The Working Group of the Solidarity Playbook came together virtually this week to shape the framework of the initiative and prove the ground for its first activities. The group emphasised that acts of solidarity between civil society actors and towards beneficiaries have gained importance in the current COVID-19 crisis.
The Working Group consists of international and national civil society organisations around the world. They give strategic guidance to the building the initiative from their expertise on resilience and solidarity in times of crisis. In recent years, many civil society organisations in different countries have come under undue pressure. As a result, they have developed resilience mechanisms to protect themselves and their partners. Furthermore, there is a shared desire among them to learn from each other and actively support one another, acting in solidarity when an organisation from the community is under attack.
The idea of a Solidarity Playbook came from our Innovator’s Forum and interviews with international civil society organisation staff members. We further developed the idea at the International Civic Forum (ICF). During the two-day virtual meeting, the Working Group members showed a strong interest to move this initiative forward. In the next steps, the Solidarity Playbook will focus on collecting and sharing best practice and building a solidarity network.
Eva Gondorová, the Solidarity Playbook Project Manager, said:
“I am happy to bring this group together virtually to discuss how we can support each other and show solidarity in difficult times. We can see the importance of solidarity at this time, as some governments attempt to overextend their powers and potentially undermine legitimate civil society voices and activities. All in the Working Group hold a strong interest and high commitment to carry on the Solidarity Playbook Initiative. The desire for concrete outcomes is what motivates us to continue our work.”
