An alliance for the future

A cross-generational alliance is needed to address the ongoing crisis that involves the entire system, affecting not only the financial and the economic realms but also world values, and the very culture and thought that underlie future progress. François Soulage, national president of Secours Catholique, from Caritas world network, presented his view at the 84th edition of the Social Weeks of France (Paris, November 20-22) and guarded against cross-generational frictions and conflicts. We need to invest in the youth’s knowledge and technological learning, without failing to value ‘senior citizens” experiences. It’s a joint challenge that involves the new forms of solidarity, that could be the responses to man’s current needs, he said. SIR Europe interviewed him in Paris. Are the youth the victims of the current economic, social and ideological crisis, or could they become the protagonists of a rebirth? “The youth are simultaneously protagonists and victims. Although they are the most affected by the crisis that extends across all levels of societies, they are also the potential protagonists. Moreover, in my view economic and social recovery largely depends on whether the new generations, endowed with remarkable know-how and learning, will be given the possibility of triggering the development. The older generations don’t have the tools to address the ongoing changes, differently from the youth, on which time and resources need to be invested in, especially in Western societies. In emerging Countries the youth already occupy front line positions. It’s the case of Asia, Africa and Latin America”.Do you intend to say that Western civilizations are unwilling to invest in the young population? “As I see it, Western youth are not granted the possibility of being the engines of new social development. The young generations need space and time to progress, which they are not always being granted. A younger presence is needed also inside the Church. The youth are not at the service of old people. It’s urgent to grant them further opportunities that will make them emerge and assume responsibilities”.In which areas could the youth contribute as protagonists, and not as second lead, in order to hasten the end of the global crisis? “Firstly in the field of knowledge and learning. As previously mentioned, my generation lacks the youth’s knowledge -notably technological know-how-. This means they have more skills enabling the identification of problems and the proposal of solutions, also at political level. Knowledge and learning are crucial tools”.Fine, let us give youth a chance. And what of the old generations? Given the current crisis, is there a way to prevent a cross-generational rupture? “The centrality and the respect of the human person is the criteria to measure the changes, also epochal ones. In this framework I believe that everything rotates around the concept of solidarity, which has the power of averting frictions. Solidarity also entails the commitment to ensure that mankind lives in freedom. In this critical phase this means providing the answers to questions like employment, housing, health, the market, the availability of financial resources. The capacity and the knowledge of the youth along with the experience of the elderly also come into play. The world changes constantly, there is space for everyone, and opportunities for all. We don’t need ruptures. We need new forms of solidarity”.New forms of solidarity are more frequently addressed today than they were in the past. Are they the best answer to the ongoing crisis or do we run the risk of considering them the panacea of contemporary ills? “The new forms of solidarity are more given increased attention since knowledge has expanded and because ours is a communication society. Today we are aware of many problems and complex realities, much more than we did in the past. Communication has made the world smaller, since we are closer to one another. The new forms of solidarity, which is the name given to social co-operatives and enterprises, fair trade, ethical finance and similar initiatives, have a young trait to them. They were established not over 15 years ago and are experiencing full development. They are small answers to contemporary problems, but they may constitute the best answers for the future. Italy is very much ahead in this field with 150 thousand social co-operatives. France counts 3 thousand only. It’s a realm that is completely run by the youth, and this is a positive fact”.How can the Churches contribute to this process? “Christians, ecclesial associations, movements, lay faithful ought to be the operative branch of the Church in the field of solidarity. Indeed, I believe that Church social teaching is held in high worth by institutional and political leadership”.