Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) is supporting Phase II of the project, Care for Our Common Home: Awareness, Intercultural Education and Education in Fe y Alegría Educational Centers.

The project by Fe y Alegría Pan-Amazon, a CJI Jesuit partner, promotes emphasizes socio-ecological justice and the protection of the Amazon and Indigenous territories. Founded in 1955 by Jesuit priest José María Vélaz, SJ, Fe y Alegría is a federation of local education institutions that provides education to marginalized populations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

The project promotes integral ecology through education, recognizing that, as stated by Fe Alegría, schools are “spaces for transformation, action, and hope in response to the ecological crisis.” First popularized by Pope Francis in Laudato si', integral ecology asserts that “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor' are one and the same.” This means addressing ecological damage also requires tackling social injustice.

Implemented across Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela, the initiative focuses on expanding leadership and strengthening the ecological education of educators and students through training, self-guided courses, and diploma programs.

Training opportunities include a Diploma in Integral Ecology and Socio-environmental Justice for 50 educators, and two self-guided courses reaching 300 participants from Latin America, Africa, and Asia. These will address growing global concerns about the impact of climate change on education and help to strengthen environmental citizenship. According to UNICEF, around one billion children live in countries that are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Meanwhile, studies have revealed gaps in environmental education and ecological understanding among young people.

The project builds on achievements from the first phase, which advanced teacher training, standardized educational frameworks, promoted knowledge sharing across the Pan-Amazon region, and strengthened advocacy among teachers and students in international climate spaces such as COP, with the People’s Summit, Children’s Summit and Indigenous Peoples’ Gathering, serving as a powerful platform for youth advocacy.

The project also promotes care for the Amazon through virtual encounters, student activities, educational publications, webinars, and participation in international advocacy networks.