Climate and environment

Emmaus: more than 400 organisations taking action against inequality and poverty at their World Assembly

Emmaus: more than 400 organisations taking action against inequality and poverty at their World Assembly

Dutch version

Paris, 31 March 2026 – Emmaus International will hold its World Assembly in the Netherlands this year. From 13 to 17 April 2026, hundreds of stakeholders from around the world will meet in Someren to share their experiences and coordinate their initiatives to combat poverty. As part of this Assembly, in the evening on Tuesday 14 April Emmaus International is holding a round table open to the public and the press at the Effenaar in Eindhoven. This event will showcase the initiatives carried out by the nearly 45,000 members of this Movement in the Netherlands and 40 other countries. The central theme will be “It’s unfair and we can fix it: inequality, poverty and solutions”.

Emmaus hopes to use this round table to remind that inequality and poverty are not inevitable, but are instead the result of political decisions, which it is possible to respond to concretely, with the support of the Movement’s actors. “Taking concrete action on the ground and innovating in the fight against poverty, while denouncing the underlying causes, are part of the DNA of the Emmaus Movement”, said the Chair of Emmaus International Patrick Atohoun.

The evening will open with an introduction highlighting the work of the over 400 Emmaus groups. There will then be a round table moderated by the journalist Christianne Alvarado (VPRO) on three key topics: education, migration and the environment.

Four speakers with field experience will be invited to discuss:

  • Roos Saat is a farmer and activist in the Netherlands, and member of La Via Campesina, the largest rural movement worldwide which brings together over 180 organisations. La Via Campesina is an alter-globalist and international organisation that campaigns for the right to food sovereignty and for the respect of small and medium-sized rural organisations.
  • Rob Buurman is the director of Fair Resource Foundation (FRF), a Netherlands-based NGO striving for an economy that supports quality of and access to goods. FRF lobbies for better standards, shifting taxes, holding producers and retailers responsible for pollution, creating transparency and shifting power over resource and waste flows.
  • Rooh Savar is an Iranian journalist, entrepreneur and writer and former president of the French organisation SINGA. He is also the founder of Jahan Info, Lettres Persanes and Welcount, the leading fintech for newcomers in Europe.
  • Sanaa Saitouli is an environmental activist and co-founder of the French organisation Banlieues Climat which raises awareness and trains inhabitants of working-class neighbourhoods on climate issues.

According to a November 2025 report by independent experts led by winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics Joseph Stiglitz, “the richest 1% captured 41% of all new wealth, in contrast to just 1% being captured by the bottom half of humanity.” This round table will spotlight concrete solutions, in line with the actions conducted by Emmaus groups. A discussion with the audience will follow these exchanges.

Emmaus has over 60 years of history in the Netherlands and today has 11 active groups in the country. Their model uses collection, repair and sale of second-hand goods to fund their local and international social initiatives. They also offer accommodation and support to people in vulnerable situations.

Yvette Gumbs, National Delegate of Emmaus Netherlands stated, “As we mark the 60th anniversary of Emmaus Netherlands, we celebrate six decades of solidarity, dignity, and collective action in the fight against poverty and exclusion. At a time when poverty and inequality are rising across our societies, the Emmaus movement reminds us that lasting change happens when people come together to support one another and challenge injustice. This anniversary is not only a moment to look back with pride, but also to renew our shared commitment to building a more just and inclusive future.”

Journalists interested in attending the round table should RSVP for 14 April. Please contact the press division for interview requests or additional information. A session is planned for journalists before the round table from 19:00 to 20:00. 

 

Practical information:

Public round table
At the Effenaar hall
Dommelstraat 2, Eindhoven (The Netherlands)
Tuesday 14 April 2026
20:00-21:45, doors open at 19:45

Press contacts:

Open2Europe
Tirza Quint
t.quint@open2europe.com

Judith Duschl
j.duschl@open2europe.com