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Edition June 2000

Index Editorial Fimcap General Assembly 2001 FIMCAP Organisations on internet Partnership Rwanda Xaveri Movement Namibia Nacayul Euroforum Chirojeugd Flanders WorldShake News from eRko Slovakia Jubilee of Heibrand in Westmalle Visit to the «Oeuvres JJ Allemand», France News form Lituania: Ateitis: yet to come! Printable version ( 520 kb) Archive 2007 April 2006 December October June April February 2005 December October June April February 2004 December October September June February 2003 December October September June April February 2002 December October September June April February 2001 December October September June February 2000 December October September June April February Colofon Editors: Johan Cottyn, Marleen Deblonde Translation: Marleen Deblonde, Annette Leimer

can do it together Dear friends, Last week, there was another meeting of young people from all over Europe. At the Euroforum in Switzerland, it was just great to meet nearly all European Fimcap members. An interesting phenomenon, indeed: people coming from near and far to meet. What is it that really ties us together? We listened to a speech given by Hildegard Hungerbühler, a cultural anthropologist talking about migration, the topic of the Euroforum. Migration is a high-priority issue in most European countries, where masses of people are knocking on the doors of the economic prosperous democracies. It is annoying actually, because everybody will know by now that letting them all enter is no solution. Public opinion is under the influence of right-wing argumentation, and the walls around Europe are becoming higher. "It is nice to live here, as long as we don’t have to share with too many people." It was different once: In the post-war years of reconstruction and technical revolution, people from different European countries had been invited to come and to do often dirty and ill-paid work. They had come in response to an invitation, but it quickly turned out that the migration stream had to be dampened, otherwise there wouldn’t have been enough employment for the native people. In the seventies, it became very difficult to get a residence permit in a West-European country. The second migration flow was -and still is -made of people fleeing their countries because of armed conflicts, ecological catastrophes or political prosecution. Again it was soon said that there were too many of them to be welcome in our rich countries, and that they really wanted to come because of their own profit and not because their life was in danger. Therefore, refugees continuously experience more thorough controls at the boarders. This then favours a third kind of migration: people knowing that there is no room for them anywhere, that they are not accepted and therefore choose to stay as illegals. The economic progress of the last years and the steady development of technologies bring about a new situation. We now lack qualified labour forces. Will the same circle begin again? Well, not really, people have learned from former experiences and this leads to a rather perverse system. Because of the considerable demand for thousands computer specialists, the German government decided to give experts from Non-European countries as for example India the opportunity to work in Germany for some years. The agreement of the recruited labour forces to return to their countries of origin when they are no longer needed, and proof of having sufficient financial resources to make sure that they don’t have to depend on German Social welfare are conditions for receiving a working permit. In this logic of neo-liberal economic thinking, human beings are only welcome as labour force, not as a full members of society. To put it crudely, these people are not welcome unless we can use their labour force and then we want to get rid of them as soon as possible. In accepting refugees the same principles are fol-lowed. When the host country decides that the situation in the home country is safe again, the refugees have to leave. Everybody will understand that only a temporary stay is allowed. Why should refugees then be interested in integration? It seems to me that this is an essential condition for a harmonious society. People must be able to participate in social life, no matter where they live. If they have no perspective of a life in dignity, if they feel powerless confronted with diffi-cult and unjust situations, it is no wonder that they will leave their homes, families and friends, the land of their ancestors, to look for a better place. It all boils down to people believing that they can lead a valuable life with their neighbours, everywhere in the world. This is of course easier said than done, but why can’t youth organisations take up this challenge? Do our members have the opportunity and the experience to par-ticipate as full members in creating our own small society? Through games, organising activities together, sharing tasks, quarrels and reconciliation, all members and leaders learn important lessons in life. They will learn to believe that we can do something out of this world. Zeger van Besien Fimcap General Secretary June 13th, 2000 You can get the integral text of Mrs Hildegard Hungerbühler at the Fimcap Secretariat. the Fimcap Secretariat. [Top]

Fimcap General Assembly 2001

According to our latest information, it is possible that the General Assembly will take place in Ghana. CYO Ghana has taken a first decision on this issue.
The next meeting of the Fimcap Intercontinental Bureau in September 2000 will deal with the practical aspects and necessary preparatory work. The theme of the General Assembly is outlined "Youngsters, protagonists of peace for and in the world". Pax Christi International (International organisation for worldwide peace) has agreed to co-operate in preparing the study theme.

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FIMCAP Organisations on internet

Some Fimcap organisations have their own home page on the World Wide WEB. You will find here some addresses (URL). Most of these homepages are only in the country language. Some have them in three or four languages. We will regularly update these WWW homepages.

