Fimcap

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Fédération Internationale des Mouvements Catholiques d’Action Paroissale
Fimcap-logo.png
Abbreviation FIMCAP
Formation April 22, 1962; 61 years ago (1962-04-22)
Type INGO
Purpose International umbrella organization of catholic youth organizations
Headquarters Antwerpen,  Belgium
Membership
35 unions
Presidents
Annette Wahle
Liese Vandenheede
Praeses
continental chaplains
Secretary-General
Evy Hoeben
Website www.fimcap.org

The Fimcap, which is short for Fédération Internationale des Mouvements Catholiques d’Action Paroissale (French for "International Federation of Catholic Parochial Youth Movements"), is an umbrella organization for catholic youth organizations. It has got 36 member organizations who are based in 33 countries. The Fimcap was founded in 1962 and is recognised as an official catholic organization by the Pontifical Council for the Laity.[1] Fimcap is also a full member of the European Youth Forum.[2]

History

Already in 1959, French, Belgian and Dutch youth organizations had been working on the project of an international pooling. In 1960, the first delegate conference was held in Munich and in October 1961 the Fimcap was founded. The foundation was proclaimed in public on Easter 1962.

Since its recognition through the Holy See in 1976, the Fimcap is an "International Catholic Organization" (ICO) and registered at the Council of Laity in Rome.

Since 2006 the Fimcap is being recognised as International nongovernmental organization by the Belgian government.[3]

Activities

  • Every three years, Fimcap organizes the World Camp which is an international youth camp. (see: Fimcap World Camp)
  • Fimcap has an own magazine called LINK Magazine. It is published four times a year.[4]
  • spiritual activities
  • Common visits of the World Youth Day
  • FIMCAP day on 20 November

Activities in Europe[5]

  • EuroCourse: The Eurocourse is a European training course for experienced leaders which is hosted every year by another European member organisation.
  • EuroCamp: The EuroCamp is an exchange activity for young leaders. (see: Fimcap Eurocamp)
  • Roundabouts: Roundabouts are exchanges between local groups from different member organisations of FIMCAP Europe.
  • Speeddating seminars: The speeddating seminars are a plattform for groups to meet groups from other countries to start exchanges.
  • Activities of member organizations
  • Thematic projects
  • Online campaigns
  • Cooperations with the European Fellowship

Thematic work and positions

Fimcap is an international association of youth organizations for children, adolescents and young adults in all over the world. As young people, youth organizations and youth work are confronted with different challenges, Fimcap and its members work together politically to identify and advocate the interests of children, adolescents and young adults within church, society and politics; to guarantee and improve the quality youth work of our member organizations and FIMCAP and to participate in shaping the future world and society, preserve our planet for future generations and guarantee good conditions for future generations. FIMCAP sees sustainable and responsible planning and acting, fair social and economic chances, quality education, peace, charity and solidarity as elementary requirements to achieve this. This involvement is motivated by the Christian beliefs of FIMCAP and its members and the shared FIMCAP values.[6]

  • Youth mobility: Fimcap wants to improve the mobility of young people and anyone who is involved in youth exchange and activities.[7] Fimcap actively advocates for improving the regulations in the EU visa code and directive relevant for youth exchanges and international youth work.[8]
  • Recognition of (international and religious) youth work
  • Sustainable funding of (international) youth work
  • Environment protection and fight against climate change[9]
  • Development and intercontinental cooperation[10]
  • Empowerment of women and gender equality[11]
  • Children's Rights: Fimcap advocates the participation and inclusion of all children in Church and society and wants to empower the child to know its rights, as defined by the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC). Fimcap wants to create free and safe places for children to play, explore, discover and thereby strengthen their values, and to find answers to their needs, fight against physical and psychological violence against children and abolish child labour worldwide.[12]
  • Peace and interreligious dialogue: Fimcap cooperates with Religions for Peace. Together with other European faith based youth organisations Fimcap helped to define the needs and benefits in the field of inter-religious dialogue.[13]

Fimcap Europe

  • Diversity, peace and respect: In early 2015 Fimcap Europe adopted a common statement for diversity, peace and respect. The statement is also a reaction to recent incidents in Europe and other parts in the world like the strengthening of extremist and far right-wing movements, attacks against refugees and against people with a particular religion or origin and violence of self-appointed “religious” fighters.[14]
  • Young refugees: In October 2015 Fimcap Europe adopted a common statement about "Helping together the children and young people who were forced to flee from war, persecution and hunger".[15]

Structure [16]

The highest gremium of the Fimcap is its General Assembly which comes together every three years. Every member organization sends a delegation to the General Assembly.

The administration and management of the Fimcap is being handled by the intercontinental presidium which consists of two presidents, a Praeses and a Secretary-General. The presidents should be one man and one woman, but if there are no candidats of one gender the jobs might also be given to two women or two men.

The intercontinental bureau (ICB) is composed of the Presidium and representatives of the Continental Conferences. It acts as the Fimcap’s Board of Directors.

Beneath these globally working establishments, the Fimcap is also structured into continental conferences, bureaus and presidiums.

Continental branches and member organizations

Organizations whose name is written in a bold form are founding members.

