This exciting new ECG project aims to explore the role of religions and cultures in the questions of working life and to address the key issues of the quality of working life (good work), unemployment and social inclusion as fields for action by faith communities. This issue has become increasingly critical in recent years, sometimes in a way that has caused exclusion and injustice. Religion and culture have become important issues for sustainability of community and economic life.
Religion, in a broad sense, is one of the cornerstones for building an identity. This is true for individuals, as well as for nations or cultures. Religion linked to identity has therefore also been one of the main instruments for conflict through history and also today. On the other hand, at a general level it is remarkable how much convergence there is in the different religious traditions concerning the issue of work and its place in life. This was a key theme in the latest ECG General Meeting, which was addressed by a representative of the ILO. (For this global perspective, see the recent ILO publication on Decent Work and Religions).
The new ECG project will begin in 2007 with a first exploratory planning workshop. This will be followed up nationally and internationally in the second half of the year, and in 2008. The project will be the first European programme to focus on Christian involvement in interfaith action on working life and we invite your participation now.
Context In the ‘new emerging Europe’ we are facing the need to handle the question of culture, identity and religion in new ways. There have been traditions of different religious groups co-existing peacefully and in western Europe we had become used to the idea that the process of ‘modernisation’ would erode religious and cultural difference. This belief was particularly widespread in the more secularised (and more protestant) countries of northern Europe. However there has been a remarkable change, which is connected to a variety of processes:
new flows of migrants into Europe
the integration into the European Union of more member countries
growing insecurity and exclusion as a result of global competition
the impact of structural economic change in Europe
the new importance of religion in public life
These processes have highlighted the fact that a diversity of religions has always existed in Europe, even if it was not seen to be salient. The possibility for mobility of workers in Europe and of new migration flows creates both new possibilities and threats. The background ideas of development and modernisation presuppose that the different groups will be able not only to share life together, but also to share work. It is especially in the world of work however that some of the most contentious conflicts exist in reality or as a possible threat. The rise of racism and xenophobia is directly connected to the issue of unemployment and bad working conditions. The WIRE project is built up on the assurance that whilst religion can work as a tool for integration (as evidenced in the ILO study) there is a need to explore the European situation and produce resources for actively working on this issue. The texts we might say have to be related to the contexts and tools produced to enable training and educational bodies to work on this concretely.
The focal questions for the WIRE project are:
‘What are the positive roles of religion and culture, in relation to participation in the world of work?’
and
‘What are the strategies for the faith communities and religious & humanistic groups to engage with the issues of the world of work?’
Objectives Through seminars and group experiences to examine the role of religion in participation in working life and to develop tools and know how for the churches and faith communities to take part in initiatives to address the quality of work, the problems of unemployment and strategies for social inclusion through training and good work. The result will be an increase in knowledge of the issues and of relevant strategies for faith communities and the development of training for churches in this field.
Actions A project development seminar will bring together actors from different national contexts and from a variety of churches and faith communities, recruited on their actual or potential involvement in the issues. This seminar will define the issues and develop plans for national/regional activities in the different countries and for a series of three training workshops to be organised in the following 18 months. In each country there will be a core group of about 12 persons who will accompany the process. The first national step will be a ‘kick-off’ workshop, which will focus on the national/local situation(s) in relation to the project aims and to prepare the contribution to the first international workshop. This process will be repeated for two further international workshops and there will be a final national workshop to evaluate the whole process and plan follow up.
The three international workshops will, it is proposed, concentrate on:
the positive understanding of ‘work’ in different traditions and contexts,
social and economic exclusion – actualities in relation to religion and culture in different contexts
strategies for inclusion through the promotion of good work – the role of faith communities and humanistic groups
The project should be launched in autumn 2007 and run for two years.
Outputs The outputs of the project would include a substantial report on the issues, a training manual on the issues addressed and guidance for engagement with the issues as well as recommendations for labour market policy and the future of employment.
Target Groups The participants will be people who are actively involved in the world of work, from the perspective of churches and faith communities and humanistic organisations (multiplicators) along with qualified experts from the world of work (ILO, trade unions etc) and the faith communities.
Coordination and Participation ECG will be the main coordinator of the project in collaboration with partners in the each country. The first partners are the Rättvik Training Centre in Sweden (Vasteras Diocese - SE), the Betriebsseminar in Austria (Linz Diocese - A) and the Ecumenical Academy, Prague (CZ)
Invitation The next planning meeting for the project will be in Linz, Austria at the Betriebsseminar (industrial mission training centre) and we invite members and partners of the ECG to join the process! Ideally we would like to find a ‘lead’ organisation in a number of other countries who could be partners.
The date of the meeting is 2nd February (arrivals) to 5th February (departures).
If you wish to join the project please contact Tony Addy as soon as possible, even if you cannot be at the meeting!
Please also give publicity to this developing project in your network/organisation – especially targeted to those who are engaged with these issues!
If you need more information please also contact Tony Addy!
