And, in 2011, with the Missionaries of Charity soup kitchen, a Project that has been going basically every Stage since the

beginning… the Summer 2011 Solidarité Coordinator Shuveta Shikri in yellow, with friends.

Solidarité A journey in pictures since 1998…

Begun on the Commission Stage in 1998, these pictur es share an ongoing story…

The beginning:

Commission Newspaper,

Commission en Direct, March 1999

The last meeting of the first Solidarité team, February 1999. Solidarité founder, David Barnes

from Australia, at back, middle right, in white.

Summer 2003 - Fair Trade promotion at a National Party… gets us thinking ☺

Helping the older folks at the home of

the Little Sister of the Poor

2001, Lovissa Lillihöök (right) with friend working the Cloakroom,

Salsa Dance Lessons - raising funds and awareness of those in need. Performing here at the 2001 Spanish Party

We know

that when

we give, we

are happier

in

ourselves.

And being

happier

within

ourselves is

one of the

most

important

things we

can have

because it

affects

everything

we do.

In 2010, 55 Solidarité cyclers rode 200km to raise awareness and funds for street children in Nepal.

2003, an excursion with kids from Le Petit Chateau, Project Leader, Floris Vermeulen far right.

President Barroso joins Alexandre D’Angelo (front left) and the Solar Solidarity project

Solidarité

supports

practical

opportunities to

help others and

to be exposed to

and increase

understanding of

humanitarian and

social issues.

Solidarité

activities run by

Project Leaders /

Project Teams, or

linked with sub-

committee actions.

2009, European Ball Cloakroom… 3am 2008, Solidarité Calendar:

Marta Borque, Anastasia Diamanti, Oana Dumitrescu, Liesa Naumann, CarolineVrancken & Hana Vranova

The word ‘Solidarité’ is of course pronounced

virtually the same in many different languages.

It is ‘all for one and one for all’

Cycling from Brussels to Antwerp and Gent and back to Brussels - 2.5 days - raising awareness and more than 8000€ for street kids in Nepal

Your bags I presume Mesdemoiselles? (Will we ever forget the cloakroom?!)

2003, Solidarité Brussels half marathon ☺… (fundraising, pushing folks in wheelchairs for the journey…?)

2006, Commissioner Potočnik with a Solar Solidarity exhibition.

Winter 2010/11, Central Charity fund cheque presentation for micro credit and training for women in West Bengal, India.

Movers and shakers: Ciprian Begu, Ioana Leu and Zane Dziluma present cheque to Europe Third World

We all did a bit of this in solidarity for Solidarité – reflecting, then sharing, then acting and then celebrating

Promoting Fair Trade experiences at events

"The vision and commitment of Solidarité founder, David Barnes, has been a crucial constant in the growth of Solidarité over the years"

Before his Stage, David met Mother Teresa who talked about physical and spiritual poverty and the happiness and meaning we get when we give… this experience and message was a

large part of the inspiration for starting Solidarité.

‘Robert Schuman said a spirit of goodwill is not enough, a structure is needed.’

‘Why do we work for Solidarité and want it to grow? Because it gets us in touch with ourselves and with each other, because it helps others, because it leads by example, because these are

global institutions and it would support and inspire the people in them and because it ignites the heart – and the heart energy is

the strongest energy we have.’

‘Brussels is one of the best places in the world to change the world.’

Quotes and comments from Solidarité participants

“Thanks again for all the motivation and help. For us it was really nice to work together - Solidarité was such a great experience that I'm going to miss it! There are many challenges that you have faced and

worked with. It makes me smile to know of the efforts and the work you have done.” 2011

Today we had the reception with the Commissioner to give the Solidarité Central Charity Fund (this Stage its for AFESIP - an association fighting against sexual exploitation of children and young women in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam) and everyone thinks it has been a great success. People filled the room. We raised 20.000 Euro and we have more to give too. The Commissioner was very happy and supportive. Donatienne, Heidi and Maryse were there I want to thank them a lot.

The Comité des stagiares congratulated us on the amount of money and on the organisation of the event and the representative from AFESIP was very happy.

