International Mother Earth Day

Every year on 22 April, the world celebrates International Mother Earth Day. We at Mercy International Association are grateful for the blessings we receive from Earth every day and we continue to reflect on the sacredness of Earth.

While International Mother Earth Day is a day of celebration, we are also called to grieve the current ecological crisis as it affects the social, cultural, and economic circumstances of our brothers and sisters around the world. One of MIA’s thematic areas – degradation of Earth – allows us to reflect on the interlinkages between people and nature. We understand that climate change is a cross-cutting phenomenon that affects women and girls, migration patterns, indigenous peoples, and our water resources, all of which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This week and next, from 25 April-6 May, the annual Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is taking place in a hybrid format, both online and in-person, at UN Headquarters in New York. The theme of this year’s forum is “Indigenous peoples, business, autonomy and the human rights principles of due diligence including free, prior and informed consent”. As members of the NGO Mining Working Group, Mercy Global Action will be supporting events organized in collaboration with REPAM (Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network), Iglesias y Minería (Churches & Mining), and CIMI (Missionary Indigenous Council), networks of Catholic and indigenous leaders in the Amazon region.

As we continue to listen and uplift the voices of those most affected by climate change, we acknowledge that “we can no longer afford to miss any opportunities to protect the health and stability of Earth” (Hope in a Time of Pandemic). We must hear the cries of the Earth, today and every day, and work with and learn from those at the grassroots to make meaningful and impactful change. 

To read our tweet celebrating International Mother Earth Day, please click here.