors also needed to re-constituted. Sr. Zita Resch, ASC contact person, becomes a member of the Board. Likewise, Sr. Carmen Elisa Bandeo, newly-appointed SSpS Generalate JPIC Coordinator, also joins the Board. The other members remain the same, namely, along with the president (SSpS congregation leader) and vice-president (SVD superior general), Fr. Gregory Pinto, SVD, Fr. Milan Bubak, SVD, Fr. Gervase Taratara, CSSp. The newly-appointed SSpS Secretary General, Sr. Selva Rany Selva Raj Selvi, is now also the secretary of the Board.

Allow me to take this opportunity to share with you some of the other more significant developments which were approved or noted by the Board at its last meeting:

(1) The Board decided to join the ICR (International Religious Congregations at the FAO) in its effort to seek representation or accreditation at the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) in Rome.

(2) The Board approved the Statutes of the VIVAT National Branches in Argentina and Bolivia. Thus, with the Statutes of Indonesia approved earlier, we now have three National Branches. Two other National Branches are still working on their Statutes, Kenya and India.

(3) The Board approved the application for Associate Membership of two religious congregations, namely, the Sacred Heart Fathers (SCJ / Dehonians) and the Religious of the Assumption (RA). This decision was subsequently confirmed by the joint meeting of the two Founding Congregations. This raises the total number of religious congregations constituting VIVAT to twelve (12).

(4) The Board approved the French and Italian versions of the Charter and Statutes of VIVAT International. The English, Spanish, Portuguese versions had earlier been approved. A booklet that will contain all language versions of the Charter and Statutes will eventually be published.

(5) The Board expressed gratitude for the financial donations coming from the Comboni Missionaries (MCCJ) and the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Spirit (Cssp).

The above are just a few signs of growth, limited to the period of the last six months, which VIVAT International continues to experience throughout the years. After a decade of existence, VIVAT has grown not only in terms of its internal structures but also in terms of its service to our missionaries in the field and the many poor and marginalized people in the world. Indeed, even if only one person experiences fullness of life because of VIVAT, then our efforts shall have been worthwhile. I’m certain, however, that more than one has been served by the selfless dedication and tireless commitment of our confreres and sisters around the world.

It is with this conviction that I pass on the presidency of VIVAT International to Sr. Ma. Theresia Hörnemann. And as I do so, I would like to thank the out-going officials and members of the Board for their selfless service – Sr. Judith Vallimont, SSpS (outgoing Board member), Fr. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD (outgoing Board secretary), Sr. Zelia Cordeiro dos Santos, SSpS (outgoing ET Chairperson). My thanks also go to the many confreres and sisters in the field who have collaborated and continue to do so with the Executive Team in New York, our representative in Geneva, and the Board of Directors in Rome.

I end my term by asking everyone to lend Sr. Ma. Theresia their full support and collaboration. Vivat Deus Unus et Trinus in cordibus nostris.

Fraternally in the Word and the Spirit,

Antonio M. Pernia, SVD

Outgoing President

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120 participants attended VIVAT’s Workshop in Indore, India

One hundred and twenty members of VIVAT International from the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), Society of the Divine Word (SVD), Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), Sisters Adorers of the Blood of Christ (ASC), Congregation of the Holy Spirit (CSSp), and the Comboni Missionary Sisters (CMS) met at St. Arnold’s Seva Sadan, Indore, India, August 7 -12, 2011 to reflect on our missionary concerns for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) and the role of VIVAT International in advancing these concerns.

We began our deliberations asking for the guidance of the Spirit as we gathered to receive God’s gift of Word and Eucharist.

Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Reports

All the Provinces reported on their JPIC activities. Included in their reports were the following topics: HIV /AIDS treatment, prevention and rehabilitation; Street Children; Rights of Indigenous Peoples; Land alienation and tribal lands; Children; Women; Domestic/Migrant Workers; People affected by leprosy; the Physically and mentally challenged individuals; and Rag Pickers. Additional reports were given on initiatives for income generation, vocational training and the conflicts in the Middle East (Palestinian Rights), Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.  The reports stressed the importance of networking both with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the governments for the rights of the people.