It's amazing because we are involving everybody here with our things, some officials for example sell pins from Solidarité to every single person they find. Besos, Amparo,2000

“Solidarité is an extremely enriching and rewarding experience. It's the first time I have participated in this kind of charity activities, but I'm delighted to

take part in it and hope to continue even after the Traineeship.” 2005

2001, Solidarité Farewell Reception.

“I remember Mother Teresa's sisters; easily the best thing I did with my time as a stagiaire, office work was never really me. Solidarité made my stage, no doubt about that.” Gerald, 2003

Pub Quiz

Pub Quiz ☺

…and another Pub Quiz… and another set of humanitarian questions to

humble and enlighten us

Mark Irwin, fearless leader, Summer 2003

Solidarité Conference -- Women and the Right to Food, July 2011

Solidarité yoga

Solidarité is more than 'giving

something back to the community’…

its also about looking inward,

challenging perceptions and

choosing, sharing and living positive

thoughts and values as we walk the

short path of life.

Gerry Simpson and Valeria Passalacqua –friends of Solidarité since 1998 – Gerry, with ticket in his hand was technically working the

cloakroom at the time

Presenting Solidarité to the Bureau des Stage and the Commission is valuable... here Ruth Mullally, Annabelle

Vasseur, Lovissa Lillihook and Nial Cassidy share with the Head of Stage Office, Paschalis Papachristopolous, 2001

Pub Quizz winners – at La Fontaine, 1999

Cloakroom cash for those in need

2005, David Barnes and the noble Jean Duriuex, RIP, a friend to Solidarité.

The Claokroom…we’re looking for a scarf back here

Mamma mia...what you do for charity… ABBA, Nordic National

Party

Refugee kids

picnic

2011, Commission buildings, singing,

Christmas time

2012, dedication, creativity and preparation for a cause – the Solidarité fashion parade at the

European Parliament

Discussing, sharing, learning, empowering

2012, Multi Kulti festival!

Food Fair, dance workshop, culture corner & party to raise awareness & funds for a water project in Bolivia

Solidarity with Solidarité ☺

At the Celebration of 25 consecutive Stages of Solidarité, 2011

Quotes and comments from Solidarité participants

Solidarité friends,

You inspire so many people, it is rare to find such commitment and determination, thanks for sharing with us. I am working now in Mauritania. Relations with the EU suffer here; 'we are dysfunctioning' some of the EU staff say… Its hard to understand how our integration programme seems to create confusion, stress and weak results… Solidarité’s efforts go much further than Brussels – they challenge the whole attitude of these Institutions in how they function, it is humanising and de-bureaucratizing… having a wing of Solidarity in the Delegations could perhaps help to improve conditions for them here… Many thanks, Big hug, Jess 2006

Good luck with the work prepared for the development of Solidarité, these bureaucrats live in an Orwellian world, they need to snap out of it and be more proactive, can't believe the nonsense they come up with, it is a thundering disgrace but yet commonplace in this troubled world, people of limited vision dominate the world's agenda and get in the way of solving a lot of the problems, HIV/AIDS in Africa being one of them, if it was their relations, their families, it would be a different story; when will they come to see that Solidarité should be something they are proud to support, its existence is proof that a bunch of highly educated and largely middle class kids from across the world are willing to get stuck in and get their hands dirty, they should be screaming this from the rafters …, as we say over here, Tiocfaidh ar la, which is Irish for 'Our day will come', keep plugging away at the wall it will eventually crack. You are on a winner …’ Gerry, Summer 2003

Email: …sometimes the weight on people in life and the fear in the institutions is palpable... it’s really amazing; somehow Solidarité makes me feel its worth getting through this to help create happy tree huggers in spirit ☺

Email Response: THAT’s where we get the energy from to do all this. We say to ourselves, ‘even if we struggle to implement solidarity, we can make people happier just by trying’. It’s all in the process, not in the result. Like life. Hmmmmm.... though i have to say that the thought of hugging a Brussels Commission official does not exactly set my potato on fire.