• Duk, Denmark: Information about their organisation only in Danish with address of the office, Email addresses, also referring to other Fimcap organisations and Scandinavian youth organisations. www.duk.dk
• KJG, Germany: Information about their organisation only in German, with links to homepages of other European Fimcap organisations. www.kjg.org
• Chirojeugd, Flanders Belgium: General Information about their organisation in four languages (Dutch, French, English and Spanish). Links to homepages of other Fimcap organisation. Updated calendar of activities only in Dutch. www.chiro.be
• Jungschar, Austria: Homepage in German, with information on their organisation, on The Dreikönigs-aktion, with links to political platforms, discussion forums, chat box. www.jungschar.at
• Jong Nederland, the Netherlands: Homepage in Dutch with information, chat box, links to sites of local groups, to Fimcap organisations and others. www.jongnederland.nl
• Patro, Belgium: Home page in French, introducing the Patro federations, services, year theme etc. Links to other Belgian organisations. www.patro.be
• Jongerengemeenschappen, Belgium: Information in Dutch. Some links to youth clubs and other youth organisations. www.jgm.be
• Suk, Sweden: Homepage in Swedish with addresses and links to other organisations. www.suk.se
• Nuk, Norway: Information in Norwegian, links to Fimcap organisations. www.nuk.no
• FDF, Denmark: Information in Danish, activities, addresses. www.fdf.dk
• Blauring / Jungwacht, Switzerland: Site in German, Chat box, links to other Fimcap organisations. Euroforum Pictures. www.jubla.ch
• Erko, Slovakia: Homepage in Slovakian, news, addresses, activities. www.erko.sk
• CCCCCE (Barcelona), Spain: Information and history in 4 languages (Spanish, Catalan, English and French) activities, services, etc. www.peretarres.org
• Zak, Malta: Homepage in English. Information on the organisation, photos of the 1999 Eurocontact. http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Pantheon/9640/ZAK.html

Acquainted organisations

• A Patro group in Canada in Charlesbourg: Information and homepage in French, with quite a few links to local Patro groups in Belgium, and to the Patro Federations. www.oricom.ca/patro
• Juventus-Catholica, Finland: Information in own language, activities, addresses. www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Dome/5838/english.html
• Oeuvres J.J.Allemand, France: Information in French, with contact addresses of local group leaders. www.les-iris.com www.ojja.com

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Partnership

A partnership does not only exist between two Fimcap member organisations. In the scope of the activities of Nippac (Paraguay), a partnership between Nippac and the Sint Lodewijk school of Brugge (Belgium) has started in May 2000 for a period of three years. Two pupils of Brugge will go the World Camp in July, and give a human face to this partnership. Maria Angelica Alvarenga and Pabla Isabel Caceres Lopez were invited by the school to spend a week there. They took part in activities of the kindergarten, primary school and secondary school. Here are some of their impressions:

"It was just a great experience to see so many youngsters encouraged by their teachers and supported by the Headmaster of the school. We met nice people opening their heart for solidarity in this selfish world... This gives strength to continue with our commitment in our daily tasks. Through meeting other people working for the same ideals as we do at Nippac, we were moved by the dynamism and the enthusi-asm of the priests and the young leaders with whom we shared a very pleasant time.

Dear friends, in spite of the dis-tance we will remain united for ever".

Maria Angelica Alvarenga and Pabla Isabel Caceres Lopez

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Rwanda Xaveri Movement

Dative Mukakabera was on visit in Belgium last may to meet the NGO Solidarité Mondiale. She paid a visit to the Fimcap office in Antwerpen. She met the Fimcap General Secretary and the national Chiro leaders. She also met the chaplain of the Patro organisation Daniel Procureur and spent an afternoon with a local Patro group (Seneffe).

Here her short report about the present situation of Xaveri Rwanda.
The Xaveri Movement is present in Rwanda since 1956, in all parishes, secondary and high schools of the country. The Xaveri movement has about 25.000 members and is a Catholic movement recognised by the State and the Church. Next to charitable and apostolic activities, the Xaveri Movement supports development activities on the socio-economic level, focusing training activities.

• work camps: manufacturing bricks, constructing houses for children who take care of a family.
• training sessions on reconciliation, Human Rights and democracy. The methodology used in this kind of training is called DELTA (Development, Education, Leadership Teams in Action).
• Literacy programmes for street children, who will then join professional training, so they can earn a living.

Perspectives for the future.

