The SOMI 2026 gathering brings together experiences, solidarity and commitment to migration
From 2 to 4 October, the town of Loja in Granada hosted the SOMI Gathering 2026, a key event for communion and networking that brought together over 70 participants from three of the territories comprising the Fatima Province: Spain, Portugal, and England. The meeting successfully united the joint efforts of team members from the three provincial development NGOs — PROCLADE Bética, PROCLADE Canarias, and PROCURA (Portugal) — alongside representatives from Claretian parishes, schools, and shrines.
The gathering benefited from the constant presence and accompaniment of Fr Manolo Ogalla, CMF, Prefect of Apostolate, together with other Claretian Missionaries deeply committed to the province’s social outreach. Also highlighting the event was the participation of Fr Antonio Llamas, CMF, Secretary General for JPIC, who provided a global vision and emphasised the urgency of the Congregation’s commitment to justice, peace, and the integrity of creation.
A welcome in the style of the “Caseta de Humahuaca”
The first day opened with a welcome from the Loja Delegation of PROCLADE Bética. With great joy, local volunteers received us with decorations recreating the Humahuaca fair stall (caseta), which celebrates its 40th anniversary in this Granada municipality this year.
Through music and animation led by our volunteers Ana and Mariví, attendees were able to get to know one another a little better and share their expectations for SOMI 2026.
Solidarity rooted in the Claretian charism
Saturday began with the celebration of the Eucharist, which prepared participants’ hearts to delve deeper into the meaning of solidarity rooted in the Claretian charism. Subsequently, Fr Manuel Ogalla, CMF, delivered a keynote address entitled “Solidarity from the Claretian Charism”, introducing four key words: fire, heart, beehive, and world.
These four keys served as an invitation to understand solidarity through an approach genuinely committed to reality. Fire represents living the mission with passion and commitment; heart, a distinct way of looking at and discerning the world; beehive, a space of community and home where we recognise each other as friends and brothers and sisters; and world, as an expression of a universal mission that calls us to step out of our comfort zone, encounter other cultures, and live out a mission without borders.
In this context, the reflection highlighted the importance of discovering the face of Christ in every migrant person, accompanying the personal stories behind each individual, and welcoming, defending, and proclaiming their rights.
For his part, Fr Antonio Llamas, CMF, addressed the role of JPIC (Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation) in SOMI, delving into the connection between faith and social action. The reflection made clear that commitment cannot be limited to immediate aid, but must also drive us to address the root causes of injustice.
In a globalised world, this task requires working together and strengthening our capacity for social and political advocacy. Hence the importance of continuing to build networks, uniting faith with social action, and moving towards a human mobility network.
Workshops to delve deeper into the reality of migration
Following the keynote talks, the morning workshops offered an opportunity to approach migration from various perspectives. Topics covered included migratory movements and their root causes, the management of migration flows and their geopolitical consequences, as well as human rights violations and human trafficking.
The second part of the morning incorporated a contemplative and evangelical perspective, inviting participants to reflect on how to position ourselves regarding migration as followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Experiences highlighting migration as signs of hope were also shared, giving value to diversity and commitment to inclusive societies, alongside tools for navigating interculturality and living together in diverse communities.
The plenary session allowed participants to share the main insights emerging from the workshops and to continue constructing a shared perspective on human mobility.
In the afternoon, attendees connected live with Proclade ColVen to learn about other projects linked to the network’s work. The day concluded with several heartfelt personal testimonies and a fun evening activity before turning in.
First-hand stories of human mobility
Sunday marked the final day of the gathering. Following a shared celebration of the Eucharist, the development NGO Proclade Bética presented the ITINERANT HUMAN LIBRARIES NETWORK, an initiative within the project Right to Dream Phase II: Fostering Critical Awareness alongside People with Migration Experiences for Global Citizenship (funded by AACID). This initiative brings together individuals with diverse migration backgrounds so that they can dismantle prejudices and myths surrounding migration first-hand.
Afterwards, participants experienced the network’s first HUMAN LIBRARY. Through this activity, they listened to different personal stories of human mobility narrated directly by their protagonists. Hearing their experiences first-hand fostered closeness to different realities and created a space of encounter rooted in listening, dialogue, and mutual recognition.
The SOMI 2026 gathering thus drew to a close with hearts full of experiences, stories, and reflections that invite us to keep journeying together as a network and to continue working for solidarity, justice, and the defence of human rights.
Our sincere thanks to everyone who attended, shared their experiences, and made SOMI 2026 possible.
