Mission 21

Mission 21 is a Swiss Christian missionary and development organization based in Basel. It was formed on 16 December 2000 through the merger of five missionary organizations, the oldest of which was the Basel Mission, founded in 1815. The organization describes itself as an international church-based missionary body that is both ecumenical and inter-religious, and it is supported by the Evangelical Reformed Church of Switzerland and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, among others. Its logo, designed by the graphic designer Vischer Vettiger, stylizes the tree of life described in the Book of Revelation, chapter 22, verse 2. Mission 21 works through partnerships with churches and organizations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe. Its stated purpose is to enable encounters with distant and previously unfamiliar regions, to provide concrete assistance where peace, justice or the integrity of creation are threatened, and to create spaces for intercultural and interreligious exchange, particularly in Switzerland. Its areas of intervention include medical care, HIV/AIDS prevention, agricultural and vocational training, support for orphans, theological education, peace promotion and gender equality. Around 100 projects are distributed across 17 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The organization also runs programs for transcultural exchange, interreligious cooperation and education about global connections, and it states that its services are open to all people regardless of religion, origin or gender. The supreme decision-making body of Mission 21 is the synod, in which partner churches and organizations from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe are represented in equal numbers. The first synod took place from 16 to 20 June 2004 in Basel; subsequent synods were held in Bern in 2007, Zurich in 2010 and St. Gallen in 2013. Every three years the synod selects themes that receive particular emphasis in the organization's communication and work. The theme chosen by the 2010 synod was "Water of Life – let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream," inspired by the Book of Amos, chapter 5, verse 24. Mission 21 is headquartered at the Missionshaus (Maison des missions) at 21 Missionsstrasse in Basel, a building erected in 1870 as a training center for missionaries of the Basel Mission. The building now functions as a hotel and training center. About fifty people work at the headquarters, assisted by around twenty people seconded by partner associations. The headquarters also houses a public library that serves as a reference library for missionary, ecumenical and economic development questions, as well as extensive archives accessible for interdisciplinary research, particularly in African studies, allowing critical examination of the history of missions. The organization is financed by private donations, contributions from cantonal churches and congregations in Switzerland, the Evangelical Mission in Germany, and various other organizations. Its total annual turnover is approximately 13.5 million Swiss francs. Mission 21 offers the Professionals Exposure Program (PEP!), a continuing education program that provides young people with access to modern development work without requiring a multi-year commitment. The program consists of three parts: preparatory training, a six- to twelve-month assignment in a project in Africa, Latin America or Asia with real responsibilities, and a final seminar with a workshop on intercultural issues. Each year 15 to 20 people participate in PEP!, selected from about 400 applicants. The organization also publishes three periodicals six times a year for members and the public: Auftrag, Nachrichten Mission 21, and Informell.

Mission 21 was formed on 16 December 2000, when five missionary organizations merged to create "Mission 21 – Mission protestante de Bâle" (Mission 21 – Protestant Mission Basel). The oldest of the founding bodies was the Basel Mission, established in 1815. The new organization inherited the Basel Mission's headquarters at the Missionshaus at 21 Missionsstrasse in Basel, a building erected in 1870 as a training center for Basel Mission missionaries. The building now serves as a hotel and training center. The organization is structured around a synod, which is its supreme decision-making body. Partner churches and organizations from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe are represented in equal numbers in the synod. The first synod of Mission 21 was held from 16 to 20 June 2004 in Basel. The second synod took place in 2007 in Bern, the third in 2010 in Zurich, and the fourth in 2013 in St. Gallen. Every three years, the synod selects themes that receive particular emphasis in the organization's communication and work over a period of time; these can focus on a particular country or a specific project. The theme chosen by the 2010 synod was "Water of Life – let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream," inspired by the Book of Amos, chapter 5, verse 24. Mission 21 describes itself as an international church-based missionary organization that is both ecumenical and inter-religious. It is supported by the Evangelical Reformed Church of Switzerland and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and it works in partnership with the Mission Bethléem d'Immensee and the Evangelische Mission in Solidarität (EMS) in Germany. Its logo, designed by the graphic designer Vischer Vettiger, stylizes the tree of life described in the Book of Revelation, chapter 22, verse 2. The organization's stated objectives are to enable encounters with distant and previously unfamiliar regions, to provide concrete assistance where peace, justice or the integrity of creation are threatened, and to create spaces for intercultural and interreligious encounters, particularly in Switzerland. It engages in meetings and series of encounters around current issues of church and society. Its areas of intervention include medical care, HIV/AIDS prevention, agricultural and vocational training, support for orphans, theological education, peace promotion and gender equality. Around 100 projects are distributed across 17 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. According to its official website, Mission 21 is active in 15 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America in the framework of sustainable development cooperation and humanitarian aid for peacebuilding, education, health, food sovereignty and action against violence against women and children, contributing to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This global engagement is combined with its work as an international learning community with programs for transcultural exchange and interreligious cooperation, as well as promoting understanding of global connections. Its services are open to all people regardless of religion, origin or gender. Mission 21 is headquartered at the Missionshaus in Basel. About fifty people work at the headquarters, assisted by around twenty people seconded by partner associations. The headquarters houses a public library that is also a reference library for missionary, ecumenical and economic development questions, as well as extensive archives accessible for interdisciplinary research, particularly in African studies, allowing work on a critical assessment of the history of missions. The organization is financed by private donations, contributions from cantonal churches and congregations in Switzerland, the Evangelical Mission in Germany, and contributions from various other organizations. Its total annual turnover is approximately 13.5 million Swiss francs. Mission 21 runs the Professionals Exposure Program (PEP!), a continuing education program designed to give young people access to modern development work without requiring them to commit for several years. The program has three parts: preparatory training, an engagement in a project of six to twelve months in Africa, Latin America or Asia with real responsibilities, and a final seminar with a workshop to deepen intercultural questions. The work in the project is based on the participant's professional skills, so the training allows them to improve their initial skills while adding intercultural competencies. Each year, 15 to 20 people take part in PEP!, selected from about 400 applicants. The organization uses three publications to inform members and the public about the work and projects of Mission 21 and its partner organizations, and to stimulate discussion on current topics. These publications appear six times a year: Auftrag (information on life and its challenges in participating countries), Nachrichten Mission 21 (general information about Mission 21 and its projects), and Informell (information for parents, support teams). Partner churches and organizations play a central role. In continental meetings of partner churches, delegates are determined and define current issues and coordinate various activities. Partner churches and organizations include the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon; Centro de Promocion y Acción Social Ecumenico Centro (CEDEPAS-Centro) and CEDEPAS-Norte in Peru; Audiovisuales del Perú (ADEP); Basel Christian Church of Malaysia (CCBM); Gereja Kristen Pasundan (GKP) and Persekutuan Gereja-Gereja di Indonesia (PGI) in Indonesia; Theological Seminary Sabah (STS) in Malaysia; Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta (UIN) and Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana (UKDW) in Indonesia; and others.

• 2013

  Fourth synod held in St. Gallen.

• 2010

  Third synod held in Zurich; theme "Water of Life" chosen.

• 2007

  Second synod held in Bern.

• 2004

  First synod of Mission 21 held from 16 to 20 June in Basel.

• 2000

  On 16 December, five missionary organizations merge to form Mission 21 – Mission protestante de Bâle.

• 1870

  Missionshaus at 21 Missionsstrasse in Basel built as a training center for Basel Mission missionaries.

• 1815

  Basel Mission founded, the oldest predecessor organization of Mission 21.

A Swiss church-based international development and mission organization that combines sustainable development cooperation, humanitarian aid, peacebuilding, education, health, food sovereignty and action against violence against women and children, while promoting transcultural exchange and interreligious cooperation.

• International development cooperation projects

  Around 100 projects in 17 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, covering medical care, HIV/AIDS prevention, agricultural and vocational training, orphan support, theological education, peace promotion and gender equality.

• PEP! Professionals Exposure Program

  A continuing education program with preparatory training, a six- to twelve-month project assignment in Africa, Latin America or Asia, and a final seminar. 15 to 20 participants per year selected from about 400 applicants.

• Auftrag

  Publication appearing six times a year with information on life and its challenges in participating countries.

• Nachrichten Mission 21

  Publication appearing six times a year with general information about Mission 21 and its projects.

• Informell

  Publication appearing six times a year with information for parents and support teams.

1. 1Mission 21 official websitemission-21.org
2. 2Mission 21 – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Mission 21 – Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org