• Training sessions for female leaders on the place of young women in the Xaveri Movement and in Church.
• The Xaveri Movement is planning training sessions on "Youth, Sexuality and AIDS".
• To make the Xaveri Centre enable the Xaveri to earn a living.

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Namibia Nacayul

Namibia Nacayul in Namibia launches an information campaign on AIDS

The theme of the year "God the Father, Guide the Youth to change their sexual behaviour and crush AIDS". At their Conference in September 1999, Nacayul decided to take up this theme for 1999-2000. The opening address given by the Archbishop Bonifatius Haushiku underlined the challenge that must be taken up by youth organisations.
The HIV virus is mainly transmitted through heterosexual contacts in Africa and from mother to child. Namibia is rated third in the world among the countries most hit by the disease. Youth is told to either abstain from sex or to use condoms. Dr Lucy Steinitz from the Catholic Aids Action Department of the Namibian Catholic Bishops Conference is working out a campaign to avoid Aids infection. People do not really die from AIDS, but from either TB or pneumonia because the immune system broke down. According to statistics in Namibia, more people die of Aids than of any other sickness.

Programme for the years 2000-2005

1. To involve more young volun-teers and to train them as field-workers.
2. To do more training on HIV/AIDS and to work out a strategic plan that could be used by the youth in the different parishes and regions.
3. To put more energy in fundraising for enlarging the youth centre and making it user-friendlier.
4. To concentrate on ecumenical programmes for young people and to interact and share with each other on spiritual, social and cultural level.

Excerpts of the Nacayul report at the General Assembly of the Afroconference.

Mary Diergaardt
National Youth co-ordinator

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Euroforum

From 1-4 June, about 150 young people from all over Europe -Lithuania, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy, Malta, Catalonia and Switzerland took part in the Euroforum 2000 in St Antoni, Switzerland. The topic of this year with the slogan "Gump über d'Muur" (jump over the wall) dealt with integrating children from other cultures. Next to a speech, there were training workshops on migration, games and some excursions. The participants came to the Euroforum to meet other people and get to know other regions. Some wanted to renew contacts with people they had already met once or twice, to learn new games, to share ideas and experiences. The language mainly used was English, sometimes quite rudimentary, but all participants managed very well.

Daniel Fuchs.

Happy but tired
In a nut shell, that’s the description of the Euroforum by Pascal Vonlanthen and Christine Vogt, two of the main co-ordinators of the event in Switzerland. Happy because everything went well, there was a nice atmosphere among the participants, and the sun burnt more than expected. Tired of course, because it is exhausting to manage such a weekend.

Christine: We started with the preparations about one and a half years ago. It was good to start so early for an adequate planning. Deadlines were easier to achieve.

Pascal: the members of our preparation team were all volunteers, involved in the national board, international committee, and some other regions. I want to thank them all very much, because they did a great job!
The topic was about migration in Europe. This is a high-priority issue in Switzerland, we face a lot of racism too. We have immigrant children in local groups, and we know that sometimes there is racism as well. This year’s annual theme of is "Zäme si", come together, a call for openness. We want to share this with the other European Fimcap organisations, because we know that they are dealing with the same issues.

Christine: The different work-shops discussed understanding, partnerships, violence, culture & native country and foreign people.
The great thing about such an event is that everybody comes from so far, from all over Europe, to meet people from other countries and other organisations. They want to see each other many are participating for the second or the third time.
I think the theme is important, but there is more. It’s something special; the spirit of Europe. By dividing the participants into workshops, we wanted to mix people. In the beginning, you see the participants of the same organisation flocking together. After a while they seek the others, and at the moment of departure it is one group, sad of leaving leave each other. It’s something magic, feeling "Fimcap-unity" all over Europe.

Pascal: This Euroforum was a success. I know that all the participants will go home and talk about this Euroforum. I am also happy that people from our national board were here too. The spirit of this Euroforum will surely continue in our future work. I know that lots of participants will keep in touch after the Euroforum, through mail or Email. Some of them will visit each other . Others will meet again at the next Euroforum in Italy in 2001 !

Christine: I want to thank all the participants. They were great. Without them it wouldn’t have worked out. If you want to see pictures of the Euroforum, you can still visit the Euroforum website www.come.to/euroforum2000 or www.jubla.ch.

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Chirojeugd Flanders WorldShake

Last year, 5000 youngsters of Flanders were asked the question "What is the biggest challenge our world will have to take up in the next century in your opinion?" The three main issues put forward were pollution, the gap between the rich and the poor, wars and conflicts. Each one is surely a quite impor-tant issue. But the unbalance between the "haves" and the "have nots" filled them all with indignation. That’s why youth organisations and development organisations co-operated this whole year. The project was called "Worldshake", let’s shake the world.

