11 May 2024 R.
The Director of the John Paul II Justice and Peace Centre father Leonard OLOBO told us what the receipt of the Premio San Giovanni Paolo II means for him and for JPIIJC and how this may influence the further work of the organization.
What does receiving Premio San Giovanni Paolo II mean to you personally and to the John Paul II Justice and Peace Centre? How do you think it reflects the values and vision of Pope John Paul II?
To me as one of the founding members of JPIIJPC, it is like a dream come true. This is because at the time we were envisioning opening the Centre we wanted to follow in the footstep of Pope John Paull II in the promotion of social justice. At that time, the world was lamenting the passing on of Pope John Paul II, and for us lamentation was not enough. We wanted to take concrete collective actions, by establishing an institution, to continue with his legacy by intervening locally in the political, economic, and social challenges in the country. Therefore, for our organization having existed for only about 13 years and getting such a recognition from John Paul II Foundation in the Vatican, is a dream come true.
Institutionally, this award shows that our strategic intervention in the promotion of; human rights and good governance, peaceful co-existence, and integrity of creation geared towards a just and peaceful society is in line with the legacy of Pope John Paul II. The award energises the Centre, to continue working with more passion and commitment towards the realisation of a just and peaceful society. Therefore, the award given to JPIIJPC, as an institution promoting justice and peace which was central to his papacy, is a clear indication of promotion of the legacy of Pope John Paul II through our work.
In what ways do you believe the work or contributions of the JPIIJPC align with the principles and ideals championed by Pope John Paul II during his papacy?
The work of JPIIJPC is anchored around economic, political, social, and environmental justice. The work revolves around promotion of human right and good governance, peacebuilding and environmental conservation. With regard to human right and good governance, the Centre is involved in: enhancing respect for human rights by Uganda Police Force; combating Trafficking in Persons and Modern Slavery; promoting democratic practices and citizen participation in decision making and political processes, and promoting Girl-child education. In peacebuilding, JPIIJPC promotes peace in families and communities and empowers refugees and host communities for peaceful co-existence. The Centre is also promoting integrity of creation (Ecology) through community action against environmental degradation and climate change. The Centre does all these in collaboration with other religious groups and institutions. And these resonates with Pope John Paul II commitment to social justice and inter-faith dialogue and relations.
How do you envision using the recognition and platform provided by the John Paul II Prize to further promote the causes or initiatives of the JPIIJPC?
The recognition and the platform by the John Paul II Prize provides JPIIJPC an enormous opportunity for visibility and to network with other institutions globally in realising our goal and objectives. To further amplify this recognition, it is our desire to continue sharing our plan and activity reports in the platform of John Paul II Prize. We envisage using the recognition and platform to mobilise the necessary resources for robust interventions. We shall also use the recognition to garner support for our programs in our different platforms and fora. This is needed because, sometimes due to financial constraints, we are unable to implement some of our planned activities, such as, civic education and monitoring of the forthcoming general elections in Uganda, the immense demand for support to survivors of human trafficking, the overwhelming need for economic empowerment of the refugees – among others.
Can you share a memorable moment or experience that inspired your commitment to the values, which are central to the legacy of Pope John Paul II?
At the time we envisioned the Centre, the people in Northern Uganda were emerging from two-decades of war. I remember how the people were commuting from their villages to towns and sleeping on the streets on daily basis because they would be attacked and killed or maimed in the villages. This compelled even Archbishop John Baptist Odama to join them to sleep on the street to draw attention to their plight. Consequently, his action drew international attention to the plight of the people of Northern Uganda. At that time Uganda was experiencing wanton violation of human rights, rising economic inequalities, extreme poverty, violence in families and communities, among others. The pathetic condition in the country, compelled us, a group of religious congregations – Comboni Missionaries, Holy Cross Missionaries, Mill Hill Missionaries, Missionaries of Africa, and the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) to intervene collectively in the social, economic, and political life of Ugandans by establishing an institution dedicated for action against injustice of different ramifications. Thus our Motto “Faith Doing Justice”.
Looking ahead, what do you see as the most pressing challenges facing society today (both, global and local), and how do you believe the teachings and example of Pope John Paul II can guide us in addressing these challenges?
The major challenges facing the society today are: division and the resultant conflicts, bad governance, hunger, trafficking in persons and modern slavery, environmental degradation, family breakdown, poverty, unemployment, moral decadence, diseases and pandemic, and abuse of technology.
These issues can be addressed through promotion of human dignity and social justice, dialogue and reconciliation, solidarity and global cooperation, and ethical leadership and responsibility, which were emphasized by Pope John Paul II in his teachings.
