“Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (AMOS 5.24)
On October 7th, the CIDSE family gathered at Chapel for Europe, in Brussels, to celebrate 60 years of working together, 60 years of a journey built by countless hands and hearts, one that continues to inspire us to this day.
The date itself carries weight. Two years after the attacks in Israel and the ongoing horrors in Palestine, it would have been easy to surrender to despair. But the CIDSE family came together that day not just to remember that we need courage to continue our fight for global justice and solidarity, but also to take a moment to celebrate together.
CIDSE is like a river: it begins small and gathers strength as it flows together.
Through all the obstacles, through all our differences, it moves forward. CIDSE is a network, a family of Catholic social justice organisations working for the common good carrying forward a message of solidarity, peace, and hope for the future we want to see.
For 60 years, CIDSE has been working toward a world of peace, justice, equality, and partnership. The work it does today shapes the world of tomorrow.
An Evening of Reflection and Renewal
The celebration opened with reflections from CIDSE Secretary General Josianne Gauthier, who reminded us to have courage and move forward, even in difficult times.
“No, the struggle is not over. Perhaps we have simply witnessed a relatively long pause in the storm cycle, where we forgot some of the skills required to respond to these adversaries. Perhaps we are now being called to serve as well, and act with courage—to remember what we know and what we believe in. The river continues to flow, and we are part of it.”
Her powerful words set the tone for what followed: a roundtable conversation weaving together voices from CIDSE’s past and present, former colleagues who helped build this movement alongside those still shaping its current.
“Real solidarity is staying in solidarity even in moments of difficulty, to keep the river running (…) Being part of CIDSE means not looking away and believing that every action matters. Together, yes, we can.”
Paper Boats Carrying Hope
Between laughter, tenderness, and friendship, we embarked on something special: writing down our aspirations for CIDSE’s next decade on paper boats. These boats carry more than wishes—they carry a promise. In less than a month, they’ll make their way to Belém for COP30, a tangible reminder that we hold steady even as we navigate uncertain waters.
The evening reached its crescendo with inspiring words from CIDSE President, Bernd Nilles, Director of Fastenaktion, who has been part of the CIDSE family for years and helped shape the story that brought us to this moment.
“This is the role of CIDSE now and in the future. We need to make decision makers listen to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor. We are one of the strongest advocacy networks and we have the responsibility and means to fight for justice and to make a difference. Doing this together makes us stronger and increases our impact.”
Looking Back, Moving Forward
We couldn’t close such a ceremony without honoring CIDSE’s history and the many people who have been part of our journey throughout the world. Below, you’ll find a video that compiles moments from CIDSE’s achievements, a testament to what we’ve built together.
As we step into the future, let’s keep inspiring each other to be courageous—like a river that flows through obstacles and finds its strength in unity.
A heartfelt thank you to all who took part and shared these moments with CIDSE.
Additional resources: CIDSE 60 event Flickr Album
CIDSE contact: Giorgio Gotra, Operations & Communications manager, CIDSE (gotra(at)cidse.org)
Cover image credits: CIDSE.