Solidarité Committee 2011 Summer Stage - Mission accomplished

In March 2011 a group of 90 stagiaires continued the work of the 13 years old Solidarité Committee of EU stagiaires. Every year the trainees volunteer to raise funds for a selected project by Europe Third World. Besides their fundraising activities for this cause, they also carry out several awareness raising, humanitarian and social activities voluntarily.

 Watch the Solidarité video to see what has been done:

This year the selected project valued 6,390 euros, the cost of purchasing and installing a solar water pump for a local clinic in Madagascar. We are glad to inform you all that we reached this fundraising target and the project will be implemented very soon. We even managed to collect more than this and the rest of the money will support another ETW project.

Acknowledgements

The list of people who helped the Solidarité's work is very long, therefore here there is a non-extensive summary of the main coordinators of projects.

First of all, the greatest acknowledgement goes to Shuveta Sekhri who took on the management of the Solidarité Subcommittee investing incredible energy and time into coordinating all Solidarité activities. Her determination helped us reach this target and without her it would not have been possible.

Applause for Alexandra Newlands who prepared the very popular Solidarité European Cookbook. Thanks for all the people who contributed with their recipes, ideas and design skills, not to forget the crucial sales efforts.

Thanks to Csilla Szabó for taking care of the Solidarité Committee's communication activities, blog and advertising as well as the Easter egg action.

Thanks to Anneelie De Boer for leading the Human Rights Forum team to organise the two conferences with great success.

Thanks to Raquel Veiga for organising our volunteering with the Sisters of Mother Teresa at the Soup Kitchen to provide warm lunch for homeless in Brussels. Recognition goes to all the volunteers who visited the kitchen once or more to contribute to this great cause.

Great gratitude to Deirdre Lennon and Arend Janssen for organising the second Solidarité Cycling Tour and making a tradition for all the coming Summer Stage trainees from now on! Thanks for all the cyclers who completed the 140 km for the Madagascar water pump!

Thanks to all the volunteers who came to assist the Schuman Trophy Football tournament and the Europe Third World Awareness week!

There were some other project ideas and efforts made to facilitate fundraising or awareness raising but the circumstances did not allow their projects to happen during this traineeship period. Nevertheless their efforts and participation in other projects are also appreciated!

Thanks for all the generous donations by buying the Cookbook, the Mug, the Easter eggs and home-made cookies.  Thanks to the supporters of the Solidarité Cycling Tour and the Human Rights Forums. Thanks for all the contribution let it be encouragement, suggestion, appreciation, donation, physical help!

Thank you!

Stage is over but you can still practise solidarity!

The 2011 Summer Stage is over and many of us do not stay at the European Institutions. Sad moments and goodbyes but life goes on and so does Solidarity!

As usual the Soldarité Committee will continue its work with the new circle of enthusiastic trainees from Oct 2011 with a new fundraising cause, another ETW project but definitely with the same energy and devotion like this cycle's stagiaires did. 

Nevertheless this does not mean that former trainees cannot continue on with volunteering and doing good for others. Those who stay in Brussels can freely go to the Soup Kitchen and help the sisters of Mother Teresa when serving lunch for homeless. The Soup Kitchen serves 120 homeless daily with warm lunch. Volunteers spend there approximately 2 hrs when serving the food and cleaning up. The service starts at 2.30 pm, only on Sunday it starts from 4pm. The kitchen is closed on Thursdays. The address is Avenue du Roi 69 - 1060 Brussels, close to either Porte de Hal or Gare du Midi metro stations. Please arrive 10 mins before the service starts.

Furthermore, the Solidarité European Cookbooks and Mugs are still available to purchase. You can contact the Liaison Committee (Andre Paula Santos) to get the items from them or you can place an order through email at eu.solidarite.committee@gmail.com.

Women and the Right to Food

 

The second and at the same time the last Human Rights Forum of the Solidarité Committee took place on Wednesday 27 July, 2011 at the EuropeAid InfoPoint in Brussels. The aim was to tackle the advantages and disadvantages of women involvement in agriculture, the opportunities within and the existing arrangements on EU and global level.

UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Mr. Olivier De Schutter spoke about the situation in the world concerning hunger. Female workers in agriculture are 20% less efficient than their male counterparts due to their responsibilites as mother and their physical caracteristics. At the same time women can deal with the family budget better than men, so when the mother takes care of the family financials, children are more likely to dine better and more, go to school and therefore have a more promising future.

Ms. Chantal Symoens, Head of Sector Unit 'Rural Development, Food Security and Nutrition' in DEVCO spoke about the policies of the European community and what are the steps already taken and to be taken in the future to close the gender gap in agriculture.

 

Ms. Florence Kroff, Coordinator of Foodfirst Information and Action Network (FIAN) presented practical examples and case studies about women and the right to food. She emphasized the importance to fight against discrimination that stands on the way of people to feed themselves.

The Forum was very interesting and attracted a great number of guests. The subject is particularly interesting since food security is a priority area of the European Consensus on Development. Improving access to food is a key dimension of the EU’s fight against hunger.

