Ecojesuit and the Global Advocacy Network

Who We Are

Ecojesuit is the global communication platform and online resource center for the Global Ignatian Advocacy Network on Ecology (GIAN-Ecology).

Launched on November 12, 2010, our platform serves as a vital meeting space for Jesuits, collaborators, and organizations committed to Integral Ecology. We are one of GIAN, four key initiatives promoted by the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES) of the Society of Jesus in Rome.

Our Mission and Approach

Our main objective is to foster global communication and collaboration for the care of our Common Home. Ecojesuit is not just a website; it is a learning community seeking to:

• Connect: Facilitate dialogue among social, educational, and pastoral works, integrating science, faith, and local knowledge.
• Amplify: Share local concerns from vulnerable communities and Indigenous peoples, elevating their voices to a global stage.
• Advocate: Promote advocacy actions and strengthen international cooperation in the face of environmental challenges.

Our work is deeply rooted in the Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs) of the Society of Jesus (2019-2029), specifically responding to the fourth preference: To collaborate in the care of our Common Home, ensuring that environmental justice remains at the heart of our apostolic mission.

Thematic Areas and Lines of Action

Ecojesuit offers original analysis, news, and educational resources focused on the intersection of faith and ecological justice. Our priority lines of action and research include:

• Climate Change: Impacts, adaptation, and resilience (COP).
• Energy Transition: Promotion of renewable and alternative energy sources.
• Food Systems: Food security and agroecology.
• Extractivism: Human Rights and mining industrial practices.
• Protection of Indigenous rights, cultural integrity and ecosystem conservation.

Through our Newsletter (sent twice a month), we connect a growing community of over 3,000 subscribers, organizations, and experts who exchange best practices and advocacy strategies.

The GIAN-Ecology Network: Structure and Origin

The Global Ignatian Advocacy Network on Ecology (GIAN-Ecology) is the backbone of our work. It is a collaborative network of Jesuits and laypeople that includes religious leaders, scientists, farmers, and policymakers.

We also serve as a strategic bridge connecting the Society of Jesus with the Vatican’s Laudato Si’ Action Platform, promoting participation and tracking progress across provinces and works.

Our History

The Society of Jesus’ ecological commitment has evolved through key milestones:

• 1995 (GC 34): The ecological crisis is recognized. The Secretariat publishes “We live in a broken world: Reflections on ecology” (Promotio Iustitiae 70/1999).
• 2008 (GC 35): A call is made in a second text called “Healing a Wounded World”. The Global Ignatian Advocacy Network was born following a workshop held in El Escorial, Spain.
• 2010-2011: Fr. General renamed the secretariat as the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES), and the document “Healing a Broken World” (PI 106/2011) was published, consolidating ecology as a central mission.

The SJES assists in guiding, animating, and evaluating our actions, working in synergy with other GIAN initiatives: Justice in Mining, Right to Quality Education, and Forced Migration.

Our Team

The coordination of Ecojesuit and GIAN-Ecology is a collaborative, global effort.

Coordinating Group:

• Fr. John Kennedy, S.J. (Coordinator)
• Filipe Martins, S.J.
• Vincent Ekka, S.J.
• Daniel Mutale Mwamba, S.J.

Contact details

• Tiffany Trejo (Webmaster)
  • Email: ecojesuit@gmail.com