 From St. John’s to Quebec City to Vancouver and in more than 60 points in between, youth members in high schools, universities and in parishes are gearing up to 'make a difference' during the week of March 1-8 for people in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
Colourful benefit concerts, movie nights, firsthand reports from Honduras, DRC and Indonesia, and THINKfasts (25 hour supervised fasts and discussion activity) are just a few of the more than 60 fundraising and awareness raising events being held under the banner of Development and Peace makes a difference week. These events will demonstrate and inspire the importance of an early and lifelong commitment to international solidarity and social justice.
"Through the participation of all these young people in this annual fundraising week, they are demonstrating that youth can be agents of peace, justice, and solidarity," said Michael Casey, Executive Director of Development and Peace. "They are bringing these values to life by helping our partners in the Global South and by helping break the chains of poverty and exclusion."
The Development and Peace makes a difference fundraising week is being carried out in collaboration with the Canadian Catholic Students Association (CCSA), the Canadian Catholic Campus Ministers (www.cccm.ca) and the Canadian Catholic Youth Ministry Network (www.ccymn.ca).
Kalin McCluskey, the president of CCSA, enthusiastically encourages all students to get involved in this week, saying: "Development and Peace rocks our socks off...Social Justice is a key part of living out the Gospel!"
"This is a concrete gesture of solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Global South that we can all support and encourage," said Marilou Villeneuve, Youth Representative, National Council, Development and Peace.
Last year’s inaugural Development and Peace makes a difference fundraising week saw 27 events, and was the first time the organization’s Canadian youth banded together from one side of Canada to the other to co-ordinate simultaneous fundraising events for Development and Peace. Its success has doubled with 62 events so far this year. The money raised will help to fund long-term projects in the Global South. By combining forces in this across Canada effort, Canadian youth demonstrate their involvement, commitment and concern for the world as a whole.
For more information please contact Lori Ryan (English) 1 800 494-1401 Ext. 230, or Annie Murray, (French) 1 888 234-8533, Ext. 369 and see www.devp.org/makesadifference.
You can donate to the Development and Peace fundraising campaign by mail, or by telephone at : 888 234-8533 or by donating on-line at : www.devp.org
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There are 122 Development and Peace JUST YOUTH groups in schools, parishes and on campuses across Canada. For over 40 years, Development and Peace has worked directly with organizations made up of or representing the poor and marginalized in the Global South, and has provided over $515 million to more than 15,000 projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. We are presently active with 200 partners in 33 countries. In 2007, Development and Peace provided $15 million to support 238 long-term development projects and 78 emergency relief projects in the Global South. In Canada, we are a democratic movement for international solidarity - educating the public about the root causes of poverty and mobilizing social action for change - with 13,000 members from coast to coast. Development and Peace is the official international development organization of the Catholic Church in Canada and the Canadian member of Caritas Internationalis.
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