The campaign promoting access for all to Covid-19 vaccines will be launched on 20th May along with a symbolic action to bring healthcare to the native populations of the Amazon. It is sponsored by an international network of organizations from different cultures and religions.

A global problem can only be overcome by a global common good: vaccination against Covid-19 should be accessible to all, giving priority to the most vulnerable and needy in the world, regardless of their individual and national income. A decision by the international community is urgently needed: the suspension of patents for pharmaceutical companies or contracts with more generous quantities and lower prices for poor or emerging countries.

While calling for fair and urgent solutions, we are mobilising for a health campaign in the Amazonian region of Pará (Brazil) with the “Barco Hospital Papa Francisco” project for river-dweller populations of the Amazon, who cannot reach health centres and thus have the right to social and health care.

 This is the essence of the Manifesto that explains the commitment of the worldwide campaign “A vaccine for all” which will be launched on 20th May, on the eve of the G20 Global Health Summit, under Italian presidency.

It is promoted by an international and transversal partnership of movements, organisations and research centres that is currently being expanded.

Internationalizing vaccines – The Covid-19 pandemic is confirming yet again how interconnected the peoples of the earth are and how every local choice also has global repercussions. The “A Vaccine for all” campaign promotes proactive action on behalf of nations left out of various forms of treatment; it encourages governments to practice vaccine internationalism, which is the exact opposite of closed nationalism that can never defeat the virus. The goal is for every person on the planet to have access to vaccines in a universal, fair, free and fast way. The Manifesto states: “We want the development of the capacity to produce and distribute vaccines also in the poor countries of the world.”

Prevention, vaccine and treatment for the river-dweller populations of the Amazon – The “Barco Hospital Papa Francisco” – The Covid-19 pandemic has made communities and populations, that were already excluded from public health care and living in isolated areas, even more vulnerable. In the city of Óbidos, (in the Amazonian region of Pará – Brazil), the “Barco Hospital Papa Francisco” has been operating since August 2019, serving more than 1,000 communities along the Amazon River. The hospital ship provides health care to around 700,000 people who do not have access to other forms of treatment and cannot reach hospitals.

Only a worldwide campaign for donations can enable the “Barco Hospital Papa Francisco” to reach the most isolated communities bringing vaccines, Covid kits for hygiene and virus prevention, products for protection and treatment during and after illness, and basic food aid.

Promoters of the campaign: the Focolare Movement; AMU (Action for a United World Onlus); Associação Lar São Francisco de Assis in Providencia de Deus (Brazil); the Economy of Francesco; UCOII (Union of Islamic Communities of Italy); Retinopera (Italy); Programa Latinoamericano de Tierras, hacia una fraternidad posible – Red Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Tierras; Cátedra “Sociedad, Política, Fraternidad” – Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Argentina); New Horizons (Italy); Focsiv (Italy); ASCES-UNITA University Centre Tabosa de Almeida-Caruarú Pernambuco (Brazil); RUEF (University Network for the Study of Fraternity) – Promoción Integral de la Persona para una Sociedad Fraterna (Mexico); #FareRete Grottaferrata (Italy); ASD Sunrise 1 (Italy); the “G. Lazzati Centre for Development Education” (Italy); CLAdeES-Centro Latinoamericano de Evangelización Social (Argentina) – Action for New Families onlus (Italy) – Fundacion Igino Giordani (Spain) – ACLF – Aljucer (Spain) – Asociación Humanidad Nueva – España – Asociación por una Economía de Comunión – España; Gen Verde-International performing arts group.

(more support is coming in all the time)

PRESS CONFERENCE

Online press conference for the launch, Thursday 20 May 2021, at 13.00.

Speakers: Alessandra Smerilli – Undersecretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, who coordinates the Economics task force of the Vatican COVID-19 Commission; Yassine Lafram – President of the Union of Islamic Communities of Italy (UCOII); Mario Bruno (Italy) – President of the Politics for Unity Movement; Conleth Burns (Ireland) and Klara Piedade (Brazil) – Youth for a United World of the Focolare Movement; Gianfranco Cattai – Coordinator, Retinopera (Italy); Stefano Comazzi – President of the Action for a United World NGO (Italy); Edson Galego from Brazil, healthcare worker in the Barco Hospital Papa Francisco.

Moderator: Lourdes Hèrcules (Guatemala).

To follow the live stream: https://www.youtube.com/c/FocolareMovement_official

IT – Conferenza Stampa: Vaccino per Tutti – https://youtu.be/Ts13kYFpqfw

EN – Press Conference: A Vaccine for All – https://youtu.be/rZzHFqJHhvY

ES – Rueda de Prensa: Vacuna para Todos – https://youtu.be/tpSzwt6hVtU

PT – Conferência de Imprensa: Vacina para Todos – https://youtu.be/LLfCHVFl0Ow

FR – Conférence de Presse: Vaccin pour Tous – https://youtu.be/4FlvJlYTJeQ