|
Call for participation of people experiencing poverty to the 2010 Round Table |
|
The 9thRoundtable on poverty will take place on October 18th and 19th 2010 in Brussels. Following the Belgian Presidency pledge to fight poverty and social exclusion and its specific engagement to encourage the direct participation of people experiencing poverty, some places have been allocated for people experiencing poverty to participate in this year’s Round Table. Through our membership in the 2010 NGO coalition, Eurodiaconia member organisations active on the theme of participation can apply to send one delegate and one accompanying person who will assist in the person’s participation in the Round Table with translation, explanation of the political context, etc.
Official interpretation will be provided in French, English, Dutch, and German in plenary and possibly in the workshop 6 (the EU 2020 strategy and the Poverty Platform). The other workshops are likely to only have English/French interpretation.
If you would like to put forward a person experiencing poverty linked to your organisation to take part, please send us the name/s of the person/s, their country (in order to maintain geographical balance), email addresses, and working language as soon as possible and before 31st August.
More information:
- Programme of the 2010 Round Table on Poverty
- Participatory forum: Building together a Europe for all, Circus against social exclusion (the Commission will cover the cost of an additional night for those attending the Round Table who wish to take part in this event.) |
|
|
European Parliament's President mentions Eurodiaconia’s upcoming Poverty conference |
|
30 July 2010
On the 19th July around twenty senior representatives from Christian, Jewish and Muslim religion as well as from the Sikh and Hindu communities met in Brussels on the invitation of José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission. The event was co-chaired by Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament and Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council. On this occasion President José Manuel Barroso recalled that “churches and religious communities are important providers of social services in European Union Member States”.
Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament, gives his support to the forthcoming joint conference of Caritas Europa, CEC, COMECE and Eurodiaconia and states that the "specific contribution" of churches referred to in the Treaty is nowhere more evident than in the important fight against poverty and social exclusion. This is why I have invited [CEC, Comece,] Caritas Europa and Diaconia Europa to present their work in this field at a conference and exhibition to be held in the European Parliament in Brussels on 30 September.”
To read Mr. Buzek speech please click here
To know more about the 30th September ecumenical conference and exhibition please click here |
|
Actions taken by the city of Tilburg to fight against poverty and social exclusion |
|
12 July 2010
In April this year the Dutch city Tilburg organized festivities to display the success of Tilburg’s approach to promote social inclusion and combat poverty.
Supported by the European year against poverty and social exclusion, 30 cities in the Netherlands are organizing demonstrations to raise awareness around poverty and to improve its local policies. Kerk in Actie are involved with the national project of the Social Alliance whose aim it is to ensure that people living in poverty are included in the decision-making process in activities around poverty. Tilburg is the first city to take concrete steps and has found creative ways to include adults and children in the decision-making process.
In a rapport on the demonstrations held in Tilburg, Astrid Huyghen, researcher at Verwey-Jonker Institute, emphasized the need to alert potential poverty earlier. She also stated that there needs to be more attention given to the working poor and that the local government and local NGOs need to analyze the outcome of their co-operation so that they can fight poverty more effectively.
Through using a bottom-up strategy to develop its poverty policy, Tilburg has already achieved a lot in reducing poverty. Besides input from the target group, Tilburg has recently put a children’s advice committee into place where children can help find solutions for other children in poverty. One idea of the children was to create a game library so that poorer children could have more toys to play with.
Please click here if you’d like to read the full report (only available in Dutch). |
|
|
EU Commissioner Andor : Churches are crucial partners in combating poverty |
|
12 July 2010
In June 2010, the European Council set the target of taking 20 million people out of poverty by 2020. What is necessary to meet this ambitious target? - In a dialogue seminar with the European Commission, the Churches in Europe expressed their commitment to intensify their cooperation with the European Union to combat poverty and social exclusion. They expressed their interest in actively participating in the work of the European Platform against poverty which is being set up by the EU. László Andor, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, welcomed the seminar as an occasion for exchange with the Churches. He stressed the importance of the Churches as partners in order to achieve the goal of reducing poverty and social exclusion in the EU. This commitment was shared by the participants: "As Churches we are ready to share our expertise and practical experience in combating poverty and social exclusion" stated Archbishop em. Paarma (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland). "We hope, for instance, to be involved in the work of the European Platform against poverty. We call for a stronger political commitment to combat poverty, enabling all people to live in dignity."
Europeans are currently experiencing the social impact of the economic crisis and unemployment and poverty are on the rise. Being on the frontline, Church organisations recall the alarming situation of families, children and the elderly - all of whom are particularly vulnerable groups. At the Dialogue Seminar, several delegates took the floor with initiatives, explaining how they are trying to break through the poverty circle. Eurodiaconia Member Kerk in Actie gave an overview of their research on poverty and how this has been used as tool to empower local communities and to advocate for those at risk of and living in poverty. Representatives from Caritas organisation also shared their work including food banks, debt services and research on minimum income.
The Dialogue Seminar was organized by the Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches and the Catholic Bishops Conference in Europe, COMECE, along with the Bureau of European Policy Advisors. |
|
Speaking out against Poverty |
|
5 July 2010
During the German focus week of the European Year to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion a special day was held "day of churches, day of diakonia and caritas" at which Martin Schenk, Social Policy Advisor of Diaconia Austria and member of the Social Inclusion Working Group of Eurodiaconia delivered a speech entitled Es reicht. Für alle. Wege aus der Armut. The speech can be downloaded here (German only). |
|
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 Next > End >>
|
|
Page 1 of 5 |
Thursday, September 09, 2010
