More than 40,000 teenagers will today take to the streets of Norway armed with collection boxes. Their aim? To help young people who live in countries affected by war and armed conflict.
"I am touched by the enthusiasm and commitment and solidarity these young people have shown for their peers in other parts of the world," says Atle Sommerfeldt, General Secretary of Norwegian Church Aid.
Tens of thousands of confirmands, adults and children will take to the streets of Norway on Tuesday April 4th, collection boxes in hands, to raise money for Norwegian Church Aid's Lenten Campaign 2006. This year proceeds will be used to help young people in D.R. Congo, Sudan, Afghanistan, the Palestinian Territories and Israel, be they veterans of war or of crisis, back to a normal and meaningful life.
Four million people have been killed in D.R. Congo since 1998. UN sources estimate that around 30,000 children and young people are currently participating in the armed conflicts that continue to ravage D.R. Congo to this day. Worldwide around 300,000 children and young people are members of armed forces and groups. Far more still have lived through the rape or murder of family members, many girls have themselves been raped or held as sex slaves by military groups.
Norwegian Church Aid is working to give these young people an education, to strengthen their belief in themselves, to help them feel more secure and to give them hope.
"Our aim is to help these young people regain their faith in the future and rediscover their dreams," says Sommerfeldt.
Four hectic weeks
Over the course of four hectic weeks, hundreds of activities have been arranged across the length and breadth of Norway to mobilise support for fundraising day Tuesday April 4th. Confirmands from throughout the land have participated in these activities in advance of the big day, April 4th, when they will take to the streets of their local parishes clutching their collection boxes.
Many young Norwegians have been particularly inspired by the Lenten Campaign's political campaign, known as "Who takes the bullet?" The campaign demands that arms and ammunition produced in Norway are more closely controlled in order that they do not end up being sold to third parties who can use them in war and conflict situations that are not sanctioned by the United Nations, in line with current Norwegian weapons law.
Young people can contribute to the campaign by signing their names on t-shirts that bear the slogan: "Who takes the bullet? -- I want to know!" These t-shirts have been distributed to more than 1000 parishes across Norway. Once signed, they are to be posted back to Norwegian Church Aid headquarters where they will be gathered together and delivered en masse to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"We are very pleased with the response our campaign has prompted. It has been well received by confirmands and young people, and the campaign has already brought about a political breakthrough. We produced 5000 t-shirts and we have already received signed t-shirts from confirmands from more than 100 parishes across Norway," says Norwegian Church Aid's Campaign leader Tarje I. Wanvik.
For more information, contact:
- Atle Sommerfeldt, General Secretary, Norwegian Church Aid, tel. (+47) 917 55 112
- Tarje I Wanvik, Campaign leader, Norwegian Church Aid, tel. (+47) 970 70 987
- Laurie MacGregor, Press officer, tel. (+47) 93 24 24 91