Workshop Report: Democracy and Eco-Socially Engaged Spirituality

Workshop Report: Democracy and Eco-Socially Engaged Spirituality

December 12–14, 2025

Loyola College of Social Sciences, Sreekaryam, Thiruvananthapuram

The workshop “Democracy and Eco-Socially Engaged Spirituality” (December 12–14, 2025) brought together faculty, staff, and students from Jesuit higher Education Institutions South India to explore democracy not merely as a political system, but as a lived, dialogical, and eco-socially engaged spiritual practice grounded in higher education. This theme responded directly to the IAJU Assembly’s concerns (2025) as well as the Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAP) of the Society of Jesus.

12 December 2025

The inaugural session on 12 December 2025 began with a prayer, followed by the welcome address by Fr. Binoy Jacob S.J., the PCHE of Kerala, who highlighted the importance of dialogical democracy and socially engaged spirituality in the contemporary world. The overview of the programme, LES and its activities was delivered by Dr. Fr. Ranjit George SJ. Fr Sunny Thomas SJ, the Rector and Manager of Loyola Institutions presided over the meeting. The programme was inaugurated by Dr. Fr. Sabu P. Thomas, the Principal of Loyola College of Social sciences, Trivandrum, who emphasized the relevance of higher education and ecological responsibility within the Jesuit mission. The felicitation was delivered by Dr. Fr. Arokiam, SJ the PCHE of Madurai, who reflected on integrating democratic values and eco-social concerns into education and teaching practices.

The workshop sessions were facilitated by Dr. Nataraj Manickam (Nat) and Dr. Abey George, who guided participants through reflective, dialogical, and experiential learning processes. Session 1 focused on democratic ethos, citizenship, and ecological responsibility, using interactive discussions, group formation, and video presentations to initiate critical reflection. Session 2 examined the role of education systems, academia, and societal structures in shaping democratic consciousness, highlighting themes such as responsibility, complicity, and systemic challenges through participant questions and audience interactions.

Session 3 emphasized group reflections and collective sharing, with students and faculty presenting perspectives on consumerism, alternative systems, social collectives, and ecological responsibility. The “connecting the dots” reflection, linked participant inputs with broader questions of responsibility, education, and democratic practice. The day concluded with a guided meditation led by Fr. Sanil Mathew, providing participants an opportunity for silent reflection and integration of the day’s learning.

Overall, the first day of the workshop laid a strong foundation for dialogue, collective reflection, and critical engagement, preparing participants for deeper exploration in the subsequent sessions.

13 December 2025

The sessions on 13th December focused on understanding democracy, citizenship, and eco-socially engaged spirituality through reflection, dialogue, and collaborative activities. The day began with a video presentation and a performance on the concept of balance, using a feather as a symbol to illustrate responsibility and equilibrium in human actions. Participants reflected on individual and collective responsibility, questioning societal behaviors, blind adherence to hierarchies, and the conditions under which groups mobilize for change. Key reflections included concerns about practicing what is preached, systemic challenges, and possibilities for constructive action.

During group discussions on “Democracy and How It Works in the Present Day,” participants explored the theoretical and practical aspects of democracy. Subsequent group presentations on “Democracy and Citizenship” highlighted:

• Democracy as participatory, dialogical, and inclusive.
• The importance of compassion, empathy, and informed decision-making.
• Environmental responsibility and ecological citizenship.
• The significance of marginalized voices and inclusive social development.
• Critical reflection on capitalism, structural constraints, and evolving democratic practices.

Participants engaged in analytical activities, examining 15 features of democracy and constitutional values and connecting them to everyday life. Presentations emphasized:

• Justice, gender equality, civility, and fraternity.
• Recognition of neglected democratic values due to low civic engagement.
• The gap between aspired democratic ideals and daily practices.
• The need for awareness, self-reflection, and proactive individual responsibility.

