Brussels, 20/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - Following the 7th European session of the Fourth World People's Universities, organised at the Economic and Social Committee (see EUROPE of 15 June, p.17), the Secretary General of the ATD Fourth World International Movement, Eugen Brand, underlined the need, for civil society on the margins, formed of the peoples' in great poverty, to have speakers developing new partnership with it. The national plans to fight against poverty and social exclusion will have to take into account the working method, he said.
The session examined the theme "Parents as the first partners for their children's future", by raising the right of children to learn (and by insisting on the possibility of appeal in case of failure to implement the provisions in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights) and ways to avoid the breaking up of families (placing of children in institutions or in another family). The same notion of partnership was asserted at all levels, be it the role of emergency services personnel in a hospital in poor neighbourhoods or the police.