Prioritising awareness raising and building solidarity
Citizenship open to the world
As an organisation, CCFD also demands commitment from its members.
- CCFD regards the making a personal financial contribution as an essential component of solidarity
- It views informing oneself and taking part in awareness raising actions concerning the victims of hunger and poverty as other aspects of active solidarity
- It considers the exercise of responsible citizenship and the promotion of development friendly policies, which are also in line with social justice values, as necessary goals of a solidarity approach.
Annual collection
As part of the mission confided by the French Church, CCFD organises a collection on the fifth Sunday of Lent every year in all Catholic parishes in France.
Lenten campaign
Lent is also a time for personal sharing with partners invited by CCFD to visit France. Local teams around the country organise meetings with these partners.
Every year 500 to 600 Move the planet events throughout France mobilise over 100,000 young people.
Awareness raising and events throughout the year
CCFD volunteers from the whole of France join with other citizens during these events, which include partner meetings, debates, expositions, solidarity marches, travel reports, etc. CCFD also provides educational tools to facilitate these activities.
Lobbying: Active solidarity
Information is only relevant to the extent that it leads people to action. In an effort to ensure that political action priorities take greater account of the requirements of justice and the needs of development, CCFD also seeks to create opportunities for French citizens to challenge local, national and European political leaders on international solidarity issues.
CCFD therefore regularly organises lobbying campaigns.
Drawing on its recognised expertise on development issues and relying on the public opinion mobilised by its campaigns, CCFD is able to work with political leaders in order to identify solutions.
Recent campaigns:
• Soya versus life : This campaign sought to ensure that more consideration be given to the social and ecological impacts of the intensive cultivation of soya in Latin America for industrial farming
• No more excuses 2005 ! : This was a campaign seeking to ensure that the millennium development goals will be realised.
