2025, a Year of Great Hope

by | Jan 23, 2025 | News, Vincentian Family at the U.N. | 1 comment

“Hope is the last thing to die” according to a saying in Spanish.

There will be two especially noteworthy—and hope-filled—events in November 2025.  The Jubilee Year for the Catholic Church will highlight homelessness as a focus of charity priorities.  The FamVin Homeless Alliance’s remarkable success with its global 13 Houses Campaign will be celebrated by Pope Francis on the steps of the Vatican as he presents symbolic housing keys to 13 pilgrims.

And the United Nations will hold its Second World Social Summit in Qatar to recommit its Member States to fulfill their pledge to make its Peace and Prosperity Agenda a reality without leaving anyone behind.

If there was ever a need for a New Year’s Resolution, this is it!

For 30 years the UN has been talking about ending poverty, achieving full employment and ending social exclusion.  All three goals remain aspirational at this point, with many targets stalled and some moving backwards.

To contribute to discussions about social development—and to add a sense of urgency— “Civil Society,” the UN term that includes NGOs representing religious groups and congregations has once again prepared a declaration to present at the annual Commission on Social Development in February.   Based on consultations with grassroots communities about their most pressing needs, the three-page document has been written and edited carefully to reflect the transformation of societies, the structural changes necessary to create a better world.

The Civil Society Declaration 2025 is fundamentally a clarion call for bold action to ensure everyone is equal before the law, has their human rights recognized along with the opportunity to work and fulfill basic needs.  It posits that change begins with ourselves and our own patterns of values and relationships.  It necessarily emphasizes that marginalized individuals face social injustice, discrimination and social exclusion in so many aspects of their daily lives.

The Declaration challenges nations of the world with a strong Call to Action with specific challenges.  Based on the need for solidarity in our public lives, it demands concern for the common good, systemic change, responsive leadership and social policies that work for people not profit.

Social Resilience is emphasized in the Declaration.  As life gets more complicated and new technologies rush at us from every direction—think AI—we need the ability to adapt, recover and thrive.

The problem, the delay in carrying out these good practices, is not the plan, the 2030 Agenda for People and the Planet, in Peace and Prosperity.  It is a solid framework for a better future for all.  The language doesn’t need further tweaking.

What is lacking is the political will to adjust national priorities, think beyond GDP and make social policy work for everyone.  It means people over profit, marginalized people brought into every policy discussion, and leadership bold and responsive enough to turn the tables on business as usual.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?  Take a brief moment to look at the website NGO Committee for Social Development.  The Declaration is featured prominently in different languages and your signature would help the committee reach this year’s goal of 1500 signatures.

Social Inclusion.  Solidarity.  Resilience.

Big concepts.  Important words.  They must become more than words in 2025.  They must become the foundation for fundamental change in national priorities.

Here’s hoping 2025 puts us on this path.  After all, Hope is the last thing to die.

Jim Claffey
NGO representative of the Congregation of the Mission to the United Nations

1 Comment

  1. Tom Mt

    “Hope has muscle!”

    Reply

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