Noted experts gave scholarly presentations and reflections on:

 1.   Justice and Peace in the Bible

2.   Social Teachings of the Church

3.   Advocacy and Networking

4.   Human Rights

VIVAT INTERNATIONAL AND THE UNITED NATIONS

1. VIVAT International’s representatives at the UN gave an overview of the nature, scope, and the functioning of the UN.  This served as the background for understanding our presence and participation of VIVAT at the UN.  The UN is a complex system with various organs and commissions. Civil Society gains access to the system through ECOSOC accreditation.
2. VIVAT International began in 2000 with two member congregations and has expanded to include 10 congregations.  We now have representatives in UN head quarters New York, Geneva (2009), Vienna (2010).  The representatives gave an overview of the achievements realized during its first ten years of participation. This helped engender a sense of ownership, affinity and belonging to VIVAT and an impetus to promote its goals and objectives.
3. The members became aware of the role of NGOs and their activities, including how they fit into the overall goals and objectives of the UN. The NGOs act as the link between the UN and members on the ground through a two way communication.
4. Participants came to understand some of the workings of the UN system and the Human Rights Council in Geneva. They examined issues from a Human Rights perspective.  The Human Rights council in Geneva provides many avenues to defend and promote the ideals of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) holds governments accountable for their commitment to Human Rights. Shadow Reports by civil society organizations can point out human rights violations.  The Geneva Office can assist VIVAT members in preparing these reports.

ADVOCACY

“Advocacy is arguing in favor of something, such as a cause, idea, or policy. … (it)

occurs when individuals engage in dialogue about an issue they care about. It can occur in many forms.” California State University, Fullerton

“It is an action that speaks in favor of, recommends, argues for a cause, supports or defends, or pleads on behalf of others.” Alliance for Justice

It is “to take action for another” World Vision

 The participants saw the following as areas for further study and advocacy.

1. Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Discrimination is any exclusion, restriction or distinction based on gender that denies them their basic human rights. CEDAW provides appropriate measures for women to enjoy their rightful place and dignity in society. Several articles of the Convention can be highlighted and governments can be held accountable for their implementation.

2. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). We can work to enhance our networking and collaborating with the agency through JPIC promoters in Rome.

3. Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) and review on progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of their respective countries.

4. The rights of Dalits and domestic workers within the Constitution of India. Study the situation of other marginalized and excluded groups.

5. Human Rights education in our schools and other institutions.

ACTION PLAN

1. The participants, as members of VIVAT International, prioritized the following areas of JPIC work for advocacy and networking at the national level.
1. Human Rights of Domestic and Migrant Workers
2. The Rights of the Child
3. Food Security
4. The Constitutional Rights of Dalits
5. Mining and Displacement
2. The members from Sri Lanka chose to address issues according to their specific needs and situation.
3. The workshop participants recommended the creation of National VIVAT (National JPIC Council) to most effectively implement advocacy on the priority issues at local, national and international level.

STRUCTURE

The National VIVAT Team works under the guidance and approval of the Board of VIVAT International. It works in collaboration with the VIVAT Executive Team in New York. All other JPIC activities undertaken at the local/national level will continue as it is today.

CONCLUSION

As disciples of Christ we are engaged in building the kingdom of God through our efforts towards Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation. As we journey on our pilgrimage we realize the complex world of today requires appropriate structures and interventions to meet our goals. VIVAT International is one means to meet the present challenges. The Workshop at Indore helped us to realize the importance of networking, advocacy and lobbying at all levels through a coordinated effort by the members of VIVAT International.

28 participants attended VIVAT’s Workshop in Kinshasa, DRC

“I have seen the misery of my people… I have heard their cry…” (Ex. 3, 7) “I have come so that they may have life and that they may have it in abundance” (Jn. 10, 10).

The cry of life, the theme of justice and peace are found at the heart of the biblical message. The Church through its social teachings and its institutions unceasingly pleads in favour of the poor and marginalized. The Catholic church of the D.R. of Congo is always committed to promoting Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC). And, the bishops affirm: “For the love of my people I will not stop speaking.”

Faithful to the mission of the Church, prolonging our commitment at the side of the weak, we, members of VIVAT INTERNATIONAL, a Non-Governmental Organization of missionary Congregations, network for the respect of human life and the safekeeping of the environment through lobbying, sharing of information and  advocating with the instances where decisions are made, nationally as well as internationally.

