Development cooperation

Weltfriedensdienst (WFD) is a development policy-related organisation headquartered in Berlin. It was founded in 1959, when the German federal government started its rearmament again, ten years after the ending of world war two. Weltfriedensdienst commit itself to reconciliation work in countries that had been victims of German fascism and in believe that there is only a way to peace with less weapons in the world. In the 1960s, WFD started to focus also on countries of the South. Since 1971, WFD has been one of six development services approved by the German federal government. Trained development and peace workers have been supporting grassroots initiatives in Africa, Latin America and Palestine.

Focal points of the collaboration with partners in the South are the advancement of women, professional training, environment protection and resource conservation, as well as civil peace service. In terms of collaboration, one of WFD's main concerns is to develop a sense of partnership with grassroots initiatives and NGOs.

In Germany, WFD raises awareness of problems in the South and helps to overcome prejudices by promoting several projects and by concentrating on development policy-related work in the areas of lobbying, education and public relations. The peaceXchange project that was running in Germany is one example of WFD's EU awareness work. It was designed to raise awareness of ways of achieving non-violent conflict resolution that have been developed in countries of the South. This three-year project, in collaboration with Austrian, Czech and Polish partners, mainly addressed young people. Currently WFD starts a new EU and also EU supported project "Global Generation" in collaboration with Hungarian and Austrian partners. This time it will take place not only in Germany, but also in the other project countries. In Germany, Weltfriedensdienst also focus on promoting partnership projects. A total of 60 partnerships support projects in Africa, Latin America and Palestine through various campaigns. Further advancement of WFD's work would not be possible without the dedicated volunteers, as members and partners of WFD who are on the board, work on the advisory committees of individual projects and in various project teams. Passive members, who cannot work actively for the association, but wish to support WFD financially, are also welcome and needed. Without their financial support many projects were not possible.

WFD promotes development policy-related campaigns and is part of a greater network. Accordingly, WFD is a member of VENRO, AGDF, AKLHÜ, Action against AIDS Germany, BER e.V. and Attac Deutschland.

Injustice calls for resistance – justice calls for support

The Christian Initiative Romero (CIR) was established 25 years ago as a means to express Christian solidarity with the Central American liberation movements in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala. In 1985 the organization took on the name of San Salvador's assassinated archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, because he is a symbol for Central America. He combined the struggle for Human Rights with the fight against poverty. In memory of Oscar A. Romero we are pursuing social and political justice.

The conflicts in Central America have been resolved, democratization is increasingly catching on, and yet the social problems have not come closer to any kind of solution. It is more important now than ever before to show solidarity with the poor majority of people, but it has become more difficult to identify specific approaches. This is why the CIR has shifted its approach from specialized programs for every single country to more subject-oriented work. Instead of focusing on the current situation in Guatemala, El Salvador or Nicaragua the emphasis is mainly set on general topics concerning all countries, such as the rights of child laborers, the modern theology of deliverance, the impacts of globalization and the working conditions in the clothing industry.

Due to the small number of our very specialized staff, we are able to cooperate with organizations based mainly in Central America and give fast support easily.

Using the example of individual projects, we introduce the public to more general problems affecting specific countries. We are concerned to show how our society has an impact on the lives of people in project countries. In our subject-oriented campaign work we point out how you can help the disadvantaged in Central America.

Düsseldorf is a stronghold of the "Eine-Welt-Arbeit" (one world work) in Germany. More than 187 people in Düsseldorf "Eine-Welt-Arbeit" support educational programs, health programs and infrastructure programs, as well as fair trade and the protection of the human rights on all continents of the earth.

The "Eine Welt Forum Düsseldorf Inc." is the network for development cooperation in the capital of Düsseldorf. We co-ordinate and look after the activities of more than 250 initiatives, groups and associations from Düsseldorf and in the surroundings of Mettmann which perform”Eine-Welt-Arbeit “on all continents of the earth.

However, successful development work begins in the own city - by cooperation in political committees, public-relations events and information of the citizens in the media.

The "Eine Welt Forum Düsseldorf Inc." creates valuable contacts and is involved in a humanely world – here and elsewhere.