Institutional Program Outline

Transcription

1 Institutional Program Outline v

2 Table of contents INTRODUCTION 3 1. MANDAT 3 2. VISION AND MISSION VISION AND MISSION BASIC VALUES AND PRINCIPLES IN SWITZERLAND AND ABROA PARTNERSHIP Priority axes 5 3. GENERAL OBJECTIVE 6 4. STRATEGY PRESENTATION GOAL: DEVELOPMENT IN A HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE THE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES The Material Dimension: An Intercultural Dynamic of Exchanges and Solidarity The Social Dimension: An Intercultural Dynamic of Peace The Spiritual Dimension : An Intercultural Dynamic of Christian Testimony Commitment to the Interface of the Three Dimensions MEANS Churches Sharing their Competences Mutually Supportive Churches Churches Open to the World's Diversity THE APPROACH BY PROGRAM Programs and Actions of Testimony and Solidari Exchanges 15 v

3 Introduction In agreement with its statutes and the guidelines approved by the Missionary Synod in 2012, DM-échange et mission positions itself as : a missionary service for Protestant churches in Switzerland and around the world ; a partner in the Swiss network for development cooperation. This document therefore uses expressions from the Christian tradition and technical language from cooperative development, in order to show in which interactions works. The important guidelines of the institutional program are : intercultural dynamics of Christian testimony in words and acts ; a parallel structure for the engagements of regarding churches in Switzerland (testimony in Switzerland) and around the world (international solidarity) ; work in a holistic perspective ; a programmatic approach to reinforce the coherence of engagements and account for it. This document's aim is : internally, to define the directions, collaborations and evaluations of the engagements decided with partner churches. externally, to present the objectives, competences and impacts of the work of DM-échange et mission with partner churches. 1. Mandat is mandated by the Protestant churches of Suisse romande to : - think with them about the mission of the Church, as well as ensure its application, in the unity of the proclamation of the Gospel and of the service in Switzerland and in the world ; - ensure and reinforce relations with the Protestant churches and institutions of poor, fragile or emerging countries, within the context of long-term partnerships founded on dialogue, sharing and responsibility ; - contribute to the sensibilisation of civilian society in Suisse romande regarding the issues of international solidarity and worldwide challenges. 2. Vision and mission 2.1. Vision and mission considers the message of the Gospel as a call to live with God and to respect the dignity of each person. inscribes itself in an ecumenical dynamic defined in 1989: We cannot indicate another way for salvation than Jesus Christ. At the same time, it is impossible for us to fix limits to God's power of salvation. Between those two affirmations, there exists a tension which we can perceive but not resolve. With the words of Christian tradition, it is thus asserted that, even in religious and spiritual matters, no conviction can claim to contain the absolute truth. 3 v

4 With the FEPS and mission 21, shares the understanding of the mission proposed by the COE : Mission implies a global conception : it is the proclamation and sharing of the good news of the Gospel through the Word (kerygma), acts (diaconia), prayer and worship (leiturgia) and the daily testimony of Christian life (martyria) ; teaching to edify and fortify people in their relationship with God and between each other, it is also healing in order to promote integrity and reconciliation in the koinonia communion with God, communion with each human being, as well as communion with creation in its entirety. Evangelization, without excluding the mission's different dimensions, is based on the explicit and deliberate proclamation of the Gospel, including the invitation to a personal conversion, to a new life in Christ and to obedience. Définition de la Mission globale selon le COE (Document d étude sur la mission, Conférence de la CME 2000, point 7). participates in the construction of partnerships between churches founded on programs and projects of testimony, of cooperative development and of exchange of people, beyond any geographical, social, economic or cultural borders Basic Values and Principles in Switzerland and Abroad - Respect of differences spiritual and cultural - Solidarity, justice, equity priority of engagement towards people exposed to social marginalisation, to economic exclusion, to cultural, political and religious oppression. Women, men and children have an equal right to respect, to justice, to resources, to taking responsibilities. - Responsibility and reciprocity an authentic partnership and common actions require the participation of each partner, and build their responsibilities. DM échange et mission is in charge of recognizing them and valorizing them in Switzerland. - Durability common actions produce beneficial effects and can be assumed by the partners. - Proximity and participation testimony and actions of solidarity are based on the partners' realities. The partners participate in their identification, the decisions and their application. - Global approach of the human being as a physical, psychic and spiritual person, in relation and in interaction with their social, cultural, ethical, economic and political context, and inserted in a natural environment to manage in long term Partnership maintains partnerships with Protestant churches and non-government organisations (NGOs) which are linked to churches or are interdenominational 1. Churches which mandate DM- 1 In order to facilitate the reading, the terms «partners» and «churches» are used indistinctively in this document, whether those partners are churches or NGOs linked to churches. v

