NEWS

Promoting and shaping Europe together

Last weekend (20-21 April 2024), this year’s Continental Convention of KOLPING Europe took place in Romania.

Delegates from 15 European Kolping associations met at the Kolping House in Timişoara for consultations and discussions. The host of the meeting, National Secretary Eduard Dobre of KOLPING Romania, warmly welcomed the guests, and Msgr Christoph Huber, the General Praeses of KOLPING INTERNATIONAL, accompanied the exchange of ideas of the European delegates.

The agenda included reports from the individual countries. In addition, the National Kolping Associations presented their social projects to the Kolping brothers and sisters. The joint project of the European Kolping Associations received particular recognition – the emergency aid in Ukraine. It was started right after the beginning of the war and continues to this date with a high level of commitment from a wide variety of associations, including KOLPING Ukraine, KOLPING Romania and KOLPING Poland. “In 2023, KOLPING Europe showed once again that our association of very different national associations with different historical backgrounds, cultures and challenges can respond to the great challenges of our time in a very creative, flexible, persistent and, above all, solidary way,” reads a post released by KOLPING Europe about the conference.

During the conference, the two Timişoara Declarations recently published by the Executive Board of KOLPING EUROPA were presented to further promote the European idea. In these declarations, the association of 20 European Kolping organisations invites the Council of Europe and the EU to cooperate more closely in view of the changing times. Another declaration was prepared on the upcoming European Parliament elections in June 2024. On Sunday morning, a workshop delved deeper into various aspects of Europe that were reinforced by interactive activities.

Further Information and the declaracions in full

55. Kolping-Peace-Walk in Romania (May 2024)