Under the slogan ‘Mission of Hope’, as part of the Jubilee Year of Hope proclaimed by Pope Francis, today and tomorrow the Universidad Católica de Murcia is holding its 24th International Conference on Charity and Volunteering, where experts from different fields are addressing key issues such as the role of volunteering, the challenges of addiction and the impact of technology on society.

The opening presentation was given by Monsignor Bruno Marie Duffé, Honorary Secretary General of the Dicastery of the Vatican for the Service of Comprehensive Human Development. In his presentation, Hope that does not disappoint, he expressed his joy at ‘sharing with the students the importance of making the world a fairer and more peaceful place; there can be no future without respect for the poor’. Monsignor Duffé also had a special thought for the Holy Father, for whom prayers were said at the Eucharist that he himself presided over, and with which the Conference began. He highlighted that ‘as he often tells us, we must develop a culture of encounter; we have to listen to each other’.

Among the participants were prominent figures such as Manuel Luque, President of Worldproject; Miguel González, from Cirugía Solidaria, and Juan José Almela Martínez, Director General of Acción Exterior y Cooperación of the Regional Government of Murcia. This morning they held a debate on ‘Volunteering as a mission of hope’, highlighting the importance of international technical cooperation involving volunteers who have trained in scientific and technological careers and who contribute to the development of the countries most in need. 

In addition, health and psychology experts, such as Pedro Campos Hernández, President of Alfamur, and Asunción Santos de Pascual, Director of Proyecto Hombre Murcia, have analysed the impact of addictions on society and the paths to recovery.

During the event there will also be testimonies from organisations dedicated to emotional support and social reintegration, such as the Confraternidad Carcelaria de España (Prison Fellowship Spain) and the Teléfono de la Esperanza de Murcia (Hope Line of Murcia), who will share their experiences in the round table ‘Pilgrimage stories: Testimonies of hope’.

Antonio Alcaraz, Director of the Conference, explained that the theme of the Jubilee Year is hope and that the Conference will reflect on this from different perspectives, including, of course, the perspective of faith, which gives mankind the hope of a life worth living.

On Tuesday

The sessions on Tuesday, which will bring the conference to a close, will include a talk by Rabbi Moshé Bendaham, of the Jewish Community of Madrid, entitled ‘Hope as a tool for spiritual growth’.

The impact of technology will be another of the key issues to be dealt with on this second day of activity, with talks by Pablo Moreno, Fini Global Marketing Director, and Alejandro Villena Moya, psychologist and clinical sexologist. 

The climax will be the Ecumenical Act to be held in the Parish of St Francis of Assisi (Capuchin Fathers) in Murcia, which will take place Tuesday at 8.30pm, involving representatives from various Christian denominations.