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Convergence of Cultures
CdCThe Convergence of Cultures is one of the organisms of the Humanist Movement. It was established in May 4th, 1969 with a public exposition of its founder, Silo, known as “The Healing of Suffering”, in a mountainous spot in the Andes, named Punta de Vacas, next to the border between Argentina and Chile.

The Humanist Movement is based on the current of thought known as New Humanism or Universalist Humanism, developed in Silo’s works and in the work of the various authors who inspired in it.

This thought also implies a feeling and a way of living, it influences numerous fields of human activity, giving rise to diverse organisms and actions fronts. All of them act in specific fields of activity with a common goal: Humanizing the earth, thus contributing to increase human freedom and happiness.

Other organisms of the Humanist Movement are the Humanist Party, The Community for Human Development, World Without Wars and without Violence, and The World Center of Humanist Studies.
Areas of dialogueAmbitos de diálogo

What is crucial is the encounter and dialogue between human beings of different cultures who can look at each other and say: "I exist because you exist."

Nevertheless the intention to appropriate the whole by a minority and the intolerant proposals of some leaders that take advantage of the lack of future of individuals and peoples, continues to justify and feed the clash between cultures, discrimination and violence..

Today it is necessary to generate settings, ambits, to preserve the ideas, beliefs and humanist attitudes of each culture which, beyond all differences, can be found in the heart of the every community and individual.

The Mundializaction

In today's society, coexistence among different cultures is a daily event. But what is extraordinary of the current historical time is that it is a period of globalization where all cultures are approaching and influencing one another, as it had never happened before.
mundializacion
We are not speaking only about the fact that today people all over the world can be in contact with each other thanks to the advancements of communication technology. But rather, apart from the historical accumulation of phenomena such as colonialism and imperialism, the enormous inequality in the living conditions and of survival in different areas of the world, and the resulting massive migration, multi-culturality exists in the interior of territories that are still considered as "national states."

Mundialization and Globalizationglobalizacion

It is important to distinguish between this process of growing mundialization, and globalization.

The often mentioned globalization is just the traditional behavior that imperial centers have adopted. As it has repeatedly happened in history, these empires install, develop and make other communities revolve around them, trying to impose their language, customs, clothing, food and all their codes.

These imperialist structures finally end up generating violence and chaos, as a result of his naive outrage and cultural confrontation.

Our Proposals
  1. Encourage the relationship among different cultures.
  2. Denounce and struggle against all forms of manifest or disguised discrimination.
  3. Spread its ideas and activities
propuestasConvergence of Cultures is a global organization. In this respect its members, regardless of where they operate, they feel part of the same humanizing global action that is expressed in a diverse but convergent way.

Participation is open to everyone, without discrimination. Anyone who agrees with the basic objectives of the Convergence of Cultures can join the organization, joining as an active member or adherent. It is a human-based organization where each person takes responsibility for that which drives and build.

Relationships and personal and group behaviors are based on the Golden Rule: "Treat others as you want to be treated".

The humanistic attitude

When referring to a humanistic attitude, we refer to the following six points:

  • The location of the human being as central value and concern.
  • The affirmation of the equality of all human beings.
  • The recognition of personal and cultural diversity.
  • The trend towards knowledge beyond what is accepted or imposed as absolute truth.
  • The affirmation of the freedom of ideas and beliefs.
  • The repudiation of violence.

It is possible rescue in history, in thought and spirituality of each culture these elements. They crave more than a nostalgic return to a golden past, are inspired future aspirations and best represent the possible convergence between different cultures

Activities

The Base Teams meet regularly for exchange, ideological clarification, and organization of diverse activities.

Basically, Base Teams are in ongoing contact with communities of different cultures, associations and individuals, with the aim of spreading and organizing the joint activities of the organism.

Tenerife

The most important activities include the following:

Organization of conferences, exhibitions, forums, cultural and artistic meetings with the participation of members of different cultures. Involvement of members in activities organized by other entities, concerning issues related to the organism's (e.g. lectures, conferences, exhibitions).

Participation in international, regional, national and local campaigns launched by the Convergence of Cultures.