Taking it to the people – Solidarité sales and awareness, Winter 2007/8

Solidarité half marathon team, 2003

Solidarité Dance Lessons for a cause

Solidarité: you are an

Inspiration to me as I am sure you

are to others involved too. I

feel so fortunate and yet so damn

lucky. Andre 2005

The fact that the

world can at

times be a sad

and dissatisfying

place;

that people

occasionally feel

unfulfilled

or that life or

the world is

deeply unfair…

these are all

reasons the

principle that

there has to be more of a balance lies deeply in the

Solidarité

idealism and

philosophy.

Solidarité Food and Cultural (and fun) Fair

Connecting with the cause – Bolivian dancers join us

And yes… Solidarité serving green tea… ‘make tea not war’

Some:

adventure

belonging

bonding

ownership

learning

recognition

defending

supporting

friendship

…

some

good

ingredients

A Le Petit Château outing with refugee kids, Summer 2003

Taking kids to the carousel for the first time in their lives

With the football subcommittee and Schuman Trophy organisers - the Schuman Trophy that year helped fund

projects for underprivileged children.

Solar Solidarity

With Petit Chateau kids, Summer 2003

Team players.

At the 25th Stage celebration.

Berlaymont, Feb, 2011.

From one dreamer to another, way to go!

Arantzazu Miralles at the Little Sisters of the Poor, 2001

Hello Everybody! I really want to say you few words of my feeling for Solidarité. First of all in the name of the people of the Ecuadorian Amazon, thank you very much, for your unconditional work, long nights in the cloakrooms, for all the powerful sellers, for the meeting each week, the fantastic speeches (of future revolutionaries), thanks for all the people close to the projects and helped even with little things or wished us good luck. I learnt wonderful things and I have brought you with me in my memories and heart - and the people in Ecuador will be happy with the story of Solar Solidarity!

I wish you the best in your life and remember when you have some troubles don’t forget the words PURA VIDA! and share the good feeling of Solidarité with your friends - you can change the world with few things don’t forget that! PURA VIDA para todos, Y gracias otra vez

“Dear all, on 12th March, Roby & I will present Solidarité to the next stagiaires in Luxembourg intending to motivate them. Our efforts this Stage paid off & we made a good profit. It is a great satisfaction because this is the first time Solidarité activities were done in Luxembourg.

For us it was really nice to work together. Our activities supported a Romania Franciscan Foundation for Children. In fact we are meeting in order to visit them - we would like to do more than just sending money and want to see and to promote their activities. It was a great experience to work for Solidarité with you! I really hope future stagiaires can continue what we started this year.” Roberta 2004

Fair Trade display at the Charlemagne, 2003

Former Head of the

Bureau des Stages,

Joan Scott, joins in to mark and celebrate

action, 1999

With kids from Le Petit Chateau

He’s such a nice guy

Commissioner Andris Piebalgs joins in

Running together for a cause… this is fun!

Central Charity Fund cheque, Summer 2011: to install a solar energy water-pump for a medical clinic in a village in western Madagascar.

Movers and shakers join Shuveta Sekhri, centre, to present the cheque.

Commissioner Vassiliou buying a calendar at the celebration for the 25th consecutive Stage of Solidarité… she bought two! 2011

Maria Hadjimichael

one of the 3

fearless leaders of

the 2011/12 Stage

…led bravely along with Maria Aranha Moreira Sales, (in black) and in picture right, Carolina Guimaraes!

On the way to visit folks who live at Gare du Nord

Solidarité face painting project for a good cause

Winter 98/99, a Central Charity Fund cheque presentation; €23,145 for an orphanage in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia.

“Solidarité brought me closer to the local community.

It gave me contact with people who I would not normally have the opportunity to meet and talk to.

It is a great sharing experience.”

1998, the first Solidarité Clothes collection – 300 big bags, collected from 53 Commission buildings

Preparing food packages for people living on the street

2012, Robert and friends - Congolese fashion parade to raise awareness and funds for medical equipment in the Congo

Some of the Commission

en Direct Solidarité

stories over the years

Solidarité conference for a cause

Linking and becoming part of the Schuman Trophy, selling refreshments and Solidarité merchandise for charity

Csilla Szabó and friends sold Easter eggs (and brownies) made according

to Eastern European tradition to raise funds for a water pump in

Madagascar 2011 (each egg took an average 1 hour to prepare)

Solidarité fashion parade, European

Parliament, helping victims of AIDS.

