| Rome (Fides Service) - “The gift of water is for everyone” is the theme chosen by the Italian Bishops’ Conference for a national Day of Thanksgiving for Creation on 9 November. A message for the Day has been issued by the Bishops Commission for social problems, work justice and peace. The same Commission has organised a two day Meeting on the theme of Thanksgiving in Monreale diocese, Sicily 8 and 9 November
It is important to realise that water is a gift of God and to solve the social and economic problems due to its scarcity, the Message says. The Bishops recall that water is of crucial importance as Italy, like most European countries, experienced during the last extremely hot Summer. In the world, water scarcity is a problem for almost 1.5 billion people; at least 2 billion lack adequate sanitation and at least 2 million people died in 2000 of dysentery cased by lack of clean water.
The figure is bound to increase also because of spreading desert conditions and global warming. Theses threats to life cause migration, mass exodus of whole peoples in search of a place where life is possible. Water is also fundamental for farming and food production: already a lowering of water reservoirs is causing a decrease in food production. Water distribution is regulated not only by efficiency but also by efficient solidarity which looks to the future.
The two day Meeting will be opened with a welcoming speech by Archbishop Cataldo Naro Monreale, after which Rev. Paolo Tarchi, of the Bishops’ national office for social problems will introduce the discussion. (AP) (31/10/2003 Fides Service; lines:32 words:364)
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