Organization and participation in denouncing demonstrations against discrimination. Specific denouncing Campaigns to spread the conflicts and arbitrariness that communities of different cultures may undergo.

Sending and distribution of informational material to cultures in different countries, with the aim of diffusing and assembling individuals and organizations around the study and activities of the Convergence of Cultures

Information on different cultures in schools with the participation of members of various cultural communities.

Publications production, focused on the ideas and activities of the Convergence of Cultures. Production of TV programs, radio, videos, Web sites, papers, bulletins, etc.

Organization of seminars, lectures, presentations on topics which the Convergence of Cultures consider important for its members and for the public in general.

Make available to its members, materials for personal work based on the Manual of Personal Development for the members of the Humanist Movement.

Organization

Convergence of Cultures is a world organization; in that sense, its members, regardless of the place where they act, feel that they take part of a common humanizing world activity expressed in a diverse but convergent way.

Partaking is open and flexible. We are talking about a human-based organization, in which each person becomes responsible for what he sets in motion or builds.

The basic (and main) structures of the Convergence of Cultures are “base teams”, which develop their activity in neighborhoods, schools, universities, workplaces, via internet, etc.

Any group, organization or association that, without losing its own identity, manifests its adhesion to the principles that inspires the C.C., may ask for its inclusion as an "adherent" of the C.C. and maintain with it, relationships of mutual collaboration.

*For more information, see "Handbook of Convergence of Cultures"

The “Convergence of Cultures’ teams”
(base teams)

It is essential to encourage the implementation of three main mechanisms or functions for development of the organism:

  1. Growth: its action is directed to other people, to other organizations with the aim of spreading and implementing the ideas, proposals and tools of the Convergence of Cultures.
  2. Communication: it has a fluent Communication and interchange with other base teams of CC and other organizations related to the goals of CC.
  3. Formation: It concentrates on progressive formation of members providing them with tools for personal, cultural and social development. These studies and practices can be found in its official materials.

These teams of the Convergence of Cultures generate ties with other group and organization of its surroundings, but under no circumstances should they establish an organic relationship with any of them.

Documents
Documents as resource and reference Author Format
Handbook of Convergence of Cultures Team work 1download
Manual of Personal Development for members of the Humanist Movement. Team work 1download
Selfliberation L. A. AMMANN 1download
Collected Works I SILO 1download
Collected Works II SILO 1download
Documents of the meeting Punta de Vacas Author Format
Presentation Convergence of Cultures L.Milani 1download
Notion of Culture C. Miconi 1download
Power Point about organization E. Perez 1download
Text of the Guided Power Point E. Perez 1download
Joint Asking N. Myers 1download
Documents of difussion Autor Format
Logo Convergence of Cultures R. Edwards 1download
Logo Convergence of Cultures R. Edwards 1download
 

Statement on the EU Migration Summit

No a la fosa comun en la frontera sur de la Union Europea

 

In view of the agreements reached on migration and asylum at the last summit of European leaders held on the 28th and 29th of June, we, the undersigned organisations, express our firm rejection of the content and substance of the resolutions adopted at a meeting, which was expected to provide a necessary and hopeful response to the vital situation that thousands of human beings, forced to leave their places of origin, are suffering.

At that summit, agreements were reached, which in reality are not agreements to anything, giving free rein to each country to do what it wants; agreements that reinterpret the right to asylum, modifying rules to cover up the continuous violations of international and European law in matters of asylum and reception; agreements taken from the point of view of dealing with “human flesh”, thereby giving way to the more regressive and xenophobic approaches that are beginning to emerge in several countries of the Union; agreements that ignore the clamour of the majority of the population in solidarity with migrants and the willingness of hundreds of towns and cities willing to welcome them there.

But perhaps the most shameful thing is that, while many human beings are dying in their attempts to cross the Mediterranean, European leaders centred their discussions on whether to create ‘disembarkation platforms’ within Europe or whether to do so in third countries. There was no self-criticism, no reflection on the responsibility that Europe has had in the generation of conflict; no recognition of the plundering that Europe has carried out and continues to carry out in those countries from where migrants come; no review of its lucrative policy of invasions (as NATO members) and arms sales, which ends up supplying the countries in conflicts from where people flee today.

