Why organise Forums in different countries?

Many actors are working in favor of the SDGs around the world. Social innovation, social and solidarity economy, social entrepreneurship, solidarity finance, etc., are booming sectors but actions remain largely compartmentalised. Convergences is convinced that it is by bringing together institutions, civil society, entrepreneurs, media, academics and citizens that the impact of these initiatives will be maximized.  To do so, we suggest to bring together actors around the same table and to work together on the emergence of tools and concrete solutions allowing the transition to a 3Zero world. These meetings have permitted the formation of real networks, notably through the organisation of working groups and the facilitation of exchanges between participating organisations by Convergences. Different ecosystems are created with the setting up of Forums. The objective is to propose a large global network gathering all the actors acting, with Convergences, in favor of the SDGs.

How is a Convergences Forum organised at the international level?

The preparation process of the Convergences Forums is based on a methodology of co-construction and multi-actor partnerships with the national public, private, associative, academic, media and international cooperation sectors. The constitution of a local Working Group (WG) allows the identification of programmatic issues, thus ensuring the added value of the Forum by responding to the needs raised by national actors. The members of the WG identify the themes of the Forum, participate in the elaboration of certain sessions and support the technical organization of the Forum. Once the main themes are identified, a call for contributions is opened so that external organisations can contribute to the Forum. Technical and/or financial partners also support the Forums, with different levels of involvement.

Evolution of the Forums in light of the global pandemic

The international Convergence Forums bring together several hundred people each year. Due to the health context linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and the national and international restrictions concerning the gathering of people, the Convergences Forums have evolved towards online formats, keeping however as ambition to decompartmentalise the sectors through the co-construction of sustainable solutions and the sharing of experiences and initiatives with positive impacts for the achievement of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda . Thus, the 3rd edition of the Forum “Together to build the SSE of tomorrow” in Tunisia was held exclusively online and gathered more than 3000 participants!

Previous Forums

On May 30th 2023, Convergences organised the first online 3Zero Syria Forum, with the aim of ensuring sustainable and inclusive agriculture with improved resources management in Syria. This meeting of stakeholders involved in this sector brought together around 100 participants.

The 3Zero Syria Forum provided a platform for reflection, mobilisation and advocacy between all stakeholders involved in sustainable water management, access to sanitation and sustainable and inclusive agriculture in Syria.

The Forum was structured around sessions in a variety of dynamic formats to enable participants to work together to identify concrete solutions for achieving the global objective, and to highlight the main results and recommendations to be incorporated into public policy in the region and at national level.

Convergences and its partners, with ACTED and also the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Lab’ess and the International Labor Organization’s support organized on December 1st 2022 the 4th 3Zero Forum in Tunisia at the Cité de la Culture in order to promote an inclusive, sustainable and profitable economic system for all. This event bringing together various key actors of the sector gathered 700 participants.

The past three Forums provided a better understanding of the SSE sector according to the economic transformation, the inclusion and the climate as well as promoting practical solutions following the ESS law adoption. This new edition, the 3Zero Tunisia Forum 2022 shed light on civil society-led actions, hands in hands with institutions to face the 2030 Agenda’s imperatives as the economic model has to be thought at the service of the greater good. A strong emphasis was also put on civic dynamics and youths movements.

ACTED, Convergences and its partners, supported by the SEI Asia’s Strategic Collaborative Fund, organisied the 3Zero Southeast Asia Forum in Manila and online, to promote a sustainable and inclusive agriculture system in Southeast Asia, in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines. This meeting of committed actors in this sector gathered around 500 participants.

The 3Zero Southeast Asia Forum aims to be a platform for dialogue, network and advocacy among all stakeholders involved