Caritas Internationalis | Introduction
Introduction
Palazzo San Calisto
00120
Vatican City
Telephone: + 39 06 698 797 99
Fax: + 39 06 698 87 237
Web site: http://www.caritas.org
Not for Profit Organization
Incorporated: 1928 as Caritas Catholica
NAIC: 624230 Emergency and Other Relief Services
Caritas Internationalis is the central coordinating hub for a confederation of more than 160 relief, humanitarian, and social aid organizations, linked through the Catholic Church and operating throughout the world. Caritas and its members reach more than 150 countries, focusing especially on underdeveloped and disaster-stricken regions. In addition to its members' direct relief and development work, Caritas Internationalis is an active advocacy group, promoting the Vatican's concept of Globalizing Solidarity. As such, Caritas Internationalis supports and coordinates local, national, regional, and international lobbying programs and campaigns to back its selected platform of issues. Based in Vatican City, Caritas Internationalis is structured along parliamentary lines: the General Assembly consists of representatives from each of Caritas's member organizations; the Executive Committee, composed of a president and treasurer, is elected by the General Assembly, in turn supported by the Bureau, composed of the president, treasurer, and a number of vice-presidents. Last, the General Secretariat includes the Secretary General and administrative staff and personnel. Since 2003, the General Assembly also has formed a number of working groups and task forces, which target specific topics and issues under consideration by the full confederation. The member organizations of Caritas Internationalis are further structured into seven regional groups, representing Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania.