LIMA, Peru, Apr 11 (ACN) Cuban representatives participated today, in this capital city, in the first interfaith summit of the Americas, organized within the framework of the VIII Hemispheric Summit by organizations that make up coalition nine of civil society.
Joel Ortega Dopico, outgoing president of the Cuban Council of Churches, said he had the opportunity to represent the Common Alliance of the Churches (ACT) at the meeting, accompanied by other religious representatives from the island.
Ortega Dopico stressed that this is the first time that this inter-religious meeting will be held within the framework of a Summit of the Americas, which demonstrates the need for the spiritualties of the peoples to raise their voices on issues such as those being debated in Peru: governance and corruption.
He mentioned Pope Francis as a leader cited at the meeting, who has repeatedly referred to corruption as an avoidable phenomenon.
Several liberation theologians also discussed the issue of corruption, he stressed.
He said that Jews, Christians and people of different religions were present at the inter-religious summit, and as a symbol of this unity, a candle was lit that was asked to be on the table of the leaders participating in the VIII Summit of the Americas.
The candle represents the light for those who believe that a better world is possible, and that the reality of our societies will be transformed, he said.
In the forums of the VIII Summit there are religious leaders, young people, women, academics from the United States and Latin America and the Caribbean, who will debate approaches to achieve the sustainable development objectives of the United Nations Agenda 2030.
Ortega Dopico affirmed that it is not possible to fight poverty without fighting corruption and the paradigms established today in the world.
There has to be a change, through which we stop being consumer societies and become solidarity societies, he said.
For the Cuban religious, what is fundamental is to speak with truth and justice to analyze the issue of corruption.
From our faith we call for truth and justice to prevail, he stressed.
Referring to Tuesday's meeting in Lima, Peru, he said that a scenario of respect and harmony prevailed.
The reverend said that this Wednesday he will speak to the plenary of the inter-religious summit about the Cuban experience in the fight against corruption and how much can be done in the hemisphere on this issue.
The problem of corruption has to do with the consumer society, because market societies have been created, he emphasized, before pointing out that Jesus came one day to the temple and threw the tables of those who had turned the place into a market square.
We believe from the perspective of our faith that corruption is the result of that mercantilist world of consumption, where people are induced to be consumers and are far removed from essential priorities, such as concern for the human being, for our fellow man; and for us the human being is the first thing, he concluded.
The outgoing president of the Cuban Council of Churches is part of the coalition 15 For a Respectful and Inclusive World, which will meet this Wednesday at the Sheraton Hotel in Lima and in which Cuba will participate with 68 members, joining the more than 200 of 19 countries that have also registered to participate in this civil society forum.
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