Conference of European Justice and Peace Commissions
The
Gift of Freedom: A History of Transitions and Challenges
Annual meeting 2010 in Vilnius
(Lithuania) – Communiqué
Representatives of the 31 national
commissions that make up the
Conference of European Justice and Peace Commissions (CEJPC) will meet
in Vilnius (Lithuania) between the 17th and 21st of September 2010 for
its international workshop and general assembly. Archbishop Sigitas
Tamkevicius of Kaunas will host the meeting.
In 2010 Lithuania celebrates its 20
years of freedom, and the
Lithuanian Catholic bishops' conference has "Freedom" as its theme for
this year. The international workshop of CEJPC will associate itself to
it by choosing the theme "The Gift of Freedom. A History of Transitions
and Challenges". It will focus on how the country's history influences
its life and relations today, relations within the Lithuanian society
as well as those with its neighbors, and the efforts made today by this
post-totalitarian society to live according to justice.
During the workshop the groups of
participants will make a number of
visits and encounters. One group will meet persons active in the
resistance against the Soviet regime to get to know their hopes and
aims for today. One group will meet Lithuanian freedom fighters and
learn about the contemporary perception of their history. Victims of
political repression will meet one group in order to testify of Soviet
times and their work to recover and live today. The problems and
repercussions of forced migration and imposed changes of the demography
through the Nazi and Soviet occupations will also be studied. And
lastly the work of reconciliation and the problems and resistance
connected with it will occupy one group. The groups will also meet with
representatives from the Church and political life as well as young
people in order to know what this history means for Lithuanians today.
All the participants will gather at the Lithuanian parliament on the
evening of the 18th of September for a commemoration of the costs in
courage and lives for the country to arrive at independence.
The international workshop will be
followed by the yearly general
assembly of CEJPC.
The Conference
of European Justice
and Peace Commissions (Justice and
Peace Europe or CEJPC) is a European network that today regroups 31
national Justice and Peace commissions. Each one is established or
recognized by its Catholic bishops' conference. The secretariat of
CEJPC is currently situated in Paris (France).
Conference of European Justice and
Peace Commissions
(16.9.2010)
Commission luxembourgeoise "Justice et
Paix"
http://www.restena.lu/justpaix