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A delegation from Taiwan, representing fifteen organisations dedicated to tackling poverty and exclusion, visited the ATD Fourth World International Centre in February 2024. Their visit featured three key events in collaboration with ATD Fourth World: a workshop on the People’s University and Merging of Knowledge, a meeting about the “ Working and Learning Together“ project in Noisy-le-Grand, and a discussion on the work against poverty at the Joseph Wresinski Archives and Research Centre.

The organisations are part of a collective whose mission is to learn from people in poverty how to take action. Founded in 2017 by Joseph Sun, it promotes the recognition and contributions of people living in poverty. At the heart of its philosophy is the importance of giving a voice to people without social status and sharing knowledge among organisations, academics, and researchers.

This collective, composed mainly of young people, aims to address immediate needs while striving for profound social transformation. It operates in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Taipei and areas beyond the island’s capital, offering various services and activities. According to the associations, they try to reach not only people living in poverty, but also those facing other forms of exclusion. Some organisations work with people experiencing homelessness to rebuild social ties, address their needs, improve access to healthcare and information, and break down stereotypes — often through artistic initiatives or creation of job opportunities, including positions as tourist guides.

After the Collective’s visit to the International Centre, ATD Fourth World’s International Leadership Team travelled to Taiwan at the end of 2024. The collaboration between ATD Fourth World and the Collective has deepened with the discovery of our shared commitment to working alongside, and starting from, people in extreme poverty. Events for October 17 are being organised in Taipei, Kaohsiung, and Taichung — three of Taiwan’s largest cities. These commemorations will offer a platform for people with lived experience of poverty to take centre stage and be heard.