Reception Guide

Awareness of the inequalities between rich and poor countries has led Catalans to set up international solidarity organisations known as development NGOs (organitzacions no governamentals per al desenvolupament, ONGD). Development NGOs lead projects in developing countries with a view to improving living conditions there, establishing new types of relationships between northern and southern countries, and contributing to the full development of all peoples and cultures.

Development NGOs carry out activities aimed at other countries in fields such as education, health, agriculture, combating economic dependence and the environment. They also target the inhabitants of Catalonia by means of organising activities intended to raise awareness of inequalities between the north and the south, fair trade (comerç just) and development-oriented education.

As a newcomer, you can participate in the international solidarity movement through organisations formed by immigrants who carry out development projects in their places of origin. This concept is called codevelopment (codesenvolupament) and it is based on the principle of immigrants contributing to the development of both their homeland and host societies. Codevelopment activities are usually intercultural experiences, as they involve cooperation between immigrants and members of their host society, for which reason participation in the corresponding associations can be an appealing option for new residents.

For further information on codevelopment, see the website of the Catalan Development Cooperation Fund (Fons Català de Cooperació al Desenvolupament) at
http://www.fonscatala.org/midel/ct/

 
For further information on development NGOs, see the website of the Catalan Federation of Development NGOs (Federació Catalana d'ONGD, FCONGD) at
http://www.fcongd.org

Information is also available from the Catalan Development Cooperation Agency (Agència Catalana de Cooperació al Desenvolupament) at
http://www.gencat.net/cooperacioexterior/cooperacio/