(February 04.2012) The 30th session of the governing board of the JOHN
PAUL II papal foundation for the Sahel will be convened in Rome from 6th
to 16th February. The organising committee for the session that will welcome
participants will be headed by Cardinal Robert Sarah, President of the Vatican Pontifical
council Cor Unum and the legal representative of the foundation. The Board of administration
is formed by the Bishops of the nine countries of the Sahel. The Bishops will discuss
socio-political and religious situation of the various Sahel countries and provide
updated information on the current risks of the agriculture-food crisis, to avoid
the situation of two years ago. The nine countries of the Sahel are Burkina Faso,
Niger, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia and Chad. As
usual the priorities will be set for the financing of projects against desertification,
to the value of 2 million euro. The foundation is an initiative desired by Pope John
Paul II following his first visit to Africa, where he personally saw the great tragedy
lived by people due to long-term drought and desertification. On 10 May 1980, His
Holiness pronounced the following words which are at the origin of the Foundation:
"When the poor and needy cannot find water ... I, the Lord, will hear them! ... I
will change the dry and barren land into a lake" and "the water that I give will become
for them a flowing fountain that gives eternal like. From this very place I launch
a solemn appeal to the entire world ... I raise my voice in supplication ... I make
my voice the voice of those who have no voice, the voice of the innocent", said
Pope John Paul