5 Les grandes lignes du Programme institutionnel échange et mission and who work with to reach its institutional objectives are also considered partners. In Switzerland, works with the FEPS, mission 21, PPP and the EPER ; it also favours partnerships with organisms which share values of tolerance, solidarity and equity. It promotes a global approach of the human being, whatever their age, sex, status, culture and religion. In 2005, redefined its strategic frame for cooperation. The partnerships were divided into four categories according to the intensity of exchanges and the nature of the cooperation during the previous years : - active partnerships : Cooperation through projects and by exchange of people is regular ; - partnerships as a member: is a member of cooperation networks and actively contributes ; - mandated partnerships: manages relations and cooperation in the context of multilateral cooperations (with PPP for isntance) ; - partnerships on standby: institutional links exist, but they are latent. Since 2006, active partnerships are focused on 13 countries : South Africa, Angola, Benin, Cameroun, Congo RD, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambic, Rwanda, Togo, Egypt, Cuba, Mexico Priority axes In order to give more coherence to its partnerships and to strengthen the impact, priviledges three strategical axes: Thematic concentration In dialogue with its partners, gets involved in the following domains: - education, health, social action, the environment, the promotion of peace, holistic community development. Four types of work are found across all programs: - theological animation, intercultural dialogue, institutional reinforcement, education. Regional collaboration encourages relations and collaborations between partners of a same geographical region. Multilateral cooperation favours collaboration and exchanges between several partners in Switzerland and elsewhere. It is the reason why it is engaged in churches and NGO networks which work together: Cevaa, ACO fellowship, Secaar, Terre Nouvelle, Unité, Communauté de coopération de PPP. 5 v

6 3. General objective expects that, in the name of the Gospel and even in a minor position, churches play a transforming role in society, in order to establish fairer relations between humans and favour an environment which allows to live. These general objectives are expressed as follows: Together, the churches reflect a change of life possible, Together, they are committed to fair relationships between humans, Together, they transform the systems and values that threaten life. 4. Strategy 4.1. Presentation The goal 2 of partnerships is a holistic development 3 which balances three essential aspects of humanity: material, social and spiritual. The application here aims at society in its entirety.. For this, churches must have means, in other words, competences, an institutional stability and be open to the world. The application here aims at the partners. The material : relation with the environment The social : relation with ourselves and with others The spiritual : relation with God Finality Together, the churches reflect a change of life possible, Together, they are committed to fair relationships between humans, Together, they transform the systems and values that threaten life. Churches who share their competences Churches who strengthen each other Means Churches open to the world's diversity Concerning means, three different types must be identified: - as an interface between partners in Switzerland and elsewhere, - Swiss churches who organise holistic activities in their society, 2 Ideal objective to attain. 3 Or global. See 4.2 v

7 Les grandes lignes du Programme institutionnel - partners from elsewhere who organise holistic activities in their society. As an interface, considers that its engagement concerns as much foreign partners as it does Swiss churches. If the work tools and methods used in Switzerland and elsewhere are distinct, the program objectives present certain analogies Goal: Development in a Holistic Perspective 's conception of holistic development is inspired by Jean-Blaise Kenmogne's reflection in L éthique des liens 4 : work on the interactions that happen in each of us through the bonds we create with our environment (material), with others (social), and with God (spiritual). The holistic approach aims to reverse dehumanizing and destructive mechanisms, by giving up sectorial approaches and compartmentalized methods. The goal is to develop a new relational dynamic, by soundly combining all kinds of locally (or not locally, if necessary) available resources with the idea that their conjugated effect will be qualitatively superior to the result of several separate projects. relation with the environment The material : reduction of vulnerability Spiritual reinforcement Holistic development The spiritual : reinforcement of bravery of life and faith relation with God Reduction of social tensions Reduction of religious tensions, ecumenism The social : reductions of conflicts and tensions relation with ourselves and the others 4.3. The Strategic Objectives According to their values and priorities, each partner is responsible for determining the manner in which they wish to contribute to the context wherein it transforms. contributes in reinforcing the actions of its partners which correspond to its strategic objectives in the three dimensions : material, social and spiritual of the holistic movement. These transformation objectives aim as much at societies in which partners work as Swiss society where DMéchange et mission collaborates with the churches of Suisse romande. Consequently, there are two work directions, international solidarity on one part, testimony and sensibilisation in Switzerland on the other. The objectives are identified in the next chapters under Abroad and In Switzerland. 4 Kenmogne, J.-B. L Ethique des liens, CLE, Yaoundé, v

