News

Building a global civil society demands shared agendas and values for global justice

How can NGOs contribute to the creation of a critical mass of engaged citizens who shape the public discourse on global justice? SOLIDAR participated this week in a workshop meeting organised by the European Development NGO platform CONCORD on ‘Building Global Civil Society”, reflecting on new ways to engage the general public and Europeans on global justice issues. Discussions highlighted the need to promote values that allow people to engage in respectful and open dialogue with others on an equal footing, seeking to identify shared agendas for mutual benefits.

NGOs must focus on active global citizenship with an emphasis on social justice, globalisation and human development issues, both in aid recipient countries and in their home country to establish truly global solidarity links. Development education and awareness-raising are essential and intrinsic parts of our development and social work, keeping a human-rights based approach to teaching, learning and campaigning.