This year, Caritas Australia celebrates its 60th anniversary. Founded as the Catholic Overseas Relief Committee in 1964, the organisation later became Caritas Australia and over its 60 years has grown to work in 36 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific. It is part of one of the largest humanitarian networks in the world, Caritas Internationalis, which is a confederation of 162 member organisations, with programs in 200 countries and more than a million staff and volunteers.
Throughout 2024, events, emails, letters, parish bulletins and a series of videos will invite Caritas Australia’s supporters to celebrate the anniversary and the change brought about by six decades of their compassion.
The faces and stories in this book represent the impact of kindness on the world’s most vulnerable communities
Caritas Australia is also celebrating its 60th anniversary with the launch of a limited-edition commemorative book, 60 Faces: Portraits of Compassion in Action. The book features stunning portraits of participants in programs across Australia and overseas and is now available for pre-order.
Kirsty Robertson, CEO of Caritas Australia said, ‘The faces and stories in this book represent the impact of kindness on the world’s most vulnerable communities. This impact is made possible by the collective generosity, love and compassion of our supporters, to whom we are sincerely grateful. Last year alone, we were able to reach over 1.5 million people across 36 countries by walking together in our mission to uphold dignity and promote justice.’
‘We hope that everyone draws as much hope, strength, and light from this book as we do.’
Last year alone, we were able to reach over 1.5 million people across 36 countries by walking together in our mission to uphold dignity and promote justice.
The book is supported by a virtual exhibition, where supporters can vote for their favourite portrait and enter the draw to win an artwork from Caritas Australia’s First Australian program partner Djlipin Arts.
The painting, by First Nations artist Harry Malibirr, depicts five of Harry’s dreaming stories in acrylics. It was painted using a handmade jarlk grass reed brush harvested from local billabongs and wet areas. Harry was born at Elcho Island and is an artistic cultural man through the mediums of painting, carving and ceremonial dancing of Bungul.
Twenty of the commemorative books, 60 Faces: Portraits of Compassion in Action, are also available as runner-up prizes.
The 60 Faces competition will close on 30 June. See the full terms and conditions here.
Photos courtesy of Caritas Australia.