The Solidarité Cycling Tour

11 volunteer bikers and 1 driver completed the 140 km bike tour challenge on the weekend of 22-24 July, 2011. The rainy weather forecast had scared away a few others but our little group remained determined and our enthusiasm brought us a completely dry weekend, just perfect for cycling. There was not a single drop of rain and some of us even got a little burnt by the sun.

Friday 22 July we left Brussels with our Pro-velo bikes accompanied by our supporting driver. Thanks to the great organisation we all had a detailed guide on which bicycle road to follow to our destination and besides smaller by-passes we completed the first 30 kms without any problem.

Friday evening we checked out the lovely city of Leuven and we happened to be there at festival time. Great way to taste Belgian beer with live concert music. After the challenge of the first day we all had a good night sleep and even if it was not that easy for all to wake up Saturday morning, we continued our way from Leuven to Mechelen by the kanal.

The Belgian bicycle road takes you through wonderful places, fields, farms, forests and it is a real pleasure to see the countryside while cycling. After lunch in Mechelen and a bit of sightseeing, the Solidarité cyclers targeted Antwerp. The 61 km ride on Saturday ended around 7pm when the team reached the city of diamonds. The trip was completed without any problem besides a few occasions when someone's chain gave up the fight and fell off but we had our chain expert who did not let any of us waiting on the side of the road for long.

Even if our bikers were not professional they cycled pretty safe with some "calculated risk". The last day was the most difficult after cycling the 2 days before, tired and knowing another 60 km was ahead... But the weather and the lovely scenery helped a lot and after the difficulties of the first 5 km on Sunday, the Solidarité cyclers were riding towards their target with great energies.

Naturally relaxing breaks at every 15-20 km increased motivation and the level of energy. Fortunately, the sun was shining enough to keep the good mood and it was not too hot to make us exhausted either.

In the middle of the last day we had to cross the kanal and it was particularly interesting because the only way to do it was by ferry. This also gave opportunity for a small break on the ferry.

Getting back to Brussels the surface became hilly and we had to make a last effort to reach the top of the capital. After 140 kms one can imagine how it felt like going up on a steep uphill. But to top it with a sweet adventure when the Solidarité cyclers had to cross an autoroad and no cross was around, two policemen appeared on horses and formed a passage for the fundraisers ensuring safe crossing.We felt really special.

Sunday 6pm we were already back to Brussels enjoying a last beer together under the Belgian sun and recalling the nice memories of the 3 days cycling tour.

Thank you guys for coming, it was a real pleasure cycling together for a good cause! 

Thanks for everyone who supported us by donating for the Madagascar water pump!

Women and the Right to Food

Lunch-Time Conference with UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food

Place: External Cooperation Info Point

Time: Wednesday 27th July 2011, 12.30-13.30

Speakers:

Mr. Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food

Ms. Chantal Symoens, Head of Sector Unit 'Rural Development, Food Security and Nutrition', DEVCO

Ms. Florence Kroff, Coordinator Foodfirst Information and Action Network (FIAN) Belgium

Food security is a priority area of the European Consensus on Development. Improving access to food is a key dimension of the EU’s fight against hunger.

In a world where women are the main producers of food and the number of female headed households is increasing, how can we ensure women's right to food? What is the role of women in food security programmes?

The Info Point welcomes you to a dialogue on this priority of the EU and the international community, enshrined in the 1st Millennium Development Goal.

Organized by the Solidarité Committee in collaboration with EuropeAid InfoPoint

Solidarité Mug - Conscience keeps more people awake than coffee...

The stagiaires of Summer 2011 have worked closely with Europe Third World, an independent non-profit founded over 40 years ago by your colleagues of the EU Commission, which finances projects all over the world with the aim of bettering the livelihoods of our neighbours. This year the stagiaires are supporting a project of Europe Third World in Madagascar, which consists of installing a solar water-pump in Mangily. This would provide safer and cleaner water to the local population, which as we all know is a crucial and basic need.
To fundraise for the water-pump, the stagiaires have worked very hard to design and produce a Solidarité Mug.

 

The Mugs are ready and you can buy your mug either at the Stage Committee office at MADOU or July 27 Wednesday at the Human Rights Forum and  you can also place an order by emailing Alexandra Newlands. Please specify in your email your building and your office number.

We are grateful for your support,

The Stagiaires of Summer 2011.

Solidarité Cookbook - Make every bite count!

The Solidarité Cookbook is on the way! Thanks for everyone for their contribution to this unique precious collection of European recipes and anecdotes!

The Cookbook is available for purchase at the Awareness Week stands and ordering from Alexandra Newlands in email. Please send your name, building, office number and phone number if you wish to order your Cookbook!

No time to travel around Europe and discover its culinary wonders?

By compiling two recipes of each Member State,

this cookbook fulfils your dream of travelling to all 27 countries

in the blink of an eye from your own kitchen.

FIND OUT the mouth-watering recipes that the EC trainees have concocted for you,

ENJOY anecdotes and special tips that will help you cook as a local chef and

SURPRISE your guests with a palette of exotic dishes.