The association's values are based on the principles of solidarity, cooperation, non-violence, social justice, participatory democracy, respect for human rights, support for equal opportunities between people, gender equality, promotion and enhancement of diversity. RE.TE. always opposes the marketization of society and world, in favor of a fair economy and a more equitable distribution of resources. The association recognizes the values of respect and protection of the environment and natural resources, promoting environmentally and socially sustainable cooperation actions, both in socio-cultural and environmental terms. RE.TE. acts in support of a multi-ethnic and multicultural civilization.
The experience of cooperation has led the association to act with special attention to the affirmation of social and economic rights, the development of employment and the protection of environment. The cooperation projects are designed to support and strengthen existing economic activities, increase the professional skills, promote the employment of young people and women, boost self-employment through training and micro-credit, improve production and marketing, support grassroots organizations of small producers, such as cooperatives, promoting a spirit of community solidarity. We also support local and national institutions in the process of improving services to citizens, through the creation of service, training and local development centers.
RE.TE. also promotes the conservation of the environment by promoting environmentally, socially and culturally sustainable cooperation. In particular, we work to protect ecosystems in priority areas for biodiversity and promote the conservation of fragile eco-systemic areas (such as semi-arid sub-Saharan band) with agro-ecological techniques.
In Europe, in collaboration with schools, universities, unions, movements and the wide world of volunteering, RE.TE. works to communicate the situations of the South of the world and the mechanisms that cause poverty, bringing out the need and the possibility to overcome these mechanisms, and helping build a suistainable policy of cooperation and integration. RE.TE. tries to act against the causes of migration and rejection of immigrants policies, promoting a multiethnic and multicultural society, for the respect of civil and citizenship rights in countries of origin and those of immigration.
Mission
RE.TE. wants to change the dynamics which are not protecting people’s rights, proposing a fair, supportive and environmentalist alternative. We wish to support the processes that propose an alternative to unbridled liberalism and social and environmental destructive life styles. RE.TE. intends to collaborate and strengthen relationships with other organizations and movements working on the same goals. The base of RE.TE. activities is the struggle for a more equal society, principally through the defense of citizens' rights and the fight in favor of food sovereignty. RE.TE. does not want to be just a technical organization, but above all focused on global political issues, through the implementation of initiatives to protect the right to food and land, childcare and education, health, decent work and gender equality. RE.TE. proposes to:
• participate in the creation of a social and sustainable economy supporting cooperatives, trade unions, community groups and farmers' associations that operate with the same objectives;
• reclaim access to basic rights for vulnerable and disadvantaged people;
• contribute to sustainable rural development by enhancing the fragile areas, and protecting the natural resources and the socio-cultural diversity.
Vision
RE.TE. means the international cooperation as an exchange of ideas and discussion between different realities in a real common action between the South and the North players and not according to a conception that sees the northern countries as donors and the South as more or less "passive" beneficiary. The action of RE.TE. must become the instrument and not the final goal in order to support the development of communities able to defend their rights in the face of the dominant neoliberal system logic. RE.TE. wants to support alternative development processes through local means, to strongly affirm the rights and social needs of the people of the South and North of the world. In the short to medium term RE.TE. aims to develop links with agencies and organizations to build shared routes of development, in an equal and inclusive vision of cooperation. The positive experiences and skills acquired on the field can be used for knowledge exchange and strengthening of capacity in similar contexts. While it is necessary to strengthen relationships within the organizations networks, both in Italy and abroad, on the other hand it is important to develop new capacities to respond to the increasingly complex needs of the most vulnerable populations. RE.TE. wants to become a true "network" linking various organizations, both locally and internationally, a link between the various actors operating in the field of international cooperation.
RE.TE. adheres to:
Organization chart
SECRETARIAT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President: Maria Cinzia Messineo
Vice-president: Luca Giliberti
Directors: Daniela Guasco, Elisa Lenhard, Giuseppe Deplano
ADMINISTRATION
General administration - amministrazione@reteong.org
DESK OFFICER
International projects: Daniela Guasco daniela.guasco@reteong.org
European projects : Giuseppe Deplano - giuseppe.deplano@reteong.org
INTERNATIONAL STAFF
Honduras: Alex Maffeis alex.maffeis@reteong.org