8 To work on these objectives, is developing its capacity to collect the necessary funding, through communication and marketing actions which reinforce its notoriety and its visibility (objectives ). The material : relation with the environment The social : relation with ourselves and with others The spiritual : relation with God Finality Objectives Intercultural dynamic of sharing and solidarity : Intercultural dynamic of peace : Intercultural dynamic of Christian testimony : Abroad In Switzerland Reduction of a population's vulnerability Reinforcement of resources sharing Reductions of conflicts and tensions Life in society improvement Reinforcement of bravery of life and faith Together, the churches reflect a change of life possible, Together, they are committed to fair relationships between humans, Together, they transform the systems and values that threaten life. Churches who share their competences Churches who reinforce each other Churches open to the world's diversity Means DM Swiss churches Partners DM Swiss churches Partners DM Swiss churches Partners Objectives Expertise in development and intercultural relations Competences in intercultural development and intercultural relations. Technical and intercultural competences Guaranteed international engagement Visibility in society Anchoring, international institutional efficency Openmindedness, tolerance, ecumenism, interreligious dialogue The Material Dimension: An Intercultural Dynamic of Exchanges and Solidarity Abroad : Reduction of a population's vulnerability is involved in the following axis : - Reinforce the viability of communities (in terms of resources and environment) to diminish their exposition to risks, as well as to increase their socio-economic capacities (and thus their adaptation capacity). - Reinforce community solidarity (strong social links) in order to dimish their sensibility to risk. - Reinforce the communities' autonomy ( empowerment, capacity to adapt ) to increase their capacity to act and to adapt. v

9 Les grandes lignes du Programme institutionnel In Switzerland : Reinforcement of resources sharing works with parishes and in the population in general to develop a culture of solidarity according to two axes: - an individual or collective solidary action: a donation to a development or engagement project that provides for people in fragile situations, in Switzerland or abroad ; - an individual or collective political action at the Swiss or international level : advocacies, petitions, support letters, etc The Social Dimension: An Intercultural Dynamic of Peace Abroad : Reductions of conflicts and tensions supports its partners' projects and actions that promote dialogue and the pacific resolution of conflicts by working with populations who are victims of : a. socio-political tensions: vulnerability and/or discrimination of a population group; b. economic tensions: inequalities between communities (insecurity, corruption, etc.); c. religious tensions: confessional partitioning, religious fanaticism, aggressive proselytizing, etc. In Switzerland : Life in society improvement Intercultural sensibilisation is a fundamental axis of the work of in promoting a culture of peace. In a globalised world where every civilian society is confronted with interculturalism, churches must be the bearers of values of peace and dialogue to learn about living together. The multiplicity of opportunities to meet and exchange facilitates this learning. To this end, valorises its networks made with churches around the world The Spiritual Dimension : An Intercultural Dynamic of Christian Testimony Abroad and In Switzerland : Reinforcement of bravery of life and faith considers that the spiritual dimension is a leaven for the social (relational) and material (economic and ecological) dimensions. brings attention to a) the potentialities and b) the risks of an intense spiritual life: 9 v

