Caritas Australia invites the community to join the online launch of its national ‘Turn Debt into Hope’ campaign on May 16th at 12pm AEST.  

The webinar, hosted in partnership with the Office of Justice Ecology and Peace, will see Kirsten Sayers CEO of Caritas Australia joined by Archbishop of Brisbane, Mark Coleridge, Dr Luke Fletcher, Executive Director of the Jubilee Australia Research Centre, and Leba Tamari, Advocacy Coordinator for Caritas Fiji.  

The launch aligns with the 10th Anniversary of Laudato Si’ and is part of the broader Caritas Internationalis ‘Turn Debt into Hope’ campaign, which globally champions debt justice, fairness, and solidarity, in the spirit of Jubilee 2025.  

Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge said of the upcoming launch, “The alignment of this Jubilee year - which recognises the links between debt and climate injustice - with 10 years of Laudato Si’, should serve to strengthen the call of our faith. Participating in the ‘Turn Debt into Hope’ campaign is a way to answer that call and honour the teachings of Laudato Si’.” 

As part of the webinar, participants will gain a greater understanding of the debt crises impacting our region and the significance of debt forgiveness during a Jubilee year. Attendees will also discover ways they can act to support global economic justice. 

This includes the signing of a petition that calls on world leaders, and public, private, and multilateral institutions to: 

• Stop the debt crisis now by cancelling and remedying unjust and unsustainable debts, without economic policy conditions.  
• Prevent debt crises from happening again by addressing their root causes, reforming the global financial system to prioritise people and the planet. 
• Establish a permanent, transparent, binding, and comprehensive debt framework within the United Nations.   

Kirsten Sayers, CEO at Caritas Australia said of the campaign “Many of the world’s most vulnerable nations, from Samoa to Malawi, are currently struggling under crushing debt repayments. Unfair terms and high interest rates have left these countries spending more on loan repayments to banks, wealthy nations, and global organisations than on healthcare, education, or climate action. In response, ‘Turn Debt into Hope’ calls for decision-makers to prioritise people and planet over profit.” 

Register for the webinar, join the mailing list, or sign the petition by clicking the button below.