Ignatian Advocacy Network
2009, through a decision from the same Supreme Court, the indigenous won the right to their land6. Other examples of activities by Jesuits and Jesuit-inspired organisations include the struggle of the indigenous people (Adivasis) to protect their land against multinational and national mining agencies (India), lobbying for an urban land reform law and the repeal of the anti-squatting law (Philippines), and Jesuit Shareholder Advocacy (USA). These are only three of nineteen examples of advocacy in the spirit of St Ignatius that participants brought to the Ignatian Advocacy Workshop in El Escorial. This event in November 2008 proved to be an important tributary through which the foundation for reflection on the Ignatian Advocacy Network was laid. The 45 participants, comprising Jesuits, religious of other congregations, directors of Jesuit works and lay collaborators, women and men from 22 different countries, had been chosen by their respective Conferences or Assistancies or organisations because of their involvement in advocacy in different works of the Society. For two days they listened to each other's big and small advocacy efforts, presented in the plenary and shared in small groups. The learning from these experiences falls into five groups: Start from the people; Use different methodologies; Follow a process; Be aware of your context; and finally, Show your passion for the cause. Hearing about the different experiences, together with a helpful concept paper by Frank Turner SJ (an edited version may be found on page 27) helped them understand better what Ignatian advocacy means - what it is, and why it is distinct from other ways of doing advocacy. A presentation by an external expert about what works in advocacy and 6 The newsletter of SJS, Headlines, reported several times on the events.
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Social Justice Secretariat