10 a) to reinforce the capacity to hold on through ordeals and to testify about significant experiences lived in the name of the Gospel; b) to develop an indifference towards the other dimensions of existence, with risks of exclusiveness, of withdrawal or of seizing power over others. brings attention to a) the potentialities and b) the risks of a weak, if not non-existent, spiritual life: a) allow a tolerance towards the diversity of religious beliefs; b) lack the tools to analyse religious phenomenons when the spiritual dimension falls to the private sphere or is considered superstitious belief. wants to be a bridge between various expressions of Christian spirituality, with the conviction that exchanges and discoveries can enrich the spirituality of every one and and every community Commitment to the Interface of the Three Dimensions 's engagements with its partners is situated at the intersection between the three material, spiritual and social thematic axes (cf. Schema p. 7). Spiritual reinforcement Objectives Under the light of the Gospel, a dynamic of exchange and dialogue reinforces international solidarity networks and challenges people or institutions who are over-confident about themselves or their beliefs. Strategic guidelines are particularly concerned with: - reinforcing the capacity of groups to take their destiny into their own hands; - reinforcing dialogue concerning beliefs and spiritual experiences; - the prevention of abuse and of instrumentalization of spirituality in fragile people. Strategy / action Theological animation can be compared to the dynamic of popular education as practiced in Latin America. With partner Churches, is developing work as much based on theological education as it is education for ministers and other people in charge : working together on various and contrasted texts of the Biblical tradition and thinking about the way this work leads to actions of sharing and solidarity. Reduction of social tensions At the intersection of situations of vulnerability and places of conflict social tensions emerge which must be identified and reduced through respect and solidarity. Objectives Vulnerable groups are integrated into society in terms of recognition of their dignity and of their right of access to resources (end of discriminations, fair material situation). Strategy / action and its partners engage with the reduction of social tensions which are born from increasing inequalities, in relation to the unjust appropriation of natural resources, discrimination founded on identity processes linked to genre, religion, origin, etc. Churches exercise a mandate for prophetic calling, claimed both by the advocacy leaders and by actions at the bottom (ecclesial movements, local parishes, women, youth, engaged laymen, etc.). v

11 Les grandes lignes du Programme institutionnel Reduction of religious tensions, ecumenism At the intersection of spaces of spiritualties and places of conflicts religious tensions arise which must be identified and reduced through dialogue and ecumenical action ; Objectives Churches resist the instrumentalisation of the religious dimension in conflicts of power and of access to resources. They commit themselves to the respect of cultural and religious differences, as well as to their pacific coexistence. They consequently demonstrate the pertinence of the evangelical values that animate them. Strategy / action encourages the deconstruction of incomprehension and distrust. DM-échange et mission collaborates in the construction of intercommunal bridges. It supports strategies for education and for the reinforcement of its partners' capacities in terms of situation and risk analysis, of pacific communication and of crisis management. supports initiatives by partner churches to exercise reflection and consultation between them, to strengthen exchanges and solidarity through national networks (Christian councils) and international networks. It encourages efforts for dialogue with other religious beliefs. It supports their refusal of extremism and fundamentalism. It eases opening spaces for dialogue and meditation. It also supports its partners in their engagement in cooperation with other actors of civilian society and in the dialogue with rulers to favour civil and religious peace Means In order to fill its role of social transformer, churches in Switzerland and around the world must : have good competences to reinforce the efficiency of their actions ; be institutionally strong to position itself as a recognized speaker by civil society and, sometimes, by the State ; be open to the world and to others in order to constitute fertile ground for the development of ideas and values which contribute to a social transformation. For this role of transformer with its partners, launches projects linked to these three conditions. The target group is made of people, departments or movements of churches or partner organisations. In this chapter, we distinguish between the means that offers to churches in Switzerland and around the world (external objectives), and the means necessary to its own activity (internal objectives) Churches Sharing their Competences Churches Sharing their Competences Abroad : technical and intercultural competences In order to fill its role as transformer, churches must have competences in the fields that they wish to priorities : - Theological - Educational - Management and governance - Sectorial methods 11 v

12 participates in building theological competences which are characterized by a spirit of sharing, of tolerance, of ecumenic and interreligious opening. believes that it is essential that its partners have advanced educational competences to allow for the transmission of knowledge adapted to each context and for the multiplication of competences. and its partners develop together competences in management, in order to favour good governance in leading partnerships and in the application of programs and projects. Partners of must have the necessary sectorial method competences in their fields of activity : agronomy, ecology, health, environment, prevention, education, etc. In all of these fields, getting in contact with one another plays a central role in transmitting competences and sharing knowledge. Therefore, it is logical that exchanging people plays a major role in building competences. Switzerland : competences in development and interculturalism the programmatic approach established with partners abroad can be a source of inspiration for churches in Switzerland engaged in social testimony projects. can share its intercultural competences with churches in Switzerland regarding questions of immigration, social integration or interconfessional and interreligious tensions. With its partner networks in Switzerland and abroad, reinforces churches' vigilance towards situations of injustice, of conflict or of disaster in the world. DM-échange et mission helps to mobilise for actions of solidarity which consider cultural, social, economical or religious diversities. : an expertise in development and interculturality To assume its mandate, guarantees advanced competences in two main fields : a programmatic approach, following internationally recognized quality criteria ; intercultural relations, according to the Gospel's values which call for respect and humility Mutually Supportive Churches Churches who reinforce each other Abroad : strong and stable churches Strength and stability do not mean that churches must remain unchangeable through the centuries and continue to do the same thing. On the contrary, churches must have the capacity to invent and offer words and acts that are pertinent in their contemporary context. In this regard, three aspects are key : a. Local and international ties - the institutional stand is clearly defined and easily communicable ; - Networking is done according to a clearly defined and communicated strategy ; - institutional stability reinforces credibility : it allows for collaborating with trust and in the long run, including during exchanges between people and in evolving contexts. v

