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Zanottelli
Dakar February 6, 2011 by Gore the running of the World Social Forum
The group of missionaries had decided, before attending the opening march of the World Social Forum in Dakar, which took place today, February 6, to go on a pilgrimage of penance to the island of Gorée, a few kilometers sea \u200b\u200bfrom Dakar.
As missionaries felt the need to ask forgiveness for the millions of slaves, many of which start from Goree, transported to the Americas: the so-called "Atlantic Treaty." And 'one of the greatest genocides in human history. We felt the need to ask for forgiveness and as Europeans, the authors of this human trafficking, both as Christians for our silence and complicity in trafficking.
After visiting the important places of the island, we decided to make a symbolic action as missionaries from the church San Carlo Borromeo, in the heart of the island, to the house of slaves. The Comboni Missionary
Congolese Kabey Janvier, after wearing the liturgical vestments for the Eucharist, was bound hand and body with a rope and began a penitential procession through the narrow streets, among the island's colonial cottages. Along the streets there were five stages in which we have reflected the experience of slavery and linked to the passion of Jesus
arrived at the house of slaves, deposited some light at the door, we kneel and father Janvier asked pardon of God and humanity, not only for our sins in question, but also for our complicity and silence in our new modern day slavery.
We then returned to the church to celebrate the Sunday Eucharist. At the end of the Mass, each of the missionaries has undertaken public, concrete and for justice and peace and the defense of creation. At that point, the Comboni
Clara, Mozambique, Janvier has untied a reminder that God frees us because we strive for life.
In this spirit have returned to Dakar, Senegal, the great city which now has two million inhabitants, and we included in the inaugural grand march World Social Forum of the game from the Great Mosque of Dakar to end the university town "Cheikh Anta Diop, which will take place the week of the Forum (6-11 February).
We were amazed by the great popular participation. We crossed the procession, closely watching the various delegations with their banners and signs. A typical African event, with singing, dancing, drums: the true meaning of the celebration of Africa. Pacifica. Orderly and well-organized. Popular participation was certainly the largest march in Nairobi, 2007.
The success of this event is, in our opinion, due to the fact that civil society in West Africa much more alive than in the rest of the continent. Here they work great organizations of peasants to defend their land, seed, water and their products. That's the reason for such a large turnout for the march.
And that bodes well for Africa. Knowing that only the bottom may be major changes.
The march ended in the great university avenue, in front of a huge stage, where he incited the crowd by the President of Bolivia Evo Morales, already present in Belém (Brazil) in 2009. Once
troubled by Gore from having relived the tragedy of slavery of yesterday and today, it has greatly encouraged this vitality Africa, which has impressed us and strengthens our belief that there may be another Africa.
Alex Zanotelli
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