Terre des hommes - child relief (Tdh) is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2010. To celebrate 50 years of existence is to admit that vulnerable children are, sadly, still a reality of our world, but it also confirms the relevance of our fieldwork.

In 1959, an "instrument for the distribution of information about the facts of segregation, racism and oppression by man against man" was established by Edmond Kaiser under the name "Terre des hommes".
After reading a French weekly devoted to the suffering endured in the "assembly camps in Algeria", Edmond Kaiser decided to give up the project of merely informing and to change over to direct action. On 22nd July, Edmond Kaiser and his friends took the decision – on principle – to found the "Terre des hommes movement of combat and direct intervention to help abused children" of which the charter decrees the mission. This is the anniversary we are celebrating in 2010.


Terre des hommes is you!
Thanks to the relevance of our fieldwork in more than 30 countries and as many specific environments, we can change attitudes and situations to be more positive, and alter the reality of lives which only ask to be fulfilled. And we restore each person's dignity, by giving them the basic requirements to be able to take up their individual and collective challenges,
The sum of these results would be impossible without the confidence, time and money that the Swiss people give us. Because this story and its results are also yours. Terre des hommes is you!


A prime example for child aid
So as to provide a better future for disadvantaged children and their communities, Terre des hommes has carefully developed innovative approaches and practical, sustainable solutions. In doing this it has become, in many respects, a prime example to others.
Each year our projects improve the daily life of more than 1 million children and their families, by focussing energy and competencies in the areas of health and protection. And we see to it that the money entrusted to us goes directly into our programs (in general 85%).
With the combination of our professionalism and your confidence, we firmly believe we can improve the plight of the world's future for a long time!


I want to help!
There are three ways you can make a contribution to the 50th anniversary:

•	Take part in events - diary
•	Offer some of your free time - volunteers
•	Provide financial support - donation, sponsorship

Contact
For further information about the celebration of our 50th anniversary, please contact christian.fessard@tdh.ch


A whole series of events!

MAJOR EVENTS OF:

•	First International Congress on Restorative Juvenile Justice - the anniversary year opens already on 4th November 2009 in Peru. From November 4th to 7th the First International Congress on Restorative Juvenile Justice will be held in Lima. Full details on www.congresomundialjjrperu2009.org
•	Congress of Children - the majestic setting of the Castelgrande in Bellinzona will resonate on Saturday, March 27th 2010. Over one hundred children aged between 11 and 13, from all corners of Switzerland, will be participating in the Congress of Children, an event leading to the proclamation of the "Appeal of Bellinzona". It will allow youth delegates to make their voices heard and to put forward their proposals for the future. A child will proclaim the "Appeal of Bellinzona" at every public event during our anniversary.
•	Open Day - on Saturday, June 19th 2010, at the Dählhölzli Zoo in Berne, the public and their families will be welcomed to discover the world of Terre des hommes during an Open Day. The day will be enlivened by numerous shows and lucky ones could perhaps win a trip to Vietnam, thanks to an educational trail and competition. Free admission from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
•	Anniversary - on the exact anniversary date of Thursday July 22nd 2010, in the Valley of Youth in Lausanne, a monument will be unveiled to commemorate for us and for future generations, that wonderful moment when Terre des hommes was born.
•	Multicultural events - and all over Switzerland, throughout the whole year, countless multicultural celebrations! Our 25 Working Groups of volunteers are each organizing one or more events (festivals, exhibitions, concerts, shows) pairing with one of our countries of operation. For example, Nepal will be honored in Solothurn, Togo in Zug, Brazil in Neuchatel, etc. In due time you will be able to find in the diary all the relevant information.

Find all the information about our events on our diary page

MAJOR EVENTS OF:

•	Benefit Concert for children in Haiti - Tuesday, 9th March 2010, at 7pm to 10.30pm in the Casino Theatre, rue de Carouge 42, in Geneva. In the Festival Voix de Fête, Terre des Hommes Suisse invites you to an exceptional evening in aid of its child rights protection projects in Haiti.
•	Exhibition «Notre Terre» - from 29th April until 31st August 2010 at the Quai Wilson and Parc Moynier in Genève. These globes are intended to spark off thinking and discussion, and to show the everyday actions that each one of us can do. The child rights that we have been defending for 50 years are part of the quality of life on our earth.
•	Festival Terre des Hommes Suisse - On Sunday, 9th May 2010 in the Pavillon in Le Lignon (Vernier). Sales booths and excitement for big and small, a festival of 100% French songs in partnership with the Vernier sur Rock festival. Doors open at 3.30pm, concerts end at 10.00pm.
•	Open-air cinema evening - On Sunday, 15th August 2010 in La Perle du Lac. Further information will follow. You can find all the event information of Terre des Hommes Suisse on their diary page.

You can find all the event information of Terre des Hommes Suisse on their diary page

MAJOR EVENTS OF:

•	Olive Shower Gel - in April you can buy fresh olive shower gel on the streets of several towns. The proceeds from these sales go to the projects of terre des hommes schweiz. This action is in partnership with The Body Shop.
•	T-Shirt - As from June, you can order our cotton Jubilee T-Shirt on our website (CHF 20.-).
•	Jubilee Magazine - Our June members' magazine will be a special issue, all about "50 years of terre des hommes schweiz". In it, contemporary witnesses, pioneers, partner organisations, former and current members will all have their say. You can learn how it all began, what has changed, where we stand today and what still has to be done.
•	Surprise action - At the beginning of June, terre des hommes schweiz will be coming up with a surprise action that we won't tell you about yet. You will read about it!
•	imagine - in June. In Basle, this year's imagine Festival against racism will be a special one; on the open-air stage, usually kept for rock and pop music, you can hear the Basle Symphony Orchestra. In the Lounge you will be able to get information about terre des hommes schweiz and have a special jubilee drink.
•	Jubilee concert with the Sinfonietta - The Basle Sinfonietta will be 40, and celebrates its birthday with us. On 23rd October, Don Quixote by Richard Strauss will be played and the premiere of a work by Michael Wertmueller. Reduced price tickets are available from July onwards at Musik Wyler. Afterwards, terre des hommes schweiz invites you for a drink.
•	Symposium and party - The grand finale of the jubilee year will be on 26th November. The symposium on youth participation and solution-orientated work is open to all. At the party afterwards, symbolic lights will be sent up to the sky. As a sign of solidarity, our partners in Africa and Latin America will also be sending lights up into the sky at the same time.

You can find all the event information of terre des hommes schweiz on their diary page