The final session included cross-examination of peer group work and reflections on creating a democratic campus charter. Participants highlighted structural constraints, alumni engagement, the need for inclusive practices, and challenges in fostering student participation. The discussions stressed small but meaningful steps, the importance of human-centered values, and bridging the gap between ideas and action.

The day concluded with meditation and mindful reflection, inviting participants to internalize responsibility, interconnectedness, and ethical awareness, reinforcing the link between personal conduct, democratic ethos, and sustainable social action.

14 December 2025

The final day of the workshop focused on consolidation, critical reflection, and the practical articulation of a campus charter grounded in democratic, ethical, and eco-social values. The session commenced at 9.00 a.m. with reflections on the Jesuit mission, the collective nature of institutional coordination, and the importance of translating insights from the workshop into everyday academic and institutional practices. The significance of the charter preparation process was emphasized as a means to deepen engagement with core values and envision long-term, sustainable change within educational institutions.

A video presentation titled “What Is Wrong with Our Culture?” by Alan Watts served as a stimulus for reflection on consumerism, disconnection from lived reality, and the misuse of democratic structures. This segment encouraged participants to critically examine the positioning of campuses within broader social and ecological crises and to reflect on leadership, emancipation, and democratic practice beyond superficial engagement. The need for a charter that meaningfully organizes ideas and guides action, while responding to the challenges of a consumer-driven world, was highlighted.

The charter preparation phase involved group presentations and open discussions. Groups presented diverse conceptual models, including themes such as affective reformation, dialogical democracy universities, ethical citizenship, stakeholder-centric campuses, and reflective democratic practice. These presentations addressed issues such as plastic usage, inclusivity, equity, participatory governance, sustainability, dialogue-based conflict resolution, and the gap between democratic ideals and everyday practices. Participants critically examined institutional structures, student engagement, pedagogy, governance, and the role of values such as justice, compassion, and responsibility in shaping democratic campuses.

Open discussions reinforced the importance of participation, experiential learning, micro-level initiatives, and extending the charter’s relevance beyond campus boundaries to wider communities, including indigenous groups. Participants raised concerns about governance being reduced to electoral processes, the need for character formation, environmental responsibility, and the importance of empowering students as active democratic agents. Reflections also highlighted that democracy is often discussed in theory but inadequately practiced, underscoring the need for conscious, sustained action.

The valedictory session featured participant feedback and reflections on the distinctiveness and reawakening nature of the workshop. Participants acknowledged the value of dialogue between faculty and students, the shared spiritual grounding of the gathering, and the challenges of practicing equality and democracy in real institutional contexts. The presentation of a draft charter marked a key outcome of the workshop, followed by information on a proposed follow-up programme to continue the process. The day concluded with a summarizing video presentation and certificate distribution, formally bringing the workshop to a close.

Take Aways

Day 1 (December 12): Participants engaged in critical awareness of planetary boundaries, consumerism, ecological harm, complicity, and systemic injustice. Through videos, presentations, and group reflections, they confronted how human actions exploit nature and other species, and how educational systems shape complicity or consciousness.

Day 2 (December 13): Participants moved into dialogical reflection and collective meaning-making. Through presentations on “Democracy and Citizenship,” five groups articulated diverse yet complementary understandings of democracy as participatory, inclusive, dialogical, and intrinsically connected to environmental responsibility and compassion. They analyzed 15 features of democratic ethos and constitutional values, connecting them to everyday practices and institutional life.

Day 3 (December 14): Participants consolidated their learning through the collaborative development of a Draft Campus Charter grounded in democratic, ethical, and eco-social values. The charter articulates a vision of the campus as a space where students are empowered democratic agents, where ecological stewardship is a spiritual practice, where inclusivity is lived, and where dialogical engagement bridges the gap between democratic ideals and everyday action.

Prepared by Binoy Jacob SJ (PCHE-KER) & Ranjit George SJ (Director, LES, Loyola College of Social Sciences, Trivandrum).

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