ACTIVE PARTNERSHIPS

Encounters across borders

 

Kolping International sees itself as a global family which becomes visible in the partnerships that have been established by the Kolping Diocesan Associations in Germany, the National Associations in Switzerland, Austria, South Tyrol and Poland with countries of the South. Many partnerships have existed for decades. They build a bridge to the countries of the South enabling mutual exchange and understanding.

The Kolping Society was already international in Adolph Kolping’s days and is represented now in more than 60 countries.

The objectives of the partnership work are, among others:

• Promotion of understanding and tolerance of foreign ways of life and cultures
• Worldwide implementation of fair and democratic structures across the globe
• Securing human rights and human dignity for all people
• Securing basic needs of everyday life for all people
• Reduction of the gap between rich and poor nations by supporting fairer world trade and finance structures

As an international association, we have the great opportunity to learn from and with one another. In addition to the traditional partnerships there are now also many South-South partnerships and East-South partnerships.

We are linked by the example of Adolph Kolping and numerous symbols, prayers and memorial days which are celebrated together.

This is how the Sustainable Development Goal #17: ‘Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global partnership for Sustainable Development’ is brought to life.

These partnerships are linked by the voluntary ‘Representatives for international partnership work’ who meet twice a year to exchange ideas about partnership work and receive training on current topics in the field of development policy.

The latest information about the partnership work can be found on Facebook.