Ontario Council for International Cooperation (OCIC)’s Post

Terveisiä Helsingistä! 🌍 I had the privilege of participating as a panelist at the Anna Lindh Foundation Multistakeholder Policy Debate `Empowering Youth: Institutionalising Engagement in the Euro-Mediterranean Region` in Helsinki, Finland, where we explored the vital topic of youth participation in decision-making across the Euro-Mediterranean region. As part of the panel "Taking Stock: Institutionalising Youth Engagement in the Euro-Med Region," we addressed the barriers to meaningful participation, discussed solutions, and shared best practices. A highlight for me was presenting the co-management structure in the Council of Europe, which sparked a powerful reaction from one of the Tunisian participants, inspiring hope for more inclusive systems of youth participation. This moment truly underscored the value of exchanging real-world examples that can empower and mobilize others. A huge thanks to Oskar Chmiel, our insightful moderator, whose expertise in political science and international cooperation provided critical guidance throughout the debate. His contributions, along with those of my co-panelists: - Armin Ibrišimović (Head of Social and Human Sciences Programme for the Maghreb at UNESCO), - Maria Teresa Castillo Campo (Policy Officer at the European Commission), made this conversation all the more dynamic and rich in perspective. After 2 days, all participants delved into strategies for breaking down tokenistic frameworks and paving the way for genuine youth representation in policy-making processes. With continued effort, I believe we can institutionalize youth engagement so that it’s not just a box-ticking exercise but a meaningful, impactful partnership for the future of the region.💡 #YouthEngagement #EuroMed #Empowerment #PolicyDebate #InstitutionalChange #CivilSociety #YouthInAction #ALF

🔥 DNS 2024 Panel Spotlight: Can DEIB Go Too Far? Inclusion at the Intersection of Uncomfortable Truths 🔥 🎙  Discussion Facilitator: Chisom Udeze (She/Her), Diversify Founder and Economist 👥  Panelists: Chi Lee (They/Them), DEIB Advocate Dr. Poornima Luthra (She/ Her), Author, DEIB Expert, Associate Professor at Copenhagen Business School Safir Boukhalfa (They/Them), Founder, DEI Consultant & Business Coach Fadzi Whande (She/Her), Chief of Section - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency As institutions and organizations intensify their focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), we must ask: Can these efforts sometimes risk overstepping into realms that challenge fundamental freedoms like speech, thought, and individual autonomy? Join us at the Diversify Nordics Summit for a profound and provocative exploration of this delicate balance. Our esteemed panel of experts will grapple with difficult questions such as: 💥 Is there a point at which DEIB measures go too far? 💥How do we ensure that the pursuit of inclusion doesn't inadvertently create new forms of exclusion? 💥Can we create spaces where uncomfortable truths are acknowledged and debated, rather than suppressed? Don’t miss this pivotal discussion that is set to reshape how we view inclusion in today’s world. Secure your spot now to engage in this and other thought-provoking conversations throughout the summit! https://lnkd.in/e-Z5Q9CD #DiversifyNordics #DNS2024 #Conference #DEIB #SeatAtTheTable #Inclusion #Belonging

Empowerment in action! 🌟 Read how Congolese women are transforming their lives and driving themselves out of poverty through innovation. Discover the inspiring impact of Union for Progress Inc here: https://lnkd.in/gfaKtfRt #Innovation #GenderEquality #GlobalImpact #WomenEmpowerment Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada Inter-Council Network / Réseau de coordination des conseils Cooperation Canada Spur Change | Activer le changement Manitoba Council for International Cooperation Northern Council for Global Cooperation British Columbia Council for International Cooperation Alberta Council for Global Cooperation Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation Manitoba Council for International Cooperation Ontario Council for International Cooperation (OCIC) AQOCI - Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale Atlantic Council for International Cooperation

Progress is achieved when dialogue turns into decisive action! Day 2 of the Global Peace Summit New York 2024 brought together diverse voices from around the world, to speak up on issues which required attention. With insightful panel talks on Women in Peace building and the Crisis in the Middle East, the day set the stage for actionable solutions to resolve these issues. Watch the highlights to see this global collaboration in action! #GlobalPeaceChain #GlobalPeaceSummitNewYork2024 #PeaceByDialogue globalpeacechain.org

