ARCS - Arcs Arci Cultura e Sviluppo

ARCS Arci Cultura e Sviluppo is an Italian Ngo. It is part of Arci, a national association for social promotion founded in 1957. The history and the values of ARCI have their roots in the 19th century tradition of mutual solidarity and people’s self-organizing capacity. At present ARCI has about 5.600 clubs and 1.100.000 members in the whole country.

The commitment for international cooperation and solidarity, childhood and youth, social promotion of women, peace and justice, marks out ARCS’ approach. ARCS is also engaged in emergency situations in conflict areas. European Voluntary Service for young people is among ARCS’ main fields of work, as well as international work camps and traineeship projects abroad for young European students.

Both ARCS and ARCI are funded through decentralized cooperation, public Italian and European funds, private donors. In its methods, context, partners and approach ARCS aims at promoting relationships among Southern and Northern communities.

ARCS promotes international cooperation projects in many sectors, such as: agriculture, post-war reconstruction, health and social care, gender issues, childhood and refugees.

Since its creation, ARCS has been carrying out activities in Latin America (mainly: Cuba, Colombia, Brazil, Haiti), Middle East (Lebanon, Jordan, OPT), Afghanistan,  Africa (Rwanda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Cameroon, Senegal) and North Africa (Morocco and Tunisia), Balkans (Serbia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Albania), tailoring actions to the socio economic needs of local communities.

Besides the international cooperation action, ARCS and Arci promote international solidarity stages and camps abroad. Work and volunteer camps were held in Brazil, Nicaragua, Colombia, Bolivia, Cuba, Mozambique, Rwanda, Swaziland, Algerian Desert (Saharawi people), Serbia, Bosnia, Lebanon and Palestine. Since 2007, ARCS promotes photography workshops in Brazil and among the Saharawi people.

In Italy, ARCS and Arci are engaged in education to globalism and peace, and for the rights of migrants. ARCS also promotes Education to Development Programs, in collaboration with significant Italian organization as Cespi – Center of Studies for International Policy, Banca Etica and Ethimos, ACLI, Ucodep, WWF Italy.