Challenged by the diverse situations which dehumanize the human person and harm the environment, gift of God, in the central African and Great Lakes sub-region of Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we note:

• From the social perspective : the enlisting of child soldiers, children in conflict with the law or from broken families, unemployed youth, girl mothers, difficulty in accessing an education and health care, rape and female mutilation, lack of proper care of Indigenous Peoples;

• From the political perspective: corruption, lack of civic education, presence of the LRA, FDLR, Maï Maï, Mbororo, tracasseries, insecurity, impunity, inhuman incarceration, problems of refugees and displaced by war;.

• From the economic and environmental perspective: the plunder of natural  resources, pollution, insalubrity …

Conscious of the prophetic dimension of our missionary commitment, we, delegates of the Divine Word Society (SVD), of the Spiritains (CSSp – both the male and female Congregations), the Comboni (both MCCJ and CMS), the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), the Little Sisters of the Assumption (PSA) and the lay associates, met at a workshop from the 23^rd to the 29^th of October 2011 at the Spiritual Center “Peace on Earth” of Mbiti at Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, declare that we commit ourselves to:

1. Make VIVAT International know;
2. work, according to the spirit of VIVAT International, in collaboration with governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and all persons of good will;
3. raise the awareness of our respective communities about the harm caused to the environment due to human behaviour;
4. Promote the culture of life and peace through dialogue.

We write, in fine, that it is our wish to see the major superiors of our congregations support the birth of VIVAT International-DR-Congo.

Kinshasa, 29/19/2011

Flags at the United Nations

There is a Chinese Proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Today we might well ask: “Why are the fish not as plentiful as before?” or “Who controls fishing rights?” or even “Why are the fish dying?” We are confronted by the immediate needs of people who are hungry or marginalized. But in our globalized world we also need to address the root causes at the level of politics and unjust social structures.

Many problems facing the world in the last century have become increasingly difficult to solve within a nation itself. International treaties and international organizations such as the World Trade Organization, created to address these difficulties, are often perceived as being too centered on the interests of capitalist enterprises. Non Government Organizations (NGOs) have developed to counterbalance this trend and to highlight humanitarian issues, developmental aid and sustainable development when governments and international monitoring bodies such as the UN have been unable or unwilling to do so.

VIVAT was established as an NGO in the year 2000 by the Divine Word Missionaries and the Missionary Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit.  In his letter to the SVD and SSpS, Antonio Pernia,SVD said “We anticipate that this will give us the opportunity to witness at what Pope John Paul II has called ‘the new Areopagus’. … We believe that the humanitarian goals of the United Nations are very consistent with our own goals and that collaboration with the United Nations can be an important way of working for the kingdom.  It can also bring us into contact and allow us to collaborate with a large number of NGOs working for similar goals. … We have long-term presence with the poor and the marginalized in many parts of the world, a high level of education and an effective international network. Therefore we have the resources to bring the voice of the poor and marginalized to the decision-making levels of world bodies. To achieve this is the goal of VIVAT International.”

VIVAT is taken from the prayer “Vivat Deus unus et trinus…” which is common to both congregations.  “VIVAT” means “Let live.”  It can be “let the people live,” “let peace live,” “let justice live,” as well as “may God live among us and in our hearts.” The VIVAT logo depicts three persons embracing, welcoming and supporting one another while at the same time looking beyond their own circle to the larger outer world that is longing for unity and communion. The three olive shoots springing from the second letter of VIVAT stand for the hope and the transformation that VIVAT International envisages for the world.

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to spend four weeks with the VIVAT executive team in New York.  Felix Jones SVD and Zelia Cordeiro SSpS welcomed me, organized a security pass for the UN complex and arranged that I could attend sessions of the Economic and Social Council and a number of other sessions and gatherings.  Prior to my coming I had thought of the UN mostly in terms of the General Assembly and the Security Council.  So it was an eye-opener for me to learn about so many other bodies within the UN framework, and particularly the way NGO’s such as VIVAT participate in this international forum as advocates for issues that affect people in developing countries. The reality of poverty and inequities, as perceived from communities and grassroots, is different from top-down views.

Felix Jones,Svd and Zelia Cordeiro,SSpS with intern in the VIVAT Office, NY

The executive team has a small office on the seventh floor of a tall building in Manhattan, New York; about ten minutes walk from the main UN compound. The office serves as a base for a variety of activities. A typical day might start with a short team briefing, attending to urgent correspondence, then a meeting with members of other NGOs concerned with one of the four principal concerns of VIVAT: respecting human rights, eradicating poverty, gender justice, and environmental issues.  Afterwards there are reports and the newsletter to prepare.  When UN Commissions are in session, such as the Commission for Social Development or the Commission on the Status of Women, the Commission on Sustainable Development, or the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, there are many events to prepare for and attend.

