The 8th world congress of the World Union of Jesuit alumni(ae) in Medellin

The 8th World Congress of Jesuit Alumni/ae took place in Medellin from 14 to 17 August 2013 on the theme of “Jesuit Education and Social Responsibility : how can Jesuit Alumni/ae serve?”

The choice of venue for the congress was not insignificant: The City of Medellin (second largest in Colombia) is a city reborn after the traumatism of years of drug cartels which ended in 1993, twenty years ago. Symbolic of its resurrection, the Metro is the place par excellence which seals the cohabitation of people of all origins in this city known as the city of eternal spring.

The Congress, which took place in the Colegio San Ignacio, an exclusive establishment frequented by the Medellin middle class, hosted close to 800 participants in a warm and friendly atmosphere, a record number of participants for a World Congress. Of course, the vast majority consisted of Colombians, but also included alumni/ae from 25 other countries, including. There were strong delegations from India and Africa. The Jesuit University Xaveriana de Bogotá had played an outstanding role in the preparation and participation of this Congress. Indeed many students who are not yet Alumni/ae took part.
The Congress was preceded by the ‘experiments’ of young alumni/ae, tried out during the previous Congress in Burundi in 2009. These social experiences for youth brought together 24 young alumni/ae from Belgium, Austria, Brazil, Congo and Colombia, who provided a social service in poor communities of the municipality of Caldas, South of Medellin.

In itself, the theme for the Congress, determined by the Council of the World Union and the Organizing Committee, was an invitation to ask ourselves how to put the results of a Jesuit education at the service of our societies. If Jesuit Alumni/ae without doubt exercise great leadership around the world, the Congress wanted to consider the fact whether this leadership could also be expressed in terms of social responsibility, which goes beyond philanthropy and is also in terms of sustainable development. Each day there were two presentations with debate on the program for the morning while a presentation with debate followed by evaluation in linguistic groups were provided for the afternoons. These group discussions were fruitful exchanges leading to the drafting of resolutions. Breaks, during which famous Colombian coffee was served, provided an opportunity to visit the stands of the Apostolic activities of the Alumni/ae and for the participants to network.

The Congress opened with the mass of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary  presided over by Father General Adolfo Nicolas and at which the homily was preached by Father Francisco de Roux, Provincial of Colombia. For Congress this mass was a tribute to Francis, Bishop of Rome. Naturally, the first speaker of the Congress was Father General. His presentation was entitled: “Former students of the Jesuits and social responsibility for a better future. What does it mean to be a believer of today?” Adopting the method of the new Pope, putting aside the eleven pages written for his briefing, Father General offered the audience an informal reflection before answering many questions from the floor. He proposed to the participants four images that struck the imagination of all.

The first image was that of a Buddhist, a young teacher at a Jesuit college in Japan. An admirer of the philosophy of Jesuit education, he nonetheless developed a growing irritation towards the Catholic Chapel of the college. It was the intervention of another older and more experienced teacher, also a Buddhist, which helped him to understand that, in a Jesuit college, it is useless to set on the chapel because ‘everything is Chapel’, since it’s all of the education which takes account of the divine message. Students are a sacred material that God has entrusted to us. We have a duty to open the eyes of the students so that they see, their ears so that they hear, their hearts so that they welcome and their mouths so they announce what they have learned and experienced. The alumni/ae must continue to wonder and question their societies relative to the values they have received from this education.

The second image was of biblical origin and chronicled the episode following that where David ravished Bathsheba while Uriah the Hittite was at the head of his armies. Following his abuse of the power that God had given him, David asked Uriah to go and rest at his home. Uriah replied that he cannot think of relaxing while his soldiers are at war, enduring all kinds of dangers. It’s thus a heathen who reveals to us a spirituality that is often lacking in Christians: being concerned for others. In our education, the child must open up to others and empathize with them. This implies avoiding competition to develop compassion. The poor are vicars of Christ and deserve our attention and our services. It is the sense of being men and women for and with others.

The third image compared a liner and a bicycle.
For Father General students are more like a liner than a bicycle. The liner does not turn quickly. It needs time to be manoeuvred. The bicycle can change direction quickly, but too spontaneously, which does not build in the long term. Training a student takes time, like a conversion, and forces us to be patient. Our students are not airplanes that connect distant cities within a few hours. They are like boats which take time to cross. It is necessary to accompany students: accompany their freedom, their growth…

The fourth image came from a Bishop friend who described to him a giraffe. It has a very big heart (about 5kg), since it must raise the blood up to its head. It is an animal that also has a very high view because of its long neck and which sees a long way. If our students are giraffes and are developed like them: horizontal freedom in reading, vertical freedom that comes when we have a deep knowledge and the link between the heart and the vision of the world. The weakness of the giraffe comes when it moves away from the group, because it becomes vulnerable to lions. We should never believe ourselves to be different from others and think that we can we isolate ourselves or make our way alone.

The six other speakers were of a high standard, probably the best panel of speakers brought together in the history of world congresses. The Colombian Dr. José Antonio Ocampo (ordinary professor at the Universidad Xaveriana de Bogotá) spoke of «the economic and social reality of Latin America. How can we help? ». The Belgian Professor Gunter Pauli (alumnus of Antwerp) discussed ‘Economic business models based on ecosystems of social benefits’. Then Chris Lowney (American New York, alumnus, former Jesuit, writer (Pope Francis. Why he leads the way he leads) reported on «leadership and Jesuit Education as tools of social responsibility. To follow, Colombian Professor Carlos Raul Yepes (CEO of Bancolombia), addressed the issue of «social responsibility and the service of others». The Congolese Father Augustin Kalubi SJ (Coordinator of DRC Jesuit colleges), for his part talked of «African Jesuit education and social responsibility – how can our alumni/ae serve? ‘’ Finally, Professor Swati Gautam (Indian, Professor at St. Francis Xavier’s University, Kolkata) spoke of «how to put into practice social responsibility for the benefit of the poor? ‘’

The afternoon of the last day was devoted to the General Assembly of the World Union. After the approval of the accounts and report, and prior to approval of the thirteen resolutions of the Congress, the election of the new Committee of the World Union was conducted. Alain Deneef (an alumnus of the college Saint Michel in Brussels) was elected President, the Nigerian Sina Buraimoh-Ademuyewo (an alumnus of the University of Philadelphia) Vice President, Argentinian Carlos Gianicolo (an alumnus of College of Buenos Aires) Secretary and the Indian Ronald d’Costa (an alumnus of the Goa college), Treasurer. Thirteen delegates representing the various global regions of the World Union were also elected. The city of Cleveland in Ohio (USA) was chosen as host of the next World Congress in 2017.

On the back of this very successful Congress hung the memory of two presidents of the World Union, who died within 24 hours of each other, on 16 and 17 July last, the Colombian Fabio Tobon, past president and Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the Congress, and the American Tom Bausch, president of the World Union, whose memories were honoured by the fixing of a plaque on a wall of the Colegio San Ignacio.

More information on the Congress :
(www.wujacongress2013.com/en/), and the World
Union (www.wuja.org and facebook: WUJA.official)