Harrogate woman joins protests at this weekend's G7 summit at Cornwall

A youth worker from Harrogate is heading to Cornwall’s G7 to join the call for world leaders including Boris Johnson to give a better deal for the world’s most vulnerable.
Climate change protest - Rebecca Maxwell, a youth worker from Harrogate in York, is heading to the G7 Summit in Carbis Bay,Climate change protest - Rebecca Maxwell, a youth worker from Harrogate in York, is heading to the G7 Summit in Carbis Bay,
Climate change protest - Rebecca Maxwell, a youth worker from Harrogate in York, is heading to the G7 Summit in Carbis Bay,

The 22-year-old Rebecca Maxwell, a youth worker from Harrogate in York, is heading to the international conference in Carbis Bay, along with 18 other climate campaigners this weekend, to put their concerns on major global issues to seven of the world’s most powerful leaders.

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Part of the Lancaster Diocese Youth Service, Rebecca is a former student on Step into The Gap, a gap year programme run by overseas development charity CAFOD.

Rebecca Maxwell said, that along with her Catholic faith, the one year programme inspired her to be more intentional about how she lived and viewed the world.

“I was encouraged to live out values such as caring for my global neighbours, and understanding the importance of stewardship, solidarity and fraternity.

"I feel called to try my best to be part of the common project of renewing our world to sustain love, rather than inequality, in the face of the pandemic and climate change”.

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Representing overseas development charity CAFOD, the group of 18–32-year-olds from across England and Wales will be raising awareness on global issues - especially climate and debt cancellation - during their time in Cornwall from 11-13 June.

As the UK is host to the G7 and COP26 this year, CAFOD is urging leaders to support vulnerable nations by cancelling all debt payments owed by low-income countries so that they can recover and rebuild from the pandemic - including debts owed to private lenders.

The overseas development charity wants to see the world’s leaders provide support to these countries to tackle the immediate health crisis and poverty caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

And, as the world begins to recover, it wants the leaders to pledge to build back better, tackling the other challenges that plague our common home, the pandemic of hunger, the pandemic of poverty and the pandemic of climate change.

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Rebecca Maxwell said: “As the wealthy nations discuss world issues, it is important for charities and grassroots campaigners to have a strong presence too. The G7 discussions will not just affect people in the room, they will affect everyone, every human, including future generations.”

“I would love to help CAFOD in campaigning for essential changes, reclaiming nature, resources, power, tackling debt injustice, human rights and climate change. Being part of the youth mobilisation would inspire my faith and action in daily life, with young people and my Parish".

CAFOD’s head of campaigns, Aisha Dodwell said:"As leaders of the world’s most powerful nations gather in Cornwall to discuss the global recovery from the pandemic, CAFOD’s youth delegation will be there to campaign for a just global green recovery that includes all nations.

"Attending the G7 mobilisation will enable these young adults to put their Catholic faith into action and speak out in solidarity with the world’s poorest communities to ensure world leaders tackle the climate crisis and cancel debts for countries in the global south.

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"The attendees will have an opportunity to learn more about the deepening inequalities and ecological destruction of our common home and raise their voices against global injustice."

CAFOD, The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development is an international development charity and the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, and part of Caritas International.

It reaches out to people living in poverty with practical help, whatever their religion or culture.

More information at https://cafod.org.uk/

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