Global Perspectives
Every year, leaders of national and international civil society organisations gather at the Global Perspectives Conference with people passionate about doing social good, to exchange ideas and experiences, make connections and address the world’s most pressing challenges. This year, this is more relevant than ever.
Global Perspectives 2021 will run as a hybrid experience, from 25 October – 4 November 2021, on the topic of Power Shift. This unique interactive format awaits up to 150 participants. We are determined to give our communities the chance, once again, to immerse themselves in topics and workshops, devising common strategies to deal with major trends, challenges and opportunities. We will be providing global and regional perspectives – holding in-person meetings in three regional hubs in Latin America, East Africa and South East Asia and online broadcasting their discussions throughout the week, delivering insights and identifying new connections.
Civil society sector approaches, opportunities and challenges of Shifting Power
After more than a year of surviving lockdowns, economic and psychological hardships, financial and operational restrictions, CSOs are taking the path to recovery by adapting and creating new strategies to prepare for unexpected events. They are doing so by adopting to the new powers that have been growing in the past few years.
In 2021, Global Perspectives therefore focusses on the civil society sector approaches, opportunities and challenges of Shifting Power. CSOs are unlearning and deconstructing the current cultural norms that benefit from hierarchical worldviews and move towards networked and community-led operations. The International Civil Society Centre, with its unique position, wants to support organisations in understanding and overcoming privilege and colonial legacies that influence the way the civil society sector operates.
With three pillars in focus: de-concentrating data and digitalisation, decolonising aid and organisational structures, and embracing new power, we will bring in futurists and forward thinkers to support and challenge participants. The event will be centred around questions such as:
- How can CSOs work collectively, effectively and ethically with citizen-generated and open data, to give power to marginalised groups?
- What does it mean to decolonise the future of the sector and aid system in which we operate, and what is our role in that?
- What are the practical approaches, tools and models that we can use to actively shift power?
Now is the moment to walk the talk, to innovate and connect. We are looking for leaders happy to host a workshop or panel or be part of a panel. Workshops and panels last between 1 and 1.5 hours. If you are interested in hosting a workshop, please contact Nihal Helmy, our Knowledge and Communities Manager or fill out the form! We can’t wait to see you there.
A more detailed explanation of the project and process can be found in the attached Concept Note below.
About the Global Perspectives Experience 2020 “A Passion for Inclusion”
Our first online Global Perspectives Experience provided an inspiring setting and an open platform to discuss critical topics such as systemic discrimination and racism.
