Prof. Arche L. Ligo joins World Forum in Theology and Liberation

		Ms. Arche Ligo with Liberation Theologians from Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe and North America

Ms. Arche L. Ligo participated in the first World Forum in Theology and Liberation held in Porto Alegre, Brazil last January 20-25, 2005.  The forum was in conjunction with the fifth World Social Forum that also took place in the same city.

The World Social Forum (WSF) in Porto Alegre is the non-government organizations' and people movements' alternative to the World Economic Forum (WEF) that yearly takes place in Davos, Switzerland.  If the WEF is the forum of the political and economic elite of the world, WSF is the forum that lends voice to the disenfranchised from the global market economy: the workers, the peasants, the women, the indigenous peoples and the environment advocates.  The social forum's theme for the last five years has been "Another World is Possible."  It hopes to raise its critique to the current practice of global economics that not only marginalizes but also excludes the poor, the dark-skinned, the indigenous and the women.  It also rejects the 'there-is-no-alternative' (TINA) thinking of many governments with regard to globalization, that leaves most Third World societies hostage to global dictates without safety nets and guarantees for a fair playing field in trade and development.  At the same time, WSF wants to explore other alternatives and responses to globalization by holding on to the vision of justice, peace and integrity of creation and seeking ways of constructing a new economic and social order as humanity moves into the third millennium.

 

This year WSF invited churches, theological organizations and religious institutions to participate in the social forum to bring their theological vision, alternatives and values in constructing another world where human values and dignity of life is promoted and fostered. Ms. Arche L. Ligo joined the other members of the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians (EATWOT) from Asia, Latin America, Africa and the minorities of the United States, who were invited to be discussants in examining the role of theology and religion in constructing and making another world possible.  The theological forum brought some 2,000 liberations theologians from different parts of the world together; the likes of Leonardo Boff, Michael Amaladoss, Tissa Balasuriya, Enrique Dussel, Chung Hyun Kyung, Elsa Tamez, Ada Maria Isasi Diaz, Frei Betto, Ophelia Ortega, Sergio Torres, Diego Yrarazabal, KC Abraham, Mercy Amba Oduyoye, Bernadette Mbuy-Beya, Ramathate Dolana, Mary Getui, Dwight Hopkins, to name a few. For the forum, Ms. Ligo presided over the plenary paper presentation and		With Asian Theologians Sr. Emelina Villegas, icm, Dr. K.C. Abraham, Dr. Evangeline Anderson Rajku-mar and Dr. Chung Hyun Kyung during the Asian continental meeting Ms. Ligo with Professor Bonaventure de Sousa Santos of San Paolo Brazil - one of the organizers of the World Social Forum and a notable social scientist and reformer
discussion of Dr. Wanda Deifelt's paper on feminist theologies and what women's perspectives can offer to birthing a just and fair new world.  Ms. Ligo was also elected to be part of the synthesis committee that summarized the proceedings of each day and presented the summary paper as recap at the beginning of each morning.  It was all work for Ms. Ligo but worth all her while because of the spirit of hope and engagement that all the theologians demonstrated which in turn renewed her own energy and sense of involvement.  It also linked her work at St. Scholastica's College and the Institute of Women's Studies with the worldwide movement towards building a just, fair and humane world. n

St. Scholastica's College, Manila. 
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Updated:
Wednesday, July 13, 2005