‘Declaration of collective identity and social vocation’

People that have worked for Savings Banks and have tried to improve them, know very well that, in this function, there is something more apart from the working or the managerial area. From the origins, and as far as they continue using this desingation, such institutions are, first of all, entities of social action, promoters of the progress and of the richness of people. For this, just retired from administrative or managerial tasks, we are linked to the original idea of our working life. For this, we join an association. For this, we want to build a supranational estate with a well-defined identity and some aims clearly formulated and based in the correct articulation of this social good to which we have always been dedicated.

By virtue of this notions, we state the following points, as well as our reason of existence as a Group, the aspirations that we share and to which we will dedicate our tenacity and our effort:

DECLARATION OF BRUSSELS

FIRST.- We, retired staff from European Savings Banks, still consider ourselves as a related members of the social aim of our original institutions. We aspire to institutionalize this link with our experience, that we consider useful and valid at any time and circumstances, by means of an effective representation in their Guiding Organs.

SECOND.- We are constituted as an appropriate reference, and also, as a valid interlocutor of the group of retired staff from Savings Banks with their original entities, with the official institutions, unions, management associations, and with any corresponding entity, legal or natural person, in the area of our Institutional Associations and their National Federations. This function is considered necessary and, even, essential in view of the effective dispersion and anonymity of the retired staff that is considered individually.

THIRD.- We declare that we are totally opposed to all that means segregation, isolation, paternalistic attitude or undervaluing of persons due to age reasons. We reject the frequent identification of expressions like “old age” with “retired” or “pensioner”, because they only correspond to a working situation and this is independent of the age that people is in the moment of their access.

FOURTH.- We advocate a well-balanced society, defined in all its stratums, by the coexistence of non-differentiated human beings because of the age, and equally involved in the achievement of a complete biological status that was suitable for guiding the real progress at whom we are inevitably destined for. Intelligence, innovation yearning and impetuosity youthful adapt perfectly to intellingence, balance and serenity of the maturity that, also, gives the inestimable value of the experience. If the society took a good use of such as advantages, it would be a wisely society.

FIFTH.- We are determined to support steadfastly the creation of a project that equally includes all the acceptable initiatives for all the non-working population, if they are young or middle-age, professional, technician, intelectual or illiterate people, whatever the cause of their inactivity was. We consider that this numerous collective constitutes a considerable strength and it could be capable of a positive use and of a high social profitability.

SIXTH.- In the scope of our respective demarcations, we will strive to inform, support and defend the interest of all pensioners and retired staff from Savings Banks, and especially for those who identify themselves with our movement of association and are linked with this movement. Our actions will not interfere with the union scope, but they will collaborate, as possible, with the act of such as working ressources in order to help our partners.

SEVENTH.- We expect a major coordination of the internal programmes pertaining to every Federation or Association of our respective countries, with the aim of achieving the highest scope and profit in their executions, particularly in some aspects like: culture, art, academy, sports, travel, etc, etc. A very singular nuance in this section will be composed by the actions whose aim is propiciating that institutions, enterprises and particular entities apply and obtain the professional advice or other kind of advice from those partners that are qualified to do it and are disposed to help the society with their knowledge and experience.

EIGHTH.- We are conscious of the importance of Saving as a basic element in the creation of the richness and of the progress of the nations; therefore, with the appropriate means, we will support the expansion and, where appropriate, the creation of Savings Banks in Eastern Europe countries, with the best contribution to a complete development of their potentialities in this critical moment of their socio-political evolution. Related with this point, we will also favourable our approach to retired and/or active staff from Savings Banks, already created in the least developed areas of other continents. Between these entities we find the Latinoamerican Group of Savings Banks which is member of the International Savings Institute.

NINTH.- According to the identity features that figures in this document, our permanent and bold defence of the Savings Banks is underlined. They have always been loyal and authentic in the purposes for which they were created; they have always had the ability of adaptation to any time regarding the reasons that justify their existence. In that sense, we want to reward the good investment of money creating an important international award. In addition, we are opposed to the segregation of people due to age reasons and we will declare it in the prominence that we will claim in the “European year of the solidarity with generations”, that is being prepared for 1993 by the communal institutions. All this is our reason of existence and constitutes the aim of our dedication.

Brussels on the 31st of October 1990
LXVI UNIVERSAL SAVING DAY