Fr Tom Smolich SJ, International Director of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), joined Canadian Jesuits International for a series of events on 12 April 2016 which aimed to raise awareness about the Global Education Initiative and the Mercy in Motion campaign of JRS.
Fr Tom Smolich talks about JRS’s response to refugee crises. (Photo: C. Hincks/CJI)
In the evening, CJI, JRS Canada and the Mary Ward Centre hosted a public event where Fr Tom spoke about some of the challenges that forcibly displaced people face, the importance of refugee education, and how JRS seeks to address some of the challenges of displacement through its education programming.
The Global Education Initiative aims to build capacity and improve and extend the educational programs of JRS by providing education to children and youth, training teachers and offering opportunities for refugees to obtain a post-secondary education online. During this Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Mercy in Motion campaign was launched to raise awareness of the Global Education Initiative and how education can transform communities, build human dignity and create safe spaces for refugees, who now spend an average of 17 years in displacement.
CJI continues to support the work of the Jesuit Refugee Service and the Global Education Initiative. Please join us in responding and donate to the ongoing plight of refugee and displaced people.
Fr Tom Smolich (at left) at a morning meeting with CJI and guests. (Photo: C. Hincks/CJI)
Download a pdf of CJI’s fact sheet on the Global Education Initiative here.
See video excerpts of Fr Tom’s talk in Toronto:
