The adopted Charter 2023

The adopted Charter, which was voted upon during the 2023 IFA, is now available in different languages on the 2023 Federation Assembly website. 

Read the adopted Charter

Our charter will be like a precious gift: made of “beads”, “seeds of daily wisdom”, “precious stones of our lives”, collected from all the countries of the Federation, gathered on a thread that gives them coherence and meaning.

The graphic reflects this precious gift, the diverse colours representing the Federation’s cultures: ordinary and extraordinary beads.  They are jewels from Africa, Indian lotus, dream catcher from the indigenous cultures in different parts of the world, semi-precious stone from Brazil, Japanese origami, flower from Central America, creative beads from other places in the world.

ABOUT THE CHARTER PROCESS

Our understanding of the essence of L’Arche develops over time. Our current Charter was written in 1993, and it expressed what we believed and knew then.

In the Charter Process we are rereading and gathering our experiences throughout the Federation in order to listen to what inspires us at the heart of all these experiences. We will create a Charter that expresses all that unites us.

This is a spiritual process, a process of listening, sharing, conversations, prayer and contemplation that will allow us to be attentive to the mystery of our shared life.  We desire to open ourselves to the spirit, to read, recognize and honour this mystery.

We want everyone who is engaged in L’Arche to participate and all voices to be heard. 

The process is integrated into our existing ways to gather in Communities, Regions, Countries and International. It is not a separate process.


There is a specific framework for the process and we can use it in different ways according to our cultural realities.

Each stage offers questions for reflection and sharing.

Within the framework, it’s up to everyone to choose:
  - the best way to engage in the specific steps.
  - the best times and places to meet. 

We will gather the fruit of our work and send it to the Charter Process Team according to the instructions.

THE CHARTER PROCESS HAS 3 STAGES

 

First stage 

May 2019 – April 2020 (12 months)

We are going to look at our experiences of community life and reread them to determine what gives us life and what doesn’t.


Second stage 

June 2020 – July 2021 (13 months)
• Step 1: June 2020 – December 2020
• Steps 2 & 3: January 2021 – July 2021

We will share what we discovered during stage 1 and find words that express the meaning of these discoveries.


Using all the data collected during stages 1 & 2, the Charter Process Team will develop a draft Charter for consultation.


Third stage 

March 2022 – October 2022 (7 months)

We will receive the draft Charter and take time to consider whether it accurately expresses what we believe L'Arche to be. Then the Charter Process Team will consider all the feedback before they propose a new Charter to the Federation Assembly.


 

Federation Assembly 2023

The Federation Assembly will be asked to vote on the new Charter.

RESOURCES

Resources are available to help everyone in the process.

The Charter Process Guide and a Toolbox can be found using the Resources tab.

Click here to access the Resources page

NEEDING SOME HELP?

For any questions or more information about the Charter Process, contact charter.process@larche.org