The International Human Solidarity Day is observed by the United Nations every year on 20 December. The objective of observing the day is to honour the “Unity in Diversity”. The day also raises awareness about the importance of solidarity. The meaning of Solidarity is awareness of shared goals and interests that gives a psychological sense of unity and strengthens the ties in a society and binds people together as one. The United Nations Millennium Declaration says that Solidarity is among the fundamental values that are necessary for maintaining international relations. Thus, International Human Solidarity Day is celebrated to raise public awareness on the significance of solidarity and also, to encourage debate on the ways of promoting solidarity for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The day also looks for new initiatives to eradicate poverty across the world. Unlike other international days, the International Human Solidarity Day’s theme remains the same every year. The aim of the day is to promote a culture of cooperation, equality and social justice all over the world, especially in developing countries.

Upcoming APRI Webinar: "German-Africa Feminist Development Policy: What's Next?" Join us on Monday, July 15, 2024, at 14:00 CET for an insightful discussion on the progress, challenges, and future of Germany's Feminist Development Policy Strategy with Africa. Key questions we'll address include: - What concrete actions have been taken since the announcement? - How has the strategy impacted feminist development debates in Africa? - What effects has it had on German-African development cooperation? 🔗 https://lnkd.in/edfvz5U9 Register Now Ms Memory Kachambwa: Executive Director of FEMNET - African Women's Development and Communication Network Prof Josephine Ahikire: Professor at Makerere University Ms Verena Wiesner: Senior Policy Advisor at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Ms Hala Alkarib: Regional Director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) Network Ms Barbara Mittelhammer: Independent Policy Analyst and Consultant Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with experts on this crucial topic. #FeministPolicy #GenderEquality #Development #APRI #BMZ #Africa

🌍 At the International Conference on Women, Peace, and Security (#ICWPS) in Manila, ICAN and #WASL highlighted the critical role of women-led #peacebuilding organizations in achieving sustainable security. By forging connections across regions, we demonstrated how cross-regional collaboration strengthens the #WomenPeaceSecurity Agenda. As ICAN Founder Sanam Naraghi Anderlini, MBE highlighted “We need to imagine ourselves as an orchestra—creating spaces where CSOs, governments, and international organizations work together, listen to one another’s solutions, and stay agile and proactive.” Civil society remains at the heart of the #WPS Agenda. Women peacebuilders are not just participants—they are the first responders, the last responders, and the forever responders, working tirelessly to ensure that peace agreements become living realities. To sustain this essential work, we must prioritize resources and partnerships that elevate their voices and efforts.  🤝 Learn more about #ICWPS2024 in our event summary: https://lnkd.in/dhDGyDEU

Check out this new guide from Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada on planning and managing feminist evaluations! ⬇️ Feminist evaluations can: ☑️ Strengthen collective learning and knowledge sharing ☑️ Support the participation of a broad and diverse group, especially those structurally excluded in generating knowledge ☑️ Increase the relevance and use of evaluations ☑️ Foster transformative change

🎙️ New Podcast Alert! "How does development aid, equality, governance, and trust shape our societies and economies? In partnership with Imperial College London, @WairuKinyori, @WangechiWachira, and @IrunguHoughton discuss embedding human rights in governance, challenging systemic barriers, and empowering communities for lasting change. Tune into this exciting conversation starting soon….” https://lnkd.in/d4vHG2BZ  🌍💡 #Leadership #Equality #SustainableDevelopment"

31st OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum preparatory meeting I’m delighted to share that yesterday I participated as a panellist in the session on “Recognizing the potential for digital transformation, capacity building and human capital development in contributing to sustainable development.” It was an enriching experience to engage with fellow panellists and contribute to the discourse on leveraging digital transformation for human capital development and sustainable growth. My key messages: - The #HumanCapitalDevelopment is a fundamental aspect for #SustainableDevelopment. - The #DigitalTrasformation can support Human Capital Development through #DigitalEducation. - Increasing engagement of #women and #youth is not only an ethical obligation but also crucial for realizing our objectives in the #DigitalTransformation -  #InternationalOrganisations are key for facilitating dialogue, establishing common conceptual frameworks , and providing global expertise   Francis Evans, Lydia Goutas, Ardita Bonatti, Anne-Kirsti Karlsen, European Training Foundation, George Zissimos, Manuela Prina, Ummuhan Bardak