- ATD Fourth World

Campus 2009 took place from 24 to 28 August.

Exchanges have been centred on a wide range of subjects based on the following main themes:

• Violence and peace: How do we manage with violence? Violence is present in various social and national context, and in very different human social and political realities linked with extreme poverty. Does violence in itself lead to more violence? How does that happen? Is violence not only unavoidable but also necessary sometimes? The same question is relevant for peaceful gestures or actions. What brings people to resist violence, what is that process? Are peaceful gestures always in response to violence or can they exist separately? Do peaceful actions lead to more peaceful actions?

• Social relations: some relations are marked by discrimination. Does extreme poverty lead to discrimination against those living it? If so, what is the social process in which this happens? Can extreme poverty also lead to a new kind of relationship in which all relations (interpersonal, institutional…) are changed by this encounter, enabling people to live side by side in a new way ? If so, what are the circumstances that make this possible?

Campus has been enriched by a wide variety of contributions from all participants on the subjects of extreme poverty and commitments to bring an end to it.

Campus have been presented in three languages: English, French and Chinese.

This was the program:

Campus 2009 Program

Christian Mellon, Director of CERAS (Center for Research and Social Action), "Approches de la violence et de la non-violence" (in french):

Approches de la violence et de la non-violence

Martin Costa, Founder "Brotherhood of Hope" in Sri Lanka, "Nothing in life is beyond redemption":

Nothing in life is beyond redemption