Snorre Westgaard, Chair
The calls to end the war on people, to stop the killings, to protect the children, to cease targeting hospitals and schools, to let in the aid.
We hear them, and we join them. They are also our calls. You who hold the powers to stop the atrocities, do it.
In the meanwhile, we continue our work to build communities, build relations, build resilience together with the people. Some need resilience here and now, others build resilience for an uncertain future, for whatever may come their way. We all need resilience to meet the large changes on the planet and in the world.
We build and build every day. We build bonds from people to people, in all our diversity, our differences, from continent to continent.
- Because peace depends on people. Because people build peace every day. Because we think it is the best way to preserve peace, where it reigns; to achieve peace where conflict smoulders and comes to the surface while we write.
- Because we believe that when building bonds from people to people, we also build hope. Hope is necessary, hope gives strength.
- Because building bonds from people to people is the driver of moving towards our vision: We protect the planet, build communities and support people by connecting them with others in transformative programmes, unleashing their potential for positive change and action.
Let’s take it a step further: the world needs more than unleashing the potential – the world and all its peoples need to create the positive change and action, here and now, and in the long run.
That is what we aim to do in the five areas of activities: community development, health, sustainable agriculture and environment, education and collection and sales of second-hand clothes. Proven models for programmes and projects, new ways born out of necessity, and ventures into untrodden tracks – it all weaves a fabric of collective processes, where people create much needed changes in their lives.
We thank you all, including the governments and their agencies, and our many partners for being part and parcel in these processes.