Solidarité has produced several cook books over the years linked to helping others - with recipes from trainees all over the world - sharing a meal is a way to share life

Solidarité parties ← ….linked to helping others ↑

Above, Joan Scott and Commissioner Vassiliou watch Emmanouil Athanassiou, fearless leader, Winter 2002/3, speak at the 25th Stage of Solidarité celebrations, and below, hand art at the celebrations.

Solidarité cup: “Conscience keeps more people awake than coffee”

Erika, Veronika, Nadia and Leila at the Solidarity/Environment Subcommittees ‘Fish it up` party to fund a small-scale fisheries project to improve the wellbeing of people suffering from malnutrition and unemployment.

Solidarité 25 Stages celebration, February 2011. L to R: Joan Scott, former head of the Bureau Des Stages, Donatienne Claeys-Bouuaert, formerly from ECHO (both of whom made beginning Solidarité possible), David

Barnes and long term supporters Evalyne Soetewey and Maryse Robert (absent, Heidi Fuehrmann)

So many Central Charity Fund causes…

“I just got back from the

reception organised by Solidarité

with Commissioner Nielson to hand over

20.000 Euro for the Central

Charity Fund. That was awesome".

2000

Inspiring speech…

Summer 2011 Coordinator

Shuveta Shikri

Ciprian Begu, fearless leader, Winter 2010/11

Some of the Central Charity Funds in pictures below.

The Central Charity Fund has now collected over €400,000 for projects all over the world.

Adding all fundraising, including National Parties, Solidarité has raised over 1.8million €.

We are many and one

Creativity, freedom and caring

… many times, many people put their best foot forward

Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, with Solidarité fashion parade at the

25th Stage of Solidarité celebrations

Promoting a cultural night - discussion, presentation, music, dancing, food and film for an irrigation project in Bolivia… do

people have this much enthusiasm in the office?!

Paolo Gomes, Paula Pinho and Laurie Queron at a Franco-German National Party Cloakroom. 1999.

Leila Stehlik-Barry and Silvia Segade-Sanz present a Central Chairty Fund cheque to Europe Third World

- for hospital equipment and a fisheries for those suffering malnutrition and unemployment. 2012

Imagination, a cloakroom, a cause, a party…

…hanging out and working with friends

Joining friends from the Congo in a fashion parade at the Commission, supporting children’s medical supplies

2007, at Le Petit Chateau refugee centre… the Christmas celebration

Supporting a Charity Art Auction

Examples of linking with a local NGO – Serve the City – we can join to help the homeless, asylum seekers, disabled, elderly, children in need, victims of abuse etc. Working under a motto of

‘We know them by their needs. What if we knew them by name?’

Dancing lessons with the elderly or marginalised

Environment clean-up

Selling food at the DEVCO Charity Art Auction for Solidarity… and Veronika’s kitchen, where much of it was prepared

At the Solidarité Eurovision Traffic light party, jointly organized for a good cause with

the Speed-dating Subcommittee 2012

Multicultural Frank Sinatra – fundraising at a Euro Ball, 1999.

Visiting those who don’t get visits

Many hands make light work… preparing food (above) and clothes (below) to take to the homeless

Some of the crowd at the celebration for the 25th Stage of Solidarité, Berlaymont building, Feb 2011.

Doing a long-haul bike adventure together for awareness and care.

Going out together for a good cause

Closing Conference – summarising solidarity activities at the end of a Stage.

And, what it’s all for…

Solidarité works:

• conscious of the responsibility to make a positive difference in our personal and global world

• conscious of the responsibility to motivate and encourage others to promote harmonious environments and peace

• conscious of the responsibility to bring hope, and

• to help provide practical opportunities through which the hearts, hands and minds of those involved can be applied with respect and compassion for the benefit of others

Copy and paste the link below to see a video of where we did it, and with who:

http://www.stagecommittee.org/photos-videos#!__photos-videos/video-diary-2010-11