On 21 January Madrid and the Spanish Presidency of the EU played host to the EU Commission’s launch of the 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.
Under the slogan “Stop Poverty Now!”, the pan-European, European Commission, DG Employment and Social Affairs campaign run by Mostra will put the fight against poverty – currently affecting one in six Europeans – firmly into the spotlight, with national launches taking place in most participating countries in the coming months.
The 2010 European Year will raise awareness of the causes and consequences of poverty in Europe, while mobilising key decision makers to fight poverty and promote social integration and inclusion across the EU.
EU level conferences will be augmented by hundreds of campaigns and interactive events across the EU as well as Norway and Iceland. Highlights include an art initiative to build bridges between artists and people experiencing poverty and social exclusion, and a competition for audiovisual and written press journalists who have covered issues related to poverty and social exclusion.
Activities and media coverage will be intensified during two focus weeks – in May and October – when officials, key stakeholders and people who personally experience poverty will meet together in a variety of high-profile events. It is this close cooperation between the full spectrum of actors in the field of poverty and social exclusion – including the European Commission, the media, participating national bodies and NGOs – that is crucial to making the 2010 European Year an unparalleled success.
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