Address by Teruango Beneteri

Plenary on economic justice

Ms Teruango Beneteri is an active young lay member of the Kiribati Protestant Church

We, as the Pacific island churches wish to contribute the Pacific concept of the Island of Hope to the Assembly.

Pacifically, on the Island of Hope, life is significant, valued and celebrated. There is a celebration of life over material wealth. The Island of Hope is sacramental, self-contained, independent, and in tune with nature. It is an island marked by sharing and caring, to which people want to journey in order to celebrate life in all its fullness (Isa. 25:6). The Island of Hope has the “mana” (power) to draw human beings together.

The Island of Hope, like the Kingdom of God, is praise-worthy and unique, boundary-less and sought after.  

Island of Hope is a reality of people together braving the attacks of religio-social, political and economic tyrannies.

The Island of Hope is biblical/theological and is inclusive of the idea of smallness in partnership uniting people and making them strong. Jesus is the Island of Hope who gave the whole world what it hopes for. Jesus passion and the cross (resurrection) is the Island of Hope for humanity.

As Pacific Islanders, there is awareness that the Island of Hope is not spared from the forces of globalization. Yet, in the face of its onslaught, the following defenses remain firm and intact:

• The ethos of communal life and of communal economic and social relations.

• Communal ownership of resource bases.

• The strength of family and kinship ties.

• High levels of intra-community interaction and solidarity.

• A wealth of living languages and of ceremonies, rituals and other practices rich in meaning.

• Traditional structures like fale, bure-Kalou (house of worship) and material cul ture producing both functional and exchange or gift items.

The Island of Hope offers an alternative to the negative effects of globalization. The Island of Hope is founded on Godly values as opposed to economic globalization, which is erected on the value of material goods. The Island of Hope is sustainable, wholesome, peaceful and all-embracing, where as globalisation is unsustainable, damaging, conflict-ridden, and excluding.

The concept of the Island of Hope is not merely a dream. It is founded in reality and has been our normal life in our islands. The institutions and values embedded in the Island Of Hope may not create wealth on a massive scale but they will never be responsible for creating second class citizens, destroying the environment at will, causing poverty, the debasement of humanity and denial of human dignity, as economic globalization is doing.

• The Island Of Hope will never entail economic tyranny.

• Spirituality, family life, traditional economy, cultural values, mutual care and respect are components of the concept of the Island Of Hope which prioritizes relationships, celebrates quality of life and values human beings and creation over the production of things.

• The Island Of Hope is an alternative to the project of economic globalizatio n which entails domination through an unjust economic system.

• The Island Of Hope represents life-centered values deeply rooted in Pacific communities, which provide an orientation for a just and sustainable economy and a life of dignity.