13 Les grandes lignes du Programme institutionnel b. Institutional maturity To avoid sterile power struggles, hierarchical structures must be completed with places for horizontal dialogue that favour listening, mutual respect, and a common appropriation of the institution's values. c. Institutional efficiency - Churches must be able to access (mainly local) material, human and financial resources in line with the objectives they set. - Partners must respect principles of good governance (clarity of decision processes, traceability of financial flows, fight against corruption). - Internal communication allows for the flow of information ; it must provide places for informal dialogue which stimulate synergies and generate new ideas... - Capacity of adaptation and openness to innovation and change are very important for institutional development. Switzerland : A Heightened Visibility in Society To play a transforming role in Swiss society, churches must develop their capacities to bring awareness in the name of Christian values of justice, peace and the respect of creation. participates in improving the visibility of French-speaking Swiss churches by emphasizing their international solidarity engagement and by valorising a culture of testimony, in words and acts. : An Assured International Engagement The financial capacities of depend on the support of its founding churches, its members and the Swiss population. To assume its various engagements, must therefore develop new strategies to seek funding Churches Open to the World's Diversity Churches Open to the World's Diversity In Switzerland and abroad : from tension to openmindedness In Switzerland as much as abroad, churches are faced with the challenges of urbanisation and globalisation : an increasingly diversified and competitive market, reduction of family and community solidarity, youth detachment, rise in number of senior citizens, etc. These realities often cause a strong identity reaction, going from tension to withdrawal. However, communion in diversity is one the Gospel's fundamental values which calls to resist any identity withdrawal. To be actors of social transformation, churches must therefore be open to the world and to others. To reach this objective, : participates in reflections on cultural diversity, the respect of otherness, ecumenical testimony ; encourages cooperation between common engagements between Swiss and foreign churches ; supports the integration of churches in solidarity and exchange networks (Cevaa, ACO, SECAAR, etc.), who are asked to go beyond geographical, social and cultural borders ; favours and exercises the exchange of people ; promotes social and religious communities which welcome diversity ; gets Swiss and foreign Christians in touch with one another ; supports projects aiming at reinforcing the openmindedness of partners churches and mutual learning through experience sharing. 13 v

14 : a capacity of adaptation To claim to open to the world and to changes induced by meeting the other, must demonstrate its capacity to consider the evolution of the contexts where it works in order to face new challenges, in Switzerland and elsewhere The Approach by Program The approach by program aims to put all collaborations into one long-term perspective, the objectives of which are defined with the partners and the impacts of which are easily measurable. Projects are at the heart of this work, but they contribute together to the collaborative program. The collaborative program is a privileged place for sharing experiences between the different actors and favours synergies and collaborations. Each program becomes a place of reinforcement of capacities, in which each speaker finds the information, resources and support he needs to launch his activities. The programmatic approach having proven itself with international partners, also offers it to Suisse romande churches in order to launch multiannual collaboration programs aiming at objectives defined together. This collaboration must allow both to dynamise Switzerland churches' testimony and to make a place of interface between partner churches from here and elsewhere Programs and Actions of Testimony and Solidarity invites its partners to an approach of prioritization and of strategic choices, identifying fields of action for a given period. Each program accordingly becomes : - an instrument of strategic steering of the concerned organisation's actions ; - a support for communication, monitoring and exchanges between partners ; - a catalyst to share experiences and common learning. Instrument to steer actions The programmatic approach comes from an organisation's point of view and inscribes itself in its mission, with regards to its particular context. It describes its engagement in an identified field of action (activity sector, geographical zone, social group, thematic group, etc.) after analysis of the situation. A multiannual strategic plan explains in which way the organisation plans to reach its established general objectives. It specifies how the work axes are linked together and allow developing synergies which reinforce the program's impact. It plans complementary activities which aim to increase the program's efficiency and quality (transversal themes, collaborations, advocacy,...) It includes a device to monitor and evaluate. It specifies the arrangements made for the sustainability of acquired things (human resources, financial empowerment, organisational capacity). Support for communication, monitoring and exchanges between partners The solidarity between partners is powered by sharing two resources, both as essential as the other : information and finances. The approach by well-documented program gives it a highly adapted basis which allows to communicate, particularly on the following points : - the engagements' context and priorities ; - the program's evolution, progressively reached results ; - experiences, successes, difficulties ; - the program's impact on the organisation's and the final beneficiaries' lives. A catalyst to share experiences and common learning Analysing the working context of and its partners demonstrates the importance of a monitored exchange on the experiences and acquired benefits for churches and organisations. The program provides a frame of analysis and evaluation which makes appreciating the results and the effects of the un- v

