Anote Tong Visits Caritas Australia Office
30 Oct 2018 | Blog
Anote Tong, former President of Kiribati and renowned climate activist, recently visited the Caritas Australia Head Office in Sydney. In a powerful Facebook Live event, he made a rousing call to action for Australia to invest in more environmentally friendly and sustainable policies, and for individuals to take action, too.
Here’s some of what Mr Tong had to say:
"By 2004, when I (first) started making statements about climate change at the highest national and political levels, at that time not many people were interested.”
“Shortly afterward, reports on climate change began to be more widely released. I took on a different level of engagement then because the international community recognised that climate change was real, serious and posed an existential threat for people in countries like mine, the Marshall Islands, the Maldives and other nations ‘on the front lines.”
“Though Kiribati is on the front lines, one day, the challenges of climate change will become inescapable for all of us: even everyday Australians.”
“Let’s go back to the church’s teachings and take seriously the statements of the Pope on this issue, who through his encyclical - Laudato Si - has declared that we simply must do something about climate change.”
Thank you Mr Tong for your outstanding commitment to climate justice, and for adding your voice to Caritas Australia’s call to create a more sustainable planet for marginalised communities all over the world.
Tomorrow is too late – the time for action is now! Sign up to hear more about our new climate campaign, Living Laudato Si, and receive handy resources on how you can take positive action to save our world.
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