With the theme “From struggle to struggle”, the schedule includes the launch of the Pact of Those Affected, projections in the Córrego do Feijão, a celebration of mass, vigil, webinar and virtual soirée.
The second edition of the Romaria pela Ecologia Integral a Brumadinho (Pilgrimage for Integral Ecology to Brumadinho), which will take place between 18 and 25 January, will have a vast programme this year, which will be primarily virtual, respecting the social distance due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Held by the Episcopal Region of Our Lady of the Rosary (RENSER), of the Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte, together with the pastoral and social movements, independent technical advisors, NGOs and other entities of organised civil society, the activities of the Pilgrimage extend until the 25th, the date that marks the two years of the crime of Vale in Brumadinho.
“Romaria reminds us of the condition of pilgrims, of the people of God who are on their way, building freedom, seeking peace and social justice. In this sense, the Regional Pilgrimage for Integral Ecology to Brumadinho strengthens the memory of the 272 people and, more recently, of one more of our brothers, who also died buried by this crime of Vale. It is a denunciation, a demand for reparation and for the hope of sowing, fighting and seeking an Integral Ecology to be possible”, says Dom Vicente Ferreira, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte and a reference for RENSER, which includes all the parishes of cities and districts of the Vale do Paraopeba region.
The concept of Integral Ecology permeates the whole atmosphere of the event since its first edition last year. This concept is guided by the Encyclical “Laudato Si – Praised Be” – care of the Common House, written by Pope Francis. In order to encourage the denunciation not to fall into oblivion, we will carry out actions such as the vigil in memory of the victims; projections in the Córrego do Feijão; virtual soirée; webinar with international denunciation about the crime and the exchange of video-letters, an initiative that will connect, through popular communication, those affected by mining not only by the crime of Vale in Brumadinho but of the whole country.
In addition to the diverse virtual schedule, open to all audiences, face-to-face activities will be restricted to the families of the victims of the dam break in Córrego do Feijão. The first edition of the Pilgrimage brought together some 5,000 people in 2020 in a moving moment of prayer, sharing and, above all, solidarity with the families of the victims of this announced tragedy.
The Pact of Those Affected – Launched the week before the 25th, the Pact of Those Affected is an important document built collectively by those affected throughout the Paraopeba basin, such as family farmers, indigenous people, quilombolas, settlers and agrarian reform camps, relatives of the victims, people who have lost their homes, their plantations, their water security and still run the risk of being contaminated every day by the mining waste that is in the water, soil and air.
In addition to the denunciation, the document covers aspects of what the reconstruction of the affected territories should be like, showing how predatory the mining model is and how much we are all affected by the crime of mining company Vale. “It brings together our pains, our denunciations and our cry for justice and for the integral reparation of all those affected. The document also brings, through love, faith and hope, our daily and daily resistance to mining, in which we defend an Integral Ecology and think about new horizons, with economic alternatives and a much better world, different from this one, where life is always above profit,” says Marina Oliveira, affected by the crime of Brumadinho and one of those responsible for the organisation of the Pilgrimage.
The Pact was built over these 2 years with monthly meetings conducted by RENSER and with the participation of those affected from different communities along the Paraopeba Basin, in addition to the participation of different collaborators. The document can be accessed at: https://issuu.com/regiaorenser/docs/pacto_atingidos_2021_vers_o_final
COMPLETE SCHEDULE 2021:
January 18 – 25 (virtual activity)
Exchange of correspondence in video format between affected by mining from different communities
January 18 – 24 (virtual or small group activity)
Launch of the Pact of Those Affected in the territories impacted by mining throughout Brazil
22 January (virtual activity)
10 am: International Denunciation Webinar with MISERIOR and the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)
7pm: Live of the Affected in partnership with CNBB on CNBB and RENSER’s Youtube channel
January 24th (TV Horizonte)
11h30: Soirée Verses and Special Prayers 2 years of Brumadinho
25th January
00h00 – 19h: Vigil in Memory of the Victims (Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary)
05h: Projections of denunciation and memory of the Vale’s crime in the Church of Nossa Senhora das Dores (community of Córrego do Feijão)
12h: Mass in memory of the 272 victims and the Paraopeba river basin, presided over by Dom Vicente Ferreira, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte (community of Córrego do Feijã. PS: The Mass will be transmitted by RENSER social networks and by TV Horizonte).*
1 p.m.: Celebration of the Covenant of the Affected (community of Córrego do Feijão)*.
19h: Virtual Soirée of denunciations of those affected through art, music and poetry
19h30: Holy Mass (Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary)
* For reasons of the Pandemic, the celebration of the mass will have restricted participation of some relatives of the victims and leaders of the affected communities.
Service
II REGIONAL PILGRIMAGE FOR THE INTEGRAL ECOLOGY THE BRUMADINHO
From 18 to 25 January
More information: www.instagram.com/regiao_renser
Contacts for interviews and coverage:
– Marcela Nicolas (RENSER Communication): (31) 99117-3882
– Carmen Kemoly (State Association for Environmental and Social Defence – Aedas Brumadinho): 31 9962-6456
Press material (full schedule + photos): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QZQB8LSt9YT9K6RylQE0FYXxpbDqB8cu?usp=sharing