15 Les grandes lignes du Programme institutionnel dertook actions possible. This appreciation facilitates a dynamic to share experiences. Churches' programs can accordingly become the support for transversal communal activities, particularly when they touch themes in the form of exchanges and workshops that concretely enable to share experiences and common learning. Space of reinforcement for institutional capacities offers its partners to include in their program an approach of reinforcement of their technical and organisational capacities in order to increase the quality of implementation, of monitoring, of management and of communication. Approaches Beside the holistic approach, applies the following principles : - participatory approach : partners, final beneficiaries and the different stakeholders are associated with the elaboration of the actions, their implementation and their appreciation ; - partnership and interdependence : any financial dependence causes medium-term damageable relational asymmetries. The collaboration between partners aims at a balance respecting the partners' autonomy while favouring mutual learning Exchanges proposes interpersonal, intercultural and interprofessional exchanges with its partners, with the goal of sharing experiences, competences, beliefs and questions. The exchange of people takes place within the frame of partnerships, in the form of dispatching and welcoming. Those two dimensions are indissociable, even if missionary traditions tend to stress dispatch more. Dispatching and receiving people aim at similar objectives and inscribe themselves in the development of a culture of Christian testimony. The type of exchange applied requires a differentiated weighting of the importance of each dispatch or reception's objectives. While keeping in mind the importance of negotiating these objectives for each case, according to the specificities defined with the partner, we can sketch «dominant tones» for each type of exchange : - collaboration with the partners and sharing of competences through medium or long term stays (6-12 months or 2 years and more) which have a stronger communication potential ; - civil service : collaboration with civil authorities reinforces impacts in non-religious domains ; - discovery and sensibilisation internship (2-4 months) : through dispatching or receiving, with the possibility if required of validation within the frame of professional training ; - expertise mission with specific mandate ; - group travel : prepared so as not to have only emotional sensibilisation ; - visits : official for significant events, and/or fraternal as a sign of communion ; - work trip between professional teams of Switzerland and elsewhere. Bringing people together in any kind of way means exchanges on the individual level. This individual experience cannot be described exhaustively ; its impact remains difficult to measure, as much for the receiving environment as for the environment in which that person lives when they return. For, this mutual questioning is at the centre of every exchange. It enables the awareness and deconstruction of prejudice. Exchange is accordingly an amazing place to learn about the diversity of ways to work, live and believe : - Intercultural collaboration leads to questioning and the reciprocal expansion of professional competences. - Intercultural experience allows to gain in lucidity regarding challenges to take on in the world and in solidarity to resist the dominant social, political and economical models. Close to alter-globalization without being interchangeable, these networks lay claim to the Gospel and are creations of communion between «people of all nations, tribes, peoples and languages» according to the words of Biblical tradition. 15 v

16 - Intercultural testimony enables to better see the Gospel's call to go over geographical, social, political, economical or religious borders. It also brings to attention the risk of instrumentalisation of beliefs by reminding us that Christians are not responsible for the faith of others, but for their own faith before others. considers that the exchange does not stop on the return journey, but that it continues to have an impact long after, as much for those who took part in the exchange as for their close or wide circle. The impact of these individual experiences is neither controllable nor measurable. The many collected testimonies show that this impact contributes itself to reach the institutional objectives set by DM-échange et mission. Lausanne, October 2014 The complete version of the 2014 Institutional program was approved by the Missionary Synod on May 10 th, It is available in french at the office. v