Virtual Dialogue Series: Solidarity and Diversity – Is there a crisis of solidarity? Have we lost our way?

When: September 29, 2020
What time: 11Am (Geneva, Switzerland time)
Where: ZOOM – Link to be shared
Language: English
How long: 90 minutes
Who is it for: Humanitarian and development practitioners committed to the dream of Localisation all over the world, academics and donors
Format: Presentation & Discussion

Background: International Humanitarian response is a show of solidarity towards the populations affected by crisis. The International humanitarian aid is made available out of a fundamental recognition of shared humanity and solidarity. There are small and large humanitarian disasters all around the world. Normally, it is the local authorities working together with Civil Society actors and the citizens who show solidarity and are the first and longer-term responders to those disasters. Local solidarity continues to be expressed in times of crisis as a seemingly innate response to human suffering. This was true in the Nepal Earthquake, in response to the influx of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, the grassroots organisations to response to refugee crisis in Greece, France, Italy and Germany, The White Helmets in Syria, Proactiva Open Arms in the Mediterranean, the Women of Las Patronas in Mexico, those who are running food banks in the UK, US and other parts of the world during Covid 19 response. All these are true embodiments of the ‘essence of humanitarianism’ in everyday acts. However, what is particularly problematic is “the way in which grassroots expressions of solidarity are pressed to better align with the ‘Professional’ humanitarian’s unique interpretation of humanity and solidarity.”

The Anti-racism protests across the globe, led by the Black Lives Matter movement and others, has put a spotlight on deeply ingrained historic and systemic racist attitudes and racial discrimination that deny people their fundamental human rights. It has –finally created the opening to speak about racism and attitudes of colonialist superiority also in the ‘humanitarian’ sector. We need to work in solidarity to tackle inequality and injustice, not only in the society around us, but also in our own ‘aid sector’.

The webinar will to help explore:

• How is humanitarian solidarity expressed?
• What attitudes and behaviours show solidarity?
• What lessons have we learned about solidarity during Covid-19 crisis?
• What impact does the recent discourse on racism and de-colonisation of aid have on solidarity?
• What is the way forward?

For more information, please click here.

To Register please follow the link: Solidarity and Diversity

ABOUT THE VIRTUAL DIALOGUE SERIES

Members of Alliance for Empowering Partnership are inviting you to a dialogue series, supported by Community World Services Asia and, KUNO (Platform for Humanitarian Knowledge Exchange) and in collaboration with other international and local platforms to contribute to the body of alternative knowledge. 

There are small and large humanitarian disaster all around the world. Normally, it is the local authorities together with Civil Society actors and the citizens who are the first and longer-term responders to those disasters. Their work, however, remains under acknowledged and unrecognised and unsupported. This dialogue series hopes to create alternative knowledge.

In these dialogues, we will hear from the local actors and their partners about their experiences of localisation in practice. Why do we call it a dialogue? We see this as a conversation or discussion to resolve problems. Our focus is to talk about issues of inequities in the aid system and solutions and way forward.

Please find more information here.