A mad year is drawing to a close, December has just begun and with it the time when we usually spend a lot of time thinking about family, friends and acquaintances.

The longing for a peaceful, joyful - and cheerful - time maybe even greater this year than usual. But perhaps our experience of the past few months will also direct our attention to things that we otherwise pay less attention to or have taken for granted.

On 10 December the world will celebrate International Human Rights Day, commemorating the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 72 years ago. As old as the Declaration is, it is particularly relevant in these times. After all, 2020 was not a good year for the human rights situation either. Social tensions, social rifts and divisions are rising, yet the plight of the people is significant. Positive social developments in recent decades were set back or even destroyed within months by the Corona pandemic.

Since the foundation of our organisation, we too have been concerned about strengthening human rights. Our work is, therefore, more meaningful and necessary today than ever. Our partner organisation in Southeast Asia is experiencing the effects of the Corona pandemic first hand - and not only in financial terms. The already weakest members of society suffer most from the consequences of the global pandemic.

This year we were not able to see for ourselves on the ground and visit our partners in South East Asia. But our commitment to our projects and organisations continues unabated, of course.

2020 was probably a challenging year for all of us, and the future outlook remains nebulous. Nevertheless, we would like to ask for your support in these times - especially in times like these. Help us to help others. Tell your friends and acquaintances about us, support us financially or launch your fundraising event for the benefit of our projects. You can find a small selection of ideas on how this could look like on our website.

We want to take this opportunity to thank you for your loyalty and wish you a wonderful, contemplative time and above all, good health!