ENTRECULTURAS FOUNDATION

Entreculturas is a Jesuit NGO that defends the right to quality education for all people as a way to create a fair and sustainable world. We work to defend the right to education for all, especially for the most vulnerable populations in Latin America, Africa and Asia. This goal also leads us to focus our efforts on raising the awareness of the Spanish society, aiming to empower its population so that, together with the countries we work with, it may transform its social structures and become a drive for a change in favour of justice and global development. This mission translates into cooperation projects, educational proposals, social awareness and political advocacy activities, volunteer programmes and spaces for dialogue and participation that involve companies, organizations and public institutions. All of them very different but complementary activities that constitute the essence of our work and our commitment. Through this work, the 750+ people in our organisation seek to contribute to the development of the most vulnerable countries and communities, appealing to values such as solidarity and equal rights and involving all types of stakeholders (citizens, companies, governments, etc.) who share responsibility in the face of the global challenges of our time. Entreculturas has 27 delegations in 13 autonomous regions, as well as a strong social base that supports our activities and strengthens our voice against injustice. At international level, we develop our field action working together with many local partners, including the popular education movement Fe y Alegría and the Jesuit Refugee Service. We work in order to raise the awareness of the teachers, media, political leaders, companies and general public regarding the inequalities and global challenges affecting our planet. It is important that we all feel we are part of the solution and, to that end, our education proposal includes different ways of engagement, in order to enable everyone to become an agent of change. Main activities: Cooperation for sustainable development Our cooperation for development work seeks to leverage education as a way to improve the living conditions of vulnerable communities. A quality education is the best way to build a better future. A quality education promotes emotional development, boosts self-esteem and, above all, provides the tools and skill people need to escape the spiral of inequality by adapting to society and joining the workforce. As a member of the Society of Jesus –a massive international network– with long-standing relationships with different organizations across all five continents, we can quickly respond to humanitarian crises. We work together with other organizations who play an important role in those regions where we have a presence (Africa, Asia, and Latin America), developing close partnerships with networks including Fe y Alegría and the Jesuit Refugee Service. Both are internationally renowned for their hard work, experience and commitment to the communities they work with. Education We work to achieve social change. At Entreculturas we believe that pro-justice and pro-human rights decisions can be made at every level of society. We therefore aim our efforts at raising teacher, media, politician, corporate and citizen awareness about global inequalities and issues. Everyone should think of themselves as part of the solution, and to that end the education we provide teaches different ways to get involved and become agents of change. Why do we need global citizenship education? We all need to learn how to be citizens of the world. Developments at a global level can cause poverty, inequality and environmental degradation, and humanity’s greatest challenges require a conscious, committed and strong global citizenship. This is why children need to learn to participate in society as citizens of the world. Entreculturas, together with different educational communities in Spain, Africa and Latin America, promotes projects and offers resources for a transformative education. Volunteering Entreculturas understands volunteering as that contribution that people can offer within a process of participation and commitment. We believe that volunteering is an experience with the capacity to transform people and make them agents of change in the family, the neighbourhood and the world. It is a process and, therefore, a path full of learning and encounters. Corporate Social Responsibility: For us, Corporate Social Responsibility is an institutional commitment that every organization, both public and private, should make to its stakeholders in order to work together to create a more just, fair and equitable world. Organizations should have ethical management/administrative systems in place that foster sustainable social and environmental development.