Felix Jones resides in a parish close to the UN. Zelia  Cordeiro commutes from her community to Manhattan by bus and metro.  Whether in the office or out on different engagements they operate as a team.  I asked how they understand teamwork. One said that teamwork means making an effort to put the other person’s ideas into practice knowing that the other does their best to put your ideas into practice. Another said that teamwork is about pursuing a common goal in a positive way. With a common goal it doesn’t matter so much who does it, but that it is done.  So it is important to give the other the space and freedom to do their best.  It was an educational experience for me to witness those ideals being put into practice.

Zelia and Felix are involved in networking with groups and organisations at various levels. On the local level I witnessed how Zelia arranged for translators during a Civil Society Forum at the UN on Eradication of Poverty. She had contacted a number of language schools and received applications from thirteen young language teachers who were prepared to volunteer their time for the demanding task of simultaneous translation into English, Spanish and French.  At the end of the day they had done a fine job of communicating ideas in different languages, but also had themselves learned more about the situation of people in developing countries.

Participants in VIVAT workshop, Quito, October 2010

Workshops are another form of networking.  So far there have been VIVAT workshops in Italy, Brazil, Bolivia, Kenya, USA, and Ecuador. Workshops provide insight into the inner workings of the United Nations and its relation to VIVAT, and also allow members the opportunity to share and network with Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) coordinators, as well as with each other.  Workshops also help establish national VIVAT branches bringing new members into the ministry of advocacy and networking at the local level.

Networking with the grassroots means becoming involved in advocacy for people such as the Quilombo people in Brazil who are being forced off their land because of dam construction. Quilombos are Afro-Brazilian rural communities – descendents of runaway slaves. Having escaped from slavery, their ancestors formed independent settlements. The Quilombo population has been historically oppressed and marginalized, and proposed dam construction that would generate electricity for a company that produces and exports aluminium, will only further complicate life for them. Already over 230 families have been evicted from their land without any compensation due to the proposed dam construction. The displacement of these communities presents violations of human rights, as people’s lives are completely disrupted. Current VIVAT is taking up this issue with committees at the UN.

There are many other issues, for example, the East Flores Provincial Chapter of the Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit have raised the issue of water pollution and destruction of land due to mining in Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia. The environmental pollution affects people’s health, and the land destruction reduces people’s capacity for a sustainable livelihood. The sisters are proposing alternatives such as tourism and new forms of agriculture and fisheries.  Many other issues, some associated with the effects of climate change on vulnerable populations, or alternatives to military spending, come to the New York office through the VIVAT network, and the Executive Team and other members in New York try to raise these issues in appropriate forums at the UN.  It is a fascinating but difficult task.

Philip at UN, New York

Accompanying Zelia and Felix I noticed how they would attend meetings extending over several days, listening to the presentations from the representatives of different countries, and then take the time to wait for an opportunity to present a VIVAT perspective on the issue under discussion; or they would go and speak personally with government and UN representatives. They helped arrange for me to visit and talk with the UN Human Rights Advisor, and there was also a chance to interact with Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and many NGO groups.

VIVAT is not the executive team based in New York.  All SVD priests and brothers, and SSpS sisters, are part of VIVAT by virtue of membership in the founding Congregations. VIVAT is growing too as members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (CSSp) and Adorers of the Blood of Christ (ASC) are now full members of VIVAT, and Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ), Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary (MSHR), Comboni Missionary Sisters (CMS), Missionary Sisters of the Holy Spirit (Cssp) and Little Sisters of the Assumption (LSA) have become associate members. The executive team is now networking with 30,000 full and associate members in 130 countries of the world. Letters, emails and the quarterly newsletter are important means of communication. Members in the field can provide grassroots documentation and feedback to the executive team or to the recently established VIVAT office in Geneva. I had conversations about human rights via Skype on several occasions with Edward Flynn, CSSp the VIVAT representative in Geneva.

VIVAT is a special ministry and a prime opportunity for prophetic dialogue today. Like most areas of dialogue, immediate results are not readily apparent and it might take a number of years for benefits to appear. Perhaps what I learned most at VIVAT is the importance of faith, patience and bold humility.

By Philip Gibbs,SVD