"This opportunity showed clearly that Caritas Europa will effectively advocate for the implementation of humanitarian principles. Caritas Europa is deeply rooted as a network in its experiences at field level and with partner organisations, thus we consider that the humanitarian principles are a key element in ensuring a safe humanitarian space for our partners to deliver neutral help based on needs."

"In the EU we have another complex crisis: the crisis of the Euro, of the leadership in the Union, and what is worse, forgetting the values and the real aim of politics: the people and the common good."

"Why are societies punishing this elemental and needed expression of protection and love, so punishing women?"

"The drought can be called a climate catastrophe, but the main causes for the famine are a crime"

"What is in the centre of European policies: the people or the economy?"

"50 years of European integration and World War II have apparently not been enough to free Europe from old fashioned nationalism based on contempt for ‘the others’ for once and for all"

"Caritas is fully committed to Sphere as a means to continually improve the quality of humanitarian responses in order to better serve humanity"

"Today I want to be Roma. I wish that their best values impregnate me"

"People in Sendai are so nice to each other and they keep offering each other encouragement at this difficult time."

"Day by day, they are creating and developing a community, demonstrating  that Love is stronger; they are a seed for reconciliation"

"We need to strengthen the values and attitudes of freedom, solidarity and commitment with the people and democracy"

"When will we see a serious commitment of our governments to tackling poverty?"

"Continue having Haiti present in your hearts and minds, in your conversations, in your actions"

"It is a civic engagement to recognise poverty, understand it and act against it"

"When we look at a new born child we all have a wonderful smile in our faces"

"Because of its social and economic added-value, Home Care is a promising strategy for coping with the increasing demands for care in Europe"

"Asylum seekers and migrants are 'only' normal people looking for a normal life, because in their home countries they don’t have this opportunity"

"We missed, with a few honourable exceptions, mainly the civil servants and politicians from the national governments"

Caritas Europa 2010 Zero Poverty campaign reveals that 1 person in 10 with a job in the EU nonetheless lives in poverty.

Strong of it experience in serving vulnerable or socially excluded groups such as immigrants and long term unemployed, Caritas organisations in Europe are well aware that in today’s digital society, no e-skills very often means no job and social exclusion.

To address this problem, and since 2005, Caritas Europa and Microsoft have been working together, among others, to facilitate IT trainings across Europe targeting disadvantaged and socially excluded people in order to help them find employment and integrate back into mainstream life.

During the first week of June, Caritas organisations in Europe were meeting in Spain for two special occasions. 

The first half of the week (1-3 June) was dedicated to Caritas Europa’s Regional Conference 2010, during which important decisions were made concerning structure and management of the organisation for the period 2011-2015.

In the following days (4-5 June), the Caritas delegates participated in the European Congress on Poverty and Social Exclusion.

In the framework of the congress the Caritas Europa "Political Proposals to European Decision-Makers" were handed over to a representative of the European Commission. 

The 24 March 1980, Archbishop of El Salvador, Oscar Romero, was assassinated for defending the oppressed people of El Salvador and denouncing the oppressors. The killers shot him dead when he was holding a holy Mass in San Salvador’s Cathedral. Archbishop Romero dedicated his life to defend his people from structural violence and oppression that ditched them in misery and suffering. His memory lives on in the people he cared for and defended, as shown by current president Mauricio Funes, who dedicated his presidency to the memory of the Archbishop.



Video source: Romero Through The Eyes of the Salvadoran People (from the new film Romero By Romero) - Melguijoza at Youtube -

On 14 February 2010 and the days around, top representatives of the Catholic Church in Europe followed the lead of the Holy Father to express their commitment to those experiencing poverty and social exclusion. The planned visit of Pope Benedict XVI to a Caritas's shelter in Rome triggered the idea of inviting other Church leaders to go in the steps of the Holy Father amid the ongoing pan-European Caritas campaign Zero Poverty Act Now.

Facts on poverty regarding Europe are appaling and outrageous. Notably, as we are talking about the richest region on Earth. It is a scandal that 80 million people in the EU are currently experiencing material deprivation. It is a scandal that one child in every five still lives in poverty in the EU.