FOCSIV - Federazione Organismi Cristiani Servizio Internazionale Volontario or the Italian Federation of non Governmental (NGO) Christian Organisations for the International Voluntary Service, have been involved since 1972 in the cooperation with populations in the Southern Hemisphere and in the promotion of a culture of
universality, inspirited by the desire to remove structural causes for poverty and underdevelopment, the struggle for the complete acknowledgement of dignity and the rights of each human being, to construct a long bridge of solidarity between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Today we are part of 65 organizations, which count 7,624 members, 490 support groups in Italy and more than 60,000 people, including members and supporters .
We have more than 1,000 expatriate volunteers and about 6,000 local workers in our 660 development projects. In Italy more than 5,000 volunteers to collaborate on initiatives and territories in managing projects in developing countries.
Thirty years of history supporting the "poor" around the world, thirty years of commitment to the creation of development and social justice, thirty years of the International Voluntary Service, with more than 14,000 international volunteers assigned around the Southern Hemisphere, bringing their personal human and professional contribution to the poorest populations, offering their services for at least two years in a Southern Hemisphere country.
The activity in Italy forms an integral part of the commitment to help the Southern Hemisphere countries, in the knowledge that the abundant energy in training, sensitisation and education turns into multiple powers of international solidarity.
There are multiple activities promoted in Italy: the School of International Political Cooperation and Development (SPICeS), international voluntary service training courses, the National Campaign for Education and Development on themes linked to problems with North-South relations, with 3,000 trained teachers and 1,200 school
activities in 2002 alone.
With a commitment to cooperation in the Southern Hemisphere and with Educational and Development activities in Italy - Volunteers in the World - FOCSIV also performs intense sensitisation actions and puts pressure on Governments and Institutions to promote social justice for all: an integrated, synergic approach in the awareness that this is the only way to realise the huge challenges of this millennium, first of all halving world poverty by 2015.
FOCSIV also has special consultative status at the ECOSOC (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs) since 2004, is the focal point of the program UNV (United Nation Volunteers) for Italy since 1997 and since 2010 has recognized the status Observer at the ' IOM (International Organization for Migration).
OUR OBJECTIVES
