- ATD Fourth World

This Tuesday, 19th October in Strasbourg, the President of the European Parliament, Mr. Jerzy Buzek and Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary-General of the UN, met with a delegation of young people lead by the Director General of the International Movement ATD Forth World, Eugen Brand.

The delegation read and handed over an appeal in which European and international authorities are asked to better take into consideration the young people in their countries, both in Europe and worldwide: "As young people from across Europe and in solidarity with young people the world over, we live in a world where money is more important than people. This world excludes some of us and breaks others. It leaves us feeling disgusted and angry. We are of all ages and from across Europe. We dream of a fairer world. We must come together to make it possible." This Appeal is issued after a wide reflexion led since May 2009 between European young people meeting together through ATD Fourth World.

The Secretary-General of the UN congratulated the young people for their solidarity because, as he underlined during his speech before the European Parliament, solidarity is vital in the fight against poverty and social exclusion.

This meeting was part of an official session of the European Parliament on the theme of poverty in Europe and worldwide, which that took place two days after the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

At the end of this meeting, the youth delegation discussed with Parliamentarians of the Inter-group “Extreme poverty and human rights – Fourth World Committee” represented by Iñigo Méndez de Vigo and Sylvie Goulard.