Fimcap Europe

Presidium of Fimcap Europe

The presidium of Fimcap Europe is elected by the delegates of the European member organizations of Fimap the EuroConference. The EuroConference takes place every three years. The current members of the presidium of Fimcap Europe are:[17]

Position Name Member organization / Country
President
Vice-President Bernd Hirschberger KjG  Germany
Activity Coordinator Veronika Švitková eRko  Slovakia
Spiritual Assistant Fr Reuben Gauci ŻAK  Malta

Member organizations in Europe

Country Name Acronym Status
 Romania ro (Asociația Grupurilor Locale de Tineret) AGLT Associate
 Lithuania Ateitis Full
 Belgium Chirojeugd Vlaanderen Full
 Catalonia Coordinació Catalana CCCCCE Full
 Slovakia eRko – Hnutie kresťanských spoločenstiev detí eRko Full
 Italy it FOI Full
 Denmark / DEU Schleswig-Holstein COA.svg Schleswig-Holstein dk (Frivilligt Drenge- og Pige-Forbund) FDF Associate
 the Netherlands nl (Jong Nederland) Full
  Switzerland Jungwacht Blauring JuBla Full
 Germany de (Katholische junge Gemeinde) KjG Full
 Austria /
 South Tyrol
de (Katholische Jungschar) Full
 Hungary Katolikus Ifjúsági Mozgalom KIM Observer
 Malta Żgħażagħ Azzjoni Kattolika ŻAK Full

Member organizations in Africa

Country Name Acronym Status
 Burundi Chiro Burundi Full
 Ghana Catholic Youth Organisation Ghana CYO Ghana Full
 Nigeria Catholic Youth Organisation Nigeria CYO Nigeria Full
 Sierra Leone Catholic Youth Organisation Sierra Leone CYO Sierra Leone Full
 DRC fr (Kiro Kongo) Full
 Namibia Namibian Catholic Youth League NaCaYul Full
 Burundi fr (Xaveri Burundi) Full
 DRC fr (Xaveri Kongo) Full
 Rwanda fr (Xaveri Rwanda) Full
 South Africa /
 Lesotho /
 Botswana
Xaveri South Africa Full
 Uganda Xaveri Uganda Full

Member organizations in Asia

Country Name Acronym Status
 Philippines Chiro Youth Movement Philippines Full
 India Indian Catholic Youth Movement ICYM Full
 Sri Lanka Kithu Dana Pubuduwa Full

Member organizations in Latin America

Country Name Acronym Status
 Chile es (Juventud Parroquial Chilene) JUPACH Full
 Haiti fr (Kiwo D'Haiti) Full
 Paraguay es (Niños Perseverantes Paraguayos Católico) NIPPAC Full

Former members

Country Name Acronym Status
 Belgium fr (Fédération Nationale des Patros)
 France fr (Société de Saint-Vincent de Paul)
 the Netherlands nl (Katholieke Jongenclubs)
  Switzerland de (Schweizer Katholische Jungmannschaftsverband)
 Canada /  Quebec fr (La Centrale del Patros Quebec)
 France fr (Facel Paris)

General Assemblies[18]

Number Year Country City Topic Other information
0 - Founding Meeting 1961 (7 – 8 October)  Germany Munich Founding Meeting
1st General Assembly 1963  the Netherlands Leiden The bases on which to build parochial organizations for the 17+ age group
2nd General Assembly 1964  Germany Berlin The situation of young people between 14 and 17 years old
3rd General Assembly 1965   Switzerland Luzern Youth work in the Third World Two female organizations (Chiromeisjes Vlaanderen and Kiro Congo filles) ask to be member of FIMCAP and are granted membership as the first female member organizations.
4th General Assembly 1966  Belgium Brussels Youthwork in postconciliarian times
5th General Assembly 1967  Austria Vienna The place and formation of small groups – looking towards the Church of tomorrow
6th General Assembly 1969  Germany Altenberg International solidarity
7th General Assembly 1970  UK London Our common base, the present and the future in Fimcap
8th General Assembly 1971   Switzerland Bad Schönbrunn Common aim and structures
9th General Assembly 1973  France Marseille Our work with the youth of today for tomorrow
10th General Assembly 1975  Italy Rome The organisation of Fimcap
11th General Assembly 1977  Austria Vienna Situation of children and youngsters – children’s rights
12th General Assembly 1979   Switzerland Luzern The parish
13th General Assembly 1981  UK West Wickham Relations between the European federations and those of the developing countries
14th General Assembly 1983  France Aix en Provence International Year of Youth – participation, peace and development
15th General Assembly 1986  Belgium Westmalle
16th General Assembly 1989  Belgium Ryckevelde, Brugge Living in an intercultural world
17th General Assembly 1992  Belgium Brugge Foreigners
18th General Assembly 1995   Switzerland Randa
19th General Assembly 1998  South Africa Botha’s hill Youth and sexuality
20th General Assembly 2001  Ghana Accra Young people, protagonists of peace Ateitis becomes a full member of Fimcap.
21st General Assembly 2004  Catalonia Barcelona Young people in a globalizing world
22nd General Assembly 2007  Italy Assisi Millennium Development Goals
23rd General Assembly 2010  Germany Munich Climate change CYO Nigeria was admitted as Full member.
24th General Assembly 2013  Slovakia Modra Children's Rights AGLT was admitted as Associate member. It is the first non-Christian organization becoming a member of Fimcap. The General Assembly has adopted a Declaration on "enhancing mobility of young people".
25th General Assembly 2016   Switzerland

References

External links