Month: May 2024

During a series of recent visits, we had the privilege of getting to know up close the exceptional work of three of our members. These visits provided us with the opportunity to explore their programs, exchange ideas, and strengthen our collaboration for positive social impact.

CILSA

The team at CILSA welcomed us with open arms, offering us an intimate look at their work towards the full inclusion of people with disabilities and marginalized sectors. For over 50 years, CILSA has tirelessly worked to ensure equitable access to opportunities and rights for vulnerable children and adolescents throughout Argentina.

We explored their various social programs, from vocational training to philanthropy, spanning multiple cities across the country.

ACIJ (Civil Association for Equality and Justice)

ACIJ greeted us with their commitment to a more just and inclusive society. We discussed their position within our network and cooperation opportunities, as well as new strategies for activism development and the social agenda.

We delved into the breadth of their thematic teams, addressing everything from democracy strengthening to the fight against child poverty and fiscal justice.

Valoarte

Valoarte shared their mission to promote emotional education with equal opportunities. We discussed their innovative educational programs in vulnerable contexts, as well as their comprehensive vision for better development. We also explored ways to leverage RACI’s space and resources to maximize their impact and expansion, as well as access international cooperation opportunities.

These visits were a testament to our members’ commitment to social transformation and collaborative work.

Thank you for having us!

We were present at the co-design meeting focused on the implementation of the CIVICUS European Commission Grant in Latvia, which took place from April 22nd to 26th, 2024.

Our participation in this event was part of our ongoing commitment to strengthening civil society and promoting citizen action in Argentina and beyond. During the meeting, our team actively engaged in discussions and strategies related to the three main pillars of the event:

1. Knowledge and Joint Strategy Sharing: We contributed to dialogue on key issues, sharing experiences, and developing joint strategies to address common challenges in the field of civil society and citizen action.
2. Implementation Planning: Our representatives collaborated in developing a comprehensive implementation plan, working on strategies to enhance the capacities of target groups and ensure they are prepared to lead joint initiatives effectively.
3. Building Partnerships and Alliances: We explored opportunities for local and global collaborations, seeking to strengthen alliances that expand civic and democratic space, especially in support of communities facing restrictions and discrimination.

We appreciate CIVICUS for providing us with this opportunity to participate in such a significant event and for their continued commitment to promoting civil society worldwide.

The Kettering Foundation, globally recognized for its work in strengthening democracy through the promotion of dialogue and active citizenship, has launched its “2023 Yearbook.” This yearbook highlights the review of the year 2023 in Democracy worldwide, capturing the numerous ways in which they worked to identify connections between strategy and impactful efforts the foundation could make in this focus area.

In the words of Maxine Thomas, Vice President and General Counsel of the Foundation, who led the expansion of the foundation’s international work in 2022 and 2023, “The challenge is how to build on Kettering’s new plan without relying on old processes.” This challenge kept the Foundation’s Global Democracy team busy in 2023, but in very different ways than in the past. These new approaches included the creation of “affinity groups” composed of network members and the development of a new version of Kettering’s international fellowship program.

Within the yearbook, there is a highlight interview with Guillermo Correa, Executive Director of RACI, where he shared his transformative experience at the Foundation and how it influenced his work within the Third Sector in Argentina and in Latin America and the Caribbean.

He explained how his time at Kettering changed his perspective on the relationship between citizens and government, highlighting the importance of building bridges between civil society organizations and the work foundations like Kettering do.

Additionally, he spoke about the creation of RACI in 2007 and how the network has grown since then, supporting initiatives ranging from the production of information based on member organizations’ activities to resource mobilization and training to strengthen civil society.

This report provides insight into innovative strategies and collaborative efforts shaping work in the field of democracy and citizen participation worldwide.

You can read the full interview here (pages 53-57).

On Friday, April 19th, we held the first civil society fair under the name Sociedad Civil en Acción (Civil Society in Action) commemorating Good Deeds Day.

We want to express our deep gratitude to all the organizations that participated and to all the individuals who came to learn about their work. This initiative fills us with joy as we are able to share projects that lead to social transformation.

A special recognition goes to the Government of the City of Buenos Aires and the Williams Foundation for their constant and fundamental support in making this event of great importance a reality.

Additionally, we wish to highlight and thank the Embassy of Indonesia in Buenos Aires, the Embassy of New Zealand, the Embassy of the United States in Argentina, as well as the Inter-American Foundation and UNICEF Argentina for their active participation and interest in our work. Their support motivates us to continue our commitment to civil society.

This event would not have been possible without the support and enthusiasm of each of the organizations and individuals who made our “Civil Society in Action” fair an incredible event. Every encounter, conversation, and shared initiative is a testament to the transformative power of civil society.

The fair featured the participation of over 60 organizations in the Plaza of the Ministry of Human Development and Habitat, offering stands for each organization to carry out their activities. Additionally, various artistic interventions were performed on the main stage, and we had over 30 committed volunteers.

This event allowed the general public to get to know closely the valuable work carried out by Argentine civil society, thus contributing to the strengthening of our community and the promotion of change towards a more inclusive and supportive future. The support and enthusiasm demonstrated are the driving force behind our mission.

Let’s continue transforming the third sector!

Check out the photos here.

As every year, in April, we celebrated the first Members’ Assembly of the year in a hybrid format at the AMIA facilities.

We reviewed recent activities, shared updates, and explored the new projects taking shape.

One of the highlights of the assembly was the deep reflection space opened to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Civil Society Organizations in current scenarios. In this regard, emphasis was placed on the importance of strengthening our democratic practices as a network, recognizing that it is through collaboration and active participation that we can continue to progress and grow together.

Our commitment was renewed to constantly seek innovative tools and develop effective strategies to represent, visualize, and occupy spaces that promote inclusion and development in our community.

May this first assembly mark the beginning of a year full of achievements and advancements in the sector!

The Regional Innovation Center for Change in Latin America and the Caribbean continues with its multi-stakeholder dialogue series.

Like every dialogue, the upcoming meeting will consist of brief presentations by experts from Latin America and the Caribbean with the aim of motivating and generating enriching conversations, with innovative proposals and alternatives to refine and improve democratic processes in our countries. After the presentations, a panel discussion is proposed with the participation of those present, using dynamics that favor genuine dialogue, open and inclusive communication of all voices to achieve constructive consensus.

This time, we invite you to join the fourth meeting:

Dialogue 4: Democracy and Civil Society. Roles. Visibility. June 6, 2024. Time: 11:30 (GMT -3)

The topics to be considered will include the relationship between democracy and Civil Society, their articulation and visibility, as well as the different situations and realities of the region, the challenges, risks, and opportunities.

The dialogues will be held virtually via Zoom and will be conducted in Spanish.

Register here.