What Guides Us

In the focus of our thinking and action is the integral development of the human person and her/his life in dignity. We want to help overcome poverty and exclusion in the world, help redesign the globalisation in socially responsible manners and promote the dialogue of cultures and religions. We align ourselves with Christian social ethics, the principles of sustainability and of indivisible solidarity.

Solidarity is as imperative as the dignity of every person - more than ever in the light of the positive as well as the negative side effects of progressing globalisation. It is the condition for the future-compliance of each indivudual. Solidarity can grow around the world when all forces contribute to the development of a sustainable and future-compliant society. Global social power increases the more the interests of the poor and excluded are anchored in the economic, social and political interests of the industrialised countries.

In terms of such solidarity, Exposure- und Dialogprogramme e.V. organises personal meetings between people from industrialised countries and people from developing and threshold countries who are trying to overcome their poverty by their own initiative. Immersion in the world in which their hosts live not only makes poverty tangible for the visitors, but also shows their self-help potential. Hosts and visitors are involved in a dialogue that focuses on the disadvantaged and their survival strategies. The individual exposure and dialogue programmes thus not only convey a deep insight into the reality of the lives of the poor, but also provide solid insights on strategies, opportunities and measures that improve their situations.

To enable politics and the economy to effectively support the process of sustainable development, it is imperative that

• the disadvantaged are recognised as responsible persons who are able to act;
• they participate actively and have real shares in the economic, political, social and cultural development;
• the overall conditions are framed according to the principle of participation and
• guaranteed citizens' rights and further legal provisions help to develop structure in a decentralised manner and according to the principle of participation, e.g. social security systems.

Poverty can be overcome if we help secure the encouraging progress that has been gained in the last few decades and continue to mobilise all societal powers for actions of solidarity.