The World Council for Political Action and International Solidarity was held from 5-7 November at Montreuil (France). Its aim: to get a take on the collective action being carried out in the Movement in anticipation of the forthcoming 2016 World Assembly (which will bring together all member organisations to determine the main directions of the Movement).
Representatives from four continents – Africa, America, Asia, Europe – were present. They had an exchange about the two missions of the Movement: 1) organising everyone’s participation in international solidarity and 2) making a collective call on the authorities to provide access to everyone’s fundamental rights. After feedback on the activities of the member organisations, the participants and three guest speakers debated a number of themes: What is international solidarity nowadays? How can we lobby for the political commitments of Emmaus International?
The external perspective of the three speakers helped us highlight the strong and weak points of the Movement, and the way in which these need to be handled so that we can be a voice for the most needy, as Abbé Pierre did throughout his life.
“We have a responsibility to build solidarity together, and to make a commitment to it”, summed up World Council Member Juan Melquiades.
