MONTREAL, March 5, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Today marks the launch of DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE's annual Share Lent campaign, which this year is raising awareness about the injustice of world hunger. Under the slogan, One Human Family, Food for All, the campaign is calling on Canadians to fight against hunger and emphasizes the importance of small-scale farmers in the struggle for access to food for all.
The launch of the campaign is taking place in the Diocese of Hamilton and will be hosted by Most Rev. Douglas Crosby, Bishop of Hamilton, with special guest Fr. Hagos Hayesh, Secretary General of Caritas Ethiopia, which is a partner organization of DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE, that is working to fight hunger in Ethiopia.
As the Canadian member of Caritas Internationalis, a worldwide federation of Catholic development and humanitarian aid organizations, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE is joining Caritas' global anti-hunger campaign, which was launched by Pope Francis in December. "We are in front of a global scandal of around one billion people who still suffer from hunger today. We cannot look the other way and pretend this does not exist. The food available in the world is enough to feed everyone," implored Pope Francis when he launched the campaign, which will mobilie the 164 member organizations of Caritas Internationalis, of which DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE is the Canadian member.
Food is not only a human need, but it is also a human right, yet each day that right is denied to 843 million children, women and men who do not have enough to eat. For over 45 years, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE has been working for greater social justice by standing in solidarity with communities in the Global South affected by poverty and injustice.
''Hunger is not caused by a lack of food but rather a lack of justice, and the slogan of this year's campaign, One Human Family, Food for All, underlines the need to fight against hunger and poverty. Guaranteeing food for every child, woman and man, is an integral part of DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE's vision of a society where human dignity and wellbeing are absolute,'' explains Michael Casey, Executive Director of DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE.
Since 1967, the organization has been supporting local organizations in Africa, Asia, Latin American and the Middle East, that are addressing hunger and poverty, through principles such as food sovereignty, which is an approach that favours local food production by small-scale farmers.
As part of the campaign, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE has invited visitors to speak about the work they are doing amongst the poor and vulnerable, thanks to the support and solidarity of DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE. These visitors will be participating in several fundraising and awareness activities organized by DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE members across the country.
The campaign, which runs throughout Lent and is the main source of funding for DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE's programs in the Global South, will culminate on April 6th, also called Solidarity Sunday, when a collection will be done in parishes from coast to coast for DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE. The campaign also invites Canadians to participate in a Good Friday Fast, as a way to express their solidarity and fundraise in support of the organization.
As the official international development organization of the Catholic Church in Canada, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE holds this campaign every year during Lent, which is a traditional time of sharing.
Donations in support of this campaign can be made by phone at 1 888 234-8533 or online at www.devp.org.
SOURCE: DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE
Kelly Di Domenico
Communications Officer
514 226-9620 (cell)
[email protected]
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