Introduction
A four-day grassroots convergence of activists, faith groups, Indigenous leaders, and civil-society partners was held at at Ambrose University in June 2025. Organized under the “Jubilee 2025: Turn Debt into Hope” campaign, the forum focused on climate justice, ecological and financial debt, Indigenous sovereignty, and canceling unjust global debt ahead of the G7 Leaders’ Summit in nearby Kananaskis. Saskatoon’s Wilson Nabiimpa was there. Wilson attended the 2024 Canadian Foodgrains Bank’s Hunger on the Hill advocacy day with Members of Parliament as a national church representative.
My Reflection
The Forum adeptly wove climate justice, Indigenous sovereignty, and debt cancellation into a unified moral and political narrative. By centering voices from frontline communities and embedding ecological debt within faith, legal, and youth frameworks, the event transcended conventional protest. It effectively captured attention ahead of the G7 Summit, transforming Calgary into a site not just of dissent, but of rich dialogue and visioning.
Ultimately, the Forum didn’t just critique G7 priorities, it actively proposed an alternative: a Jubilee world rooted in debt forgiveness, ecological restoration, and shared global responsibility.
The G7 Jubilee People’s Forum succeeded in re-centering the conversation around justice, repair, and reciprocity. By intentionally uplifting Indigenous rights, Global South realities, and faith-rooted conscience, it offered not just critique but vision, solidarity, and action. As world leaders convened in Kananaskis, these voices echo a collective demand, that a truly equitable, sustainable, and humane world is both possible and urgent.
Here are more details.
Purpose & Vision
A core goal of the Forum organized by KAIROS Canada with partners like Development & Peace, CPJ, ORCIE, Canadian Council of Churches, and Calgary Interfaith Council was to amplify Indigenous, Global South, and people of faith voices in shaping justice-driven demands at the G7 Summit. Through the Jubilee 2025: Turn Debt into Hope campaign, attendees pressed for cancellation of unjust debt, ecological reform, and reparations tied to colonial extraction.
Activities & Actions
Interfaith opening worship by the Calgary Interfaith Council.
Interfaith Worship & Ceremonies:
Interfaith worship, youth-led exercises, and visits to the Stoney Nakoda Medicine Wheel connected spirituality with activism.
Public artworks in Calgary’s Confluence and other protest actions urged G7 leaders to “Pick a Path: Pipelines or Climate Action”.
On June 15, rallying at Calgary City Hall (“Hands Off Our Water”) spotlighted Indigenous water rights amid ongoing extractive pressures.
Plenaries & Workshops:
“Spirit & Depth of Jubilee” plenary featuring Cardinal Pedro Barreto, focusing on ecological and human rights.
Cardinal Pedro Barreto, from the Amazon region, emphasized ecological debt how wealthy nations owe reparations to the Global South for environmental damage.
Workshops on ecological debt, spirituality in activism, and Indigenous sovereignty.
Indigenous-led sessions explored sovereignty, land rights, and the importance of free, prior and informed consent in resource extraction.
Global South Representation:
Presentations by Salome Owuonda (Kenya), Tarek Al‑Zoughbi (West Bank), and Sandra Xoquic Atz (Guatemala).
Youth Engagement:
A young adult-led visioning session invited participants to co-create a future community “Jubilee world”.
Public Action:
On June 15, participants marched downtown Calgary at City Hall, linking with groups like the International League of People’s Struggles, street theatre activists, and climate advocates to pressure G7 leaders .
Uplifting Voices
Indigenous perspectives:
Centered sovereignty, land stewardship, and free, prior, and informed consent—especially regarding ecological debt and resource extraction.
Embedded ceremonies (e.g., medicine wheel prayer) reinforced interconnectedness of people and land.
Global South experiences:
Firsthand testimonies depicted how debt hinders basic services and climate adaptation.
Emphasized calls for debt forgiveness and structural financial reform.
Faith-community engagement:
Interfaith participation and worship provided spiritual cohesion and moral framing aligned with ecological justice and economic equity.
Youth leadership:
Young participants did not just listen—they shaped future narratives and actions, embodying intergenerational solidarity.
Impact & Reflections
Public visibility: The Forum’s street marches and symbolic actions (like smashing a pink pig pinata of debt) created compelling visuals that rallied attention from passersby and media.
Policy outreach:
Participants delivered a strong message through the Civil 7 communiqué and petition to G7 Sherpas to include debt, climate, and ecological justice on the Summit agenda.
Cultural bridging: The blend of prayer, ceremony, policy workshops, and street action nurtured shared purpose across faiths, generations, and geographies.
Moral influence: By merging spirituality with activism, the Forum grounded its demands in shared values of dignity, justice, and care for creation—blunting technocratic discourse with human conscience.
Towards an Equitable & Humane G7
This Forum embodied a “people-powered” challenge to the Summit:
- Equity: Prioritize debt cancellation and dismantle exploitative financial systems.
- Sustainability: Recognize ecological debts owed to Indigenous and Global South communities.
- Humaneness: Construct a future grounded in dignity, interconnection, and wellbeing.
- Amplifying marginalized voices: From Treaty 7 to West Bank, Mexico to Kenya voices once sidelined now speak loud enough to resonate in the G7 corridors.
