VATICAN - From 20 to 24 July in Lima Populorum Progressio foundation administrative council meeting to approve 200 projects for education, farming and small business development

Thursday, 14 July 2005

Vatican City (Fides Service) - Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of Populorum Progressio foundation and of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum will be in Lima, Peru, from July 20 to 24 for the annual meeting of the foundation’s administrative council, says a Cor Unum communique made public today. Populorum Progressio foundation was established in 1992 by John Paul II to promote integral development among the poor indigenous mixed race and Afro-American rural communities of Latin America and the Caribbean. After Haiti, Peru is the Latin American country with the lowest levels of education. It also suffers the serious problem of the abandonment of rural areas and the exodus of the population to the cities, which leads to the creation of shanty towns with very harsh living conditions.
This year there are some 200 projects awaiting approval, for a total value of around two million dollars. The areas involved include education (60%), agriculture (20%) and small business development (20%). The priority of education in development is the most important element of the Church's commitment in these countries is financed mainly by the Italian Bishops' Conference, although private donors from other countries also participate. On the administrative council, it is prelates from countries with the largest indigenous mixed race and Afro-American communities who decide how to use the funds. Apart from Archbishop Cordes and six representatives from the Latin American episcopate, the meeting will also be attended Fr. Segundo Tejado Munoz, an official of Cor Unum, and Mgr. Piergiuseppe Vacchelli, president of the Italian Bishops Conference's committee for charitable interventions in favor of the Third World. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 14/7/2005 - Righe 25; Parole 313)


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