August Vanistendael
 August Vanistendael    (poet, trade union leader) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 9 January 1917 Birtley, Tyne and Wear, England |
| Died | 8 September 2003 (Age 86) |
| Nationality | Belgian |
Belgian Catholic trade union leader who attended the 1971 Bilderberg | |
August Vanistendael was a Belgian trade union leader and Catholic social activist.
Born in Birtley, Tyne and Wear, in England, Vanistendael grew up in Belgium, and began working as a clerk at BAC, the Christian labour movement bank. In 1938, he became the secretary of the Christian Union of Belgian Hospitality Workers, and then during the Nazi occupation he headed a union for workers in tourism.[1]
After the war, Vanistendael began working for the International Federation of Christian Trade Unions (IFCTU). He became deputy general secretary in 1947, and then general secretary in 1952. Under his leadership, the federation began admitting unions in the global south, and unions in non-Christian religious traditions, leading it to become the World Confederation of Labour in 1968.[1]
Vanistendael worked as an advisor to Konrad Adenauer, and also to Joseph Frings. He also was a lay auditor during the Second Vatican Council. In 1961, he founded Cooperation and Solidarity, which awarded scholarships to students from poorer countries, and Pro Mundi Vita, which conducted research into development aid. He left his trade union post in 1967, to become the founding president of CIDSE, then from 1975 until 1983 he was the president of Caritas Internationalis. In 1983, he was made an honorary Minister of State.[1][2]
Event Participated in
| Event | Start | End | Location(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilderberg/1971 | 23 April 1971 | 25 April 1971 | US Vermont Woodstock Woodstock Inn | The 20th Bilderberg, 89 guests |
References
- ↑ a b c https://www.odis.be/hercules/toonPers.php?taalcode=nl&id=4443
- ↑ Cellini, Jacopo (2017). Universalism and Liberation: Italian Catholic Culture and the Idea of International Community, 1963–1978. Leuven: Leuven University Press. ISBN 9462701083.
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