CAMPAIGN

Spring for Life Campaign

The Spring for Life Campaign was set up by CESE in 2001 (see photo below) in order to raise awareness in a range of audiences, in particular churches, towards a thematic reflection about rights and justice; it also raises funds for the institution’s work.

In that year, CESE ensured that the “You make a difference” Campaign (for Fair Trade), promoted in Great Britain by the ecumenical agency Christian Aid, had repercussions across Brazil.  At that time a range of events was held in Salvador, with strong participation from the churches, movements and general public; it was also widely publicised in the local press.  This learning experience motivated CESE to initiate its own campaign under the Spring for Life banner.

The first year of this new initiative was successful and started, albeit slowly, a process of national fundraising and the opening up of new public arenas for CESE’s activities, providing new partnerships and consolidating its institutional profile with churches and other diverse audiences.

Also in 2001, inspired by the ongoing campaign, Salvador’s Municipal Chamber paid homage to CESE’s history and activities supporting the less privileged in the Brazilian population, strengthening its ecumenical promotion of life.

Christian Aid made financial and material resources available and supported the team in the conceptualization and realisation of the Campaign’s first years.

In its first year the Campaign looked at the theme “Let’s sow justice together”.  In 2002 it reflected on the need to “Sow Solidarity and Peace”. In 2003 it focused on the problems that most afflict the country and called for “Bread and Peace”.  In 2004, it sought to motivate Brazilian young people to engage in the construction of a fair, democratic and inclusive society with the theme “Youth and Peace”.  And in 2005 it called on society to dream of a “City of Peace”.  In 2006 it followed up the 2005 theme with a distinctive call to “Women and Men Constructing Cities of Peace”.  In 2007 it adopted the theme: “Rights and Justice for Peace.”  In 2008 the same theme was related to another CESE-initiated campaign: “Action for Children”.  In 2009 the campaign reflected on “Rights and Justice” and in 2010, with a national launch held in the Anglican parish of Trindade in São Paulo, the challenge of climate change was addressed in the theme of “Environmental Justice”. In 2011, the same issues were used as the theme of the campaign.

Spring is this campaign’s season and its symbol is the sunflower.  This flower, with its countless seeds, represents life which is reproduced through the support each person, community, group, social movement and church provides to CESE’s services in the defence of justice and human rights.

The Spring for Life Campaign is held annually from September to December across the entire national territory with celebrations, activities that reflect on the theme of the year and activities to raise funds for CESE.

You too can enter this Campaign and fund-raise directly for CESE.  Write to cese@cese.org.br and find out how to join in.