The European Federation of Local Solidarity

" Local solidarity is above all, the undertaking of society. It is how people express their heartedness ".

Thomas Borge

It's the same story all over Europe: social bonds tend to fade away whilst people are more isolated and self-centred.

When confronted to this situation, the media and political actors put forward values like citizenship, brotherhood, sociability, tolerance and support because they say these are essential.

These concepts remain merely intellectual and have no impact on the sensitivity of the people.

This is why the EFLS has decided to promote local solidarity because its the sum of all those social bonds anyone can create and extend in his or her neighbourhood everyday which is an answer to the necessity of entrenching those values within the European society. This leading idea and its application allow social cohesion to be born anew between European citizens of various social and cultural backgrounds.

Because local solidarity can be so diverse in its form and substance, because the needs and expectations of citizens are so different from one another, the European Federation of Local Solidarity has initiated a thinking process upon the numerous areas and policies which can be of importance in the development of local solidarity. (Old age, housing, culture...)

Because local solidarity belongs to everyone and because everyone can take part in it, there must be more cooperation between all of the stakeholders concerned. (Local representatives, housing estates, volunteer organisations, citizens, research sector...) and the cooperation should extend beyond the borders of each Member State.

Because Local solidarity requires everyone to understand that just a few minutes of care can change a great deal, a thorough training must be thought of and applied before it is further developed and becomes widespread so as to become part of the daily life of each citizen.

This specific and permanent role of the FESP is its prime "raison d'être" and it could be summed up by the words "well-being together."

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