Participating in COP30—the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference—was a profoundly transformative experience. I arrived in Belém with an open heart to learn; I returned with a broader vision of VIVAT International’s mission and the socio-environmental challenges of our time.
During the conference, I contributed to VIVAT’s communications team, documenting testimonies and recording key moments to strengthen our mission. I realized then that communication is a missionary service: it gives visibility to the voices of peoples and communities that are often not heard in global debates.
As we celebrate VIVAT’s 25th anniversary, five key reflections emerge from this conference:
1. Organizational Capacity and Human Diversity
COP30 was a laboratory for global cooperation. It was impressive to see how thousands of people from different cultures, religions, and ideologies could coexist and build spaces for listening. This taught me that integral ecology requires plurality. It is impossible to care for our Common Home without integrating diverse knowledge, experiences, and worldviews.
2. The Complexity of Integral Ecology
The conference made it clear that environmental crises are interconnected. To speak of integral ecology is to recognize the links between climate, economy, spirituality, and human dignity. The strong presence of Indigenous, quilombola, and riverine communities—alongside African delegations—brought depth to the discussions, making visible the real suffering climate change is already producing in their territories.
3. Voices that Inspire Hope
Despite the gravity of the issues, the debates rekindled a sense of concrete hope. The participation of young people especially moved me. Many young women, in particular, proved to be courageous advocates for a deeper connection with nature. Their leadership convinces me that a sustainable world is possible when youth take their rightful place in the conversation.
4. Major Ideological Challenges
Throughout the conference, I observed a constant tension between two conflicting models:
- An imperialist capitalist model based on wealth accumulation and the exploitation of nature.
- An alternative economy proposing a responsible, community-oriented relationship with the goods of creation.
Reconciling these visions is a global and spiritual challenge that impacts public policy, personal choices, and our commitment to Consecrated Religious Life.
5. Celebrating 25 Years of VIVAT International
To live these experiences during the 25th anniversary of VIVAT International was deeply meaningful. Our celebration in Belém showed that VIVAT has a vital voice and a real commitment to socio-environmental justice. For 25 years, VIVAT has defended life in all its forms; being at the heart of the Amazon for this jubilee deepened our mission to put faith into action.
Conclusion COP30 showed me that while the challenges are great, hope is greater. The voices of the people and the youth reaffirm that another world is possible—as long as we walk together. We move forward, confident in the Spirit who renews and transforms.
VIVAT International — 25 years committed to human dignity and the care of creation.
Albersia Hope Tapoona, SSpS, VIVAT Brazil
View the COP30 daily blog of VIVAT delegates here.
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