They basically talked about where to place “disembarkation platforms”, in other words, prisons for foreigners or, more accurately, concentration camps, with the ultimate aim of returning migrants to their precarious countries of origin. It is one more atrocious and dehumanizing step in the direction of the already questioned “Immigration Detention Centres”. Europe cannot torpedo its humanist foundations in order to give in to the racist and fascist ultra-right with a policy that once again criminalizes foreigners, migrants, those who are different and those in solidarity with them, either inside or outside the region.

Human life is sacred and, in the conviction that there will be no progress if it is not for all and by all, we, the undersigned organisations, urge European governments to give a coherent and urgent response by taking measures such as:

  • Dismantling all immigration detention centres and abandoning all attempts to create prisons for migrants in any form.
  • Eliminating ‘fences’ in different countries of the Union.
  • On the contrary, moving towards the elimination of borders, which only exist to separate the poor and have no reality for capital and the increasingly scandalously rich minority of the planet.
  • Preventing the taxes of European citizens from being used for ‘border surveillance’, the ‘outsourcing’ of borders and the creation of ‘prison-platforms’. We propose that these funds be targeted to other areas, such as the reception of these human beings arriving in Europe.
  • Ending the criminalization of migrants and refugees. No human being is illegal!
  • Ceasing the criminalisation of NGOs and aid workers who put their efforts into saving human lives, as well as penalising those countries that hinder their work (as in the case of the continuous sabotage of the humanitarian ships Aquarius, Lifeline and Open Arms).
  • Investigating these policies and considering them as crimes against humanity.
  • Enabling legal entry channels into Europe for a real and effective fight against the mafia groups that speculate on the trade in human beings. Not only by creating ‘humanitarian corridors’, but, above all, by providing documents for legal entry into Europe.
  • Creating a policy of reparation to those countries which Europe has been ransacking for centuries.
  • Comprehensively controlling arms sales to countries in conflict, be these sales made directly or indirectly via third countries.
  • Stopping to follow US orders, through NATO; stopping the occupation of territories and the bombing of populations who are forced to flee in order to save their lives and the lives of their loved ones.
  • Scrupulous compliance with the Declaration of Human Rights as well as international laws on asylum and migration.

In the meantime, we call on people to maintain this spirit of solidarity which is rooted in our best European humanist traditions. We must continue to give a lesson in dignity to our shameful political leaders by working with the tens of thousands of citizens who are offering their homes and with the neighbourhood networks that are being set up to give urgent attention to those who arrive in their cities, as well as by supporting the new generation of leaders who, in their towns and cities, are taking on the responsibilities that national governments and European institutions are incapable of doing.

Convergence of Cultures

Madrid, 3rd July, 2018

Signed by:

Convergencia de las Culturas
Redes Cristianas
Iglesia Evangélica Española
Energia per i Diritti Umani Onlus – Roma
Diritti al Cuore Onlus – Roma
Salute Migrante – Roma
Pressenza International Press Agency
La Asociación Mujeres Humanistas por la Noviolencia
FICNOVA, Festival Internacional de cine de la noviolencia activa
Humanistas por la Renta Básica Universal
Coalición de Tendencias Clasista (CTC-VZLA)
Comunidades de "El Mensaje de Silo" de Villaverde, Vallecas, Alcalá de Henares, Leganés, Madrid ("Comunidad la Realidad Interna", "Comunidad La mirada interna"); Comunidades de "El Mensaje de Silo" de Llinars del Vallés (Barcelona), Comunidad de "El Mensaje de silo" de Gracia (Barcelona)
World without Wars and Violence, Greece
Asociacion Cultural y Social "Puentes No Muros"
Convergencia de las Culturas, Chile
Partido Humanista, España
Partido Humanista, Bélgica
Partito Umanista, Itallia
Humanist Party, Iceland

Partido Humanista Internacional
Eleonora Forenza, eurodiputada de Rifondazione Comunista-Potere al Popolo
Abarekà Nandree Onlus
Comitato Nuovi Desaparecidos, Italia
Coordinadora Estatal de Mareas Blancas

 

 

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