From August 17 to 20, the Comparte Network took part for the second time in the pre-conference on Environmental Justice “Making Hope Possible”, convened by the Lassalle Institute in Zurich. This international gathering seeks to strengthen reflection on environmental justice and socio-ecological transformations, paving the way for the 2026 conference.
During the pre-conference, keynote presentations inspired dialogue and action:
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“Integral Hope”, by Andreas Krafft (University of St. Gallen, Switzerland), exploring how hope can become a social force.
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Theological and philosophical reflection on hope and socio-ecological transformations in Africa, by Rev. Marcel Uwineza, president of Hekima University College, Kenya.
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A case study from the Comparte Network, showing in practice how hope is built and Buen Vivir is promoted through communities of learning and action.
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A panel on Human Rights and the foundations of hope, with the participation of Sabine Loetscher (Quantis), Richard Pearshouse (Human Rights Watch), and Phillip Scheidiger (Swiss Fair Trade).
The Comparte Network was represented by Diana Patricia Giraldo, network collaborator and PhD candidate at the University of Lisbon, and Alberto Irezabal, director of the CIIESS at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico. Both shared the origins and trajectory of the network, its alignment with Ignatian principles, as well as the challenges and opportunities of working for socio-ecological justice from Latin America.
Through this participation, the Comparte Network continues to contribute practical experiences and case studies that demonstrate how to advance environmental justice and Buen Vivir from a territorial and transdisciplinary perspective. This space also made it possible to showcase its work to Jesuit organizations in Africa, Asia, and Europe, exchange learnings, and explore opportunities for collaboration with entities such as Jesuit Worldwide Learning, the Ukama Center, and Jesuitenweltweit.
As part of this work, the Comparte Network is also a contributing author in the book “Making Hope Possible: On Scaling Up Transdisciplinary Scholarship for Sustainability”, published by Springer, consolidating its academic and practical contribution at the international level.
