Earlier this year, the Ministère des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie of the Government of Quebec funded 11 international projects to “help to improve the lives of vulnerable populations while raising awareness of international solidarity issues among Quebecers.” The grants were part of the government’s Nouveau Québec sans frontières (NQSF, New Quebec without Borders) program.
Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada received one of the two largest allocations of $675,000 for the Voices Without Borders in Defence of Lives and Lands project. This project involves two partners: Fundación Equipo de Reflexión, Investigación y Comunicación – Radio Progreso (ERIC-RP) in Honduras and the Asociación Campesina de Antioquia (ACA, Atioquia Peasants’ Association) in Colombia.
ERIC-RP is training and supporting youth leaders and a network of community correspondents in the remotest parts of Honduras. The 430 people trained will reach some 500,000 people through public-interest programming on community radio.
In Colombia, ACA is facilitating 1,400 young peoples’ recovery from conflict by training them in documentary filmmaking to help them articulate and capture their anxieties and aspirations and those of their communities.
In the coming spring, delegates from Honduras and Colombia will visit Quebec to exhibit a documentary that is currently being produced and to help educate Quebecers in international solidarity, which is an important NQSF objective.
Meanwhile, we invite you to read the beautiful inaugural edition of the project bulletin that ACA has recently published (available in French only).
The Voices Without Borders in Defence of Lives and Lands project is carried out with financial support from the Ministry of International Relations and the Francophonie of the Government of Quebec.
