The person comes first

"In times of financial and economic crisis when more and more social and employment rights are coming under pressure, the work-free Sunday is a clear and visible demonstration that the people and our societies are not dependent solely on work and the economy". With this foreword, the European Sunday Alliance, whose aim is to keep festive days separate from productive and professional activity (exception made in the case of essential public services), promoted an awareness day held March 4. The promoters – including several Catholic organizations from across Europe – explained that the purpose is to encourage initiatives highlighting the importance of Sunday as day of rest – a day devoted to oneself, to the family and to the community – at European level.The commitment of COMECE. Initiatives took place in European countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland) as well as events at local, provincial and regional level (www.europeansundayalliance.eu). COMECE, the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community, with a long-dated commitment in favour of work-free Sunday, reported on its website the initiative of March 4 (www.comece.org). The movement, that includes associations, unions, churches, reiterates: "We believe that all citizens of the European Union are entitled to benefit from decent working hours that, as a matter of principle, exclude working late evenings, nights, public holidays and Sundays. Only essential services should operate on Sundays".Call to action. In the statement titled "Call to action", European Sunday Alliance writes: "Today, legislation and practices now in place at EU and Member State levels need to be more protective of the health, safety and dignity of everyone and should more assertively promote the reconciliation of professional and family life. We believe that social cohesion in European citizenship should be reinforced". The Alliance (set up several years ago, whose founding statement was drawn up in Brussels in February 2011) calls on its numerous members, supporters and all citizens to make their common demand visible through public-awareness tools. "The visibility of this special Sunday will not depend only on one ‘big event’ but also on innovative ideas and projects reflecting the local and regional culture and European traditions". Thus "this idea of a European Day on a work-free Sunday can grow from one year to the next".Equal Pay Day. In the framework of this important Day can be also viewed – albeit with different emphasis – the initiative of March 5, European Equal Pay Day (according to figures released by the EU Commission women across the EU continue to earn an average of 16.4% less than men). These are unquestionably very different issues, however both agree on the fact that greater protection of workers, and increased respect for the personal and family needs of those who spend a large part of their existence in factories, in the office or in a store, would bring about an improvement in the lives of millions of people, to the benefit of family unity and of society as a whole.