Youngsters in small cell groups were called to take up 5 challenges that were launched and supported by North South organisations. The aim was to show the gap between the rich and the poor, linked with fundraising, to present the dreams of a better world, to promote fair trade, make an appeal to levy taxes on capital interests and improve work conditions in the textile sector in the Third World.

On May 6th, there was the big clos-ing event in Mechelen where 15.000 young people gathered to fill up the gap. On all town squares, lots of activities were centred on the challenges. Games, free stage, internet café, street performances, dances, discussions,...

Some weeks before, youngsters from all over the world had worked together on a youth declaration, among them Maria Angelica Alvarenga and Pabla Isabel Caceres Lopez from Nippac, Paraguay. Enough signatures were collected to convince the politicians to dis-cuss the declaration in the parliament and put forward possible guidelines for the future.

A Chiro leader:
"In our group, not all were enthusiastic about this. The leaders team discussed more than once if Chiro is not getting involved in politics. I think that the Worldshake involvement is not "dirty politics". I’d rather think that this project focuses on quite a few universal values that you can transmit within a youth movement. We want to promote consciousness, also when it is not bound to fundraising or other material actions. The people around us notice a positive move coming from the young people, young people with a broader view. We have to convince our opponents, but we’ll keep on trying and then everyone will have to deal with the issue."

Participation of two Nippac members from Paraguay.
"Worldshake was an unforgettable experience because we had the possibility to inform the people and the world about the very crucial problems in Paraguay. We also heard about the concerns of other countries. We were given the opportunity to present solutions to these problems in a written document. We hope that what we have written down will be realised one day. We would like to thank the organisers, the co-ordinators and all those who made our participation possible. We will integrate this experience in our work with the youngsters and the children as best as we can. It is beautiful to live shared solidarity.

Maria Angelica Alvarenga
Pabla Isabel Caceres Lopez

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News from eRko Slovakia

Bert van den Bossche, former vice-president of the European organisations of Fimcap, and Greet Engelbeen from Chirojeugd Flanders went to Slovakia in April and paid a visit to the new secretariat of eRko, Fimcap member in Slovakia. They moved into a new office and employ 8 permanent workers. eRko has just celebrated its 10th anniversary and is one of the biggest youth organisations in Slovakia. Children and youngsters meet regularly in the parishes with group leaders to play, sing and talk. In this way, children can experience community where there is real concern for each other, as to make later a contribution to the development of the community and of the church. eRko has about 4.500 members and 1000 group leaders.

Dobra Novina (Project of the Good News) is a project that was set up in 1995, following the example of the Dreikönigsaktion of Jungschar, the Austrian Fimcap member. At the end of the year, groups of children go from door to door singing Christmas Carols, bringing the Good News, and collecting money for projects in the Third World. Last year 15.000 children collected about SKK 7,2 millions (USD 172.000). eRko supports projects for women, children and underprivileged groups in Kenya, in Ethiopia, in Sudan and Uganda. This happens in agreement with the Dreikönigsaktion. This Dobra Novino project drew the attention of political authorities, and at the end of 1999, The president of Slovakia granted eRko an award, rewarding the best charitable action of the year.

Maros, national leader of eRko came to Brussels in April and met Bert Van den Bossche and EOF president Kurt van der Herten. Maros wanted to get information on the way how Chirojeugd Flanders has extended its international contacts. He really hopes to establish an international team, composed of contact persons from each diocese, in order to support international work in local groups. A national leader will be in charge of the contacts with Fimcap.

Internet Homepage www.erko.sk
Email Address: erko@erko.sk

Bert van den Bossche

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Jubilee of Heibrand in Westmalle

Chirojeugd Flanders celebrated the Golden Jubilee of Heibrand in Westmalle, Belgium, on may 6th 2000. The Heibrand Centre has already hosted lots of Fimcap General Assemblies, Euroforums, Bureau Meetings, etc. The centre was a former second residence of a Jewish family who fled to the USA during the Second World War. It was then occupied first by the German and then the Canadian army, who both caused lots of damages. Chirojeugd Flanders bought the centre in 1950. Heibrand is the oldest and the biggest Chiro house. This modern centre is situated in a park of 7 hectares and can host 230 people.

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Visit to the «Oeuvres JJ Allemand», France

During a holiday in the south of France, near Marseille, I took the opportunity to visit the Oeuvres JJ Allemand, former Fimcap member.

Sunday, May 21st André Clément, the director of the centre, presented the organisation and the house called "les Iris"which is one of the houses owned by the organisation "OEuvres JJ Allemand". An impression of warmth and a touch of nature in the middle of a big city. Nice plane trees protect the children against the burning sun, two football fields are nearby. Teams with many more than 11 children are training for a football competition in Chambéry in the Alps. Indeed, since Olympic Marseille is really their neighbour , it is logic that football is one of the main activities. But that’s not all!
Every Wednesday evening, on Saturdays and Sundays, about 400 boys meet with 35 group leaders. They have other activities like video workshops, show perfor-mances, sports, handicraft, swim-ming (they have their own open air swimming pool) They express their faith, inspired by the values of the Gospel and practising them in their games and taking part in religious and biblical activities organised by different religious communities of Marseille.

JJ Allemand is organised in age groups. During holidays, they go on camp to one of their houses, doing the same kind of activities (walks, games,..) This organisation is doing well, mainly thanks to highly motivated leaders who are supported from 5 priests who live in the houses.
I also met a leader from another house, "St Savournin". His name is Jacques Bech. In his house, about 300 boys and girls meet every week to play and share with 25 group leaders. Jacques Bech showed me an exposition about the 200th anniversary of the Oeuvres JJ Allemand. It was very impressive to learn about their history and the evolution of their organisation during these 200 years.

At the end of the visit, we talked about international contacts and an eventual commitment in Fimcap. In spite of the common philosophy and similar methodology, Jacques Bech thinks that their organisation is much too small and not interested enough to think about a commitment at any level. (Bureau meetings, Euroforum, etc.) This had already been communicated to the former EOF president, Graziella Falone.

It is sad to lose a member, but one of the priests said that it is quite encouraging to know that there are other people working with the same ideals all over the world. I reacted immediately and promised that my successor would visit them again in three years to keep this contact.

Kurt van der Herten
EOF President.

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News form Lituania: Ateitis: yet to come!

The General Secretary of Fimcap, Zeger Van Besien, met two delegates of Ateitis, Lituania, at the Euroforum in Switzerland. They talked about their country and their organisation.

Lithuania is a small state in the Baltic region, cold in winter (-20° C) hot in summer (30°C). People give it different names: some say it’s the "Country of the Rain", others call it the Land of Amber, Dunes and Honey. It is a land of sad folksongs and joyful dances. Lithuanian is the oldest European language and it is said to be extremely difficult. Most native Lithuanians are Roman Catholic. In 1918, while Lithuania was occ-pied by the Germans, the Lithuanians proclaimed an independent state for themselves which lasted about 20 years. Since then, it experienced a history of occupation and oppression. Since 1991 it is independent again, and a lot of things that were forbidden for so many years started to see daylight again. One of them is the Catholic youth organisation "Ateitis". We were happy to meet Jurgita and Ruta at the Euroforum.

Ruta: The word 'Ateitis' means 'looking forward', or 'what is to come'. We want to prepare for a new generation of active people to save our culture. We have 5 main principles:

• Catholicism: we are member of the Catholic Church
• Community: we live and work like a family and encourage community life.
• Social: we are open to the world, active in social life and society.
• Intelligence: by developing ourselves, we develop our society. We strive to give and to get more people educated.
• Nationality: to keep our tradi-tion and culture alive (with songs, dances, ...)

Our motto is ‘omnia instaurare in Christo’: to renew everything in the spirit of Christ.

Jurgita: We have about 3000 members in different local groups, who meet every weekend during the year, mostly in different peer groups. Our target groups are school children and students, but in fact everybody who wants to come is welcome. After they have tried for a while, they can decide whether they want to stay or not. In school holidays, we have our national camps, for the different age groups. We often have too many participants, which is very hard as we then have to refuse people.

Ruta: Our activities are very similar to those of other Fimcap organisations. Therefore, it was very interesting for us to have the opportunity to attend this meeting. In our principles, we are maybe a bit traditionalistic, but we really want to open up towards the rest of Europe.

Jurgita: it has been for us a brilliant possibility to share experiences, to show what you can do, and see what the others can do, and what their problems are and their solutions. It is a true support for us to feel that people are doing exact-ly the same as we do because it creates invisible links we should improve. We now have the big responsibility to implement these experiences at home.

Ruta: It is very difficult for us to join international events, but we can still invite people and organize activities together. We already made some concrete proposals with organisations that are interested in closer co-operation, like common camps with Sweden, and leader’s exchange with Belgium.

Jurgita: Fimcap is like a big unity that is built out of small pieces, everyone independent, but very tight together. Step by step we want to grow and become closer at the same time. Maybe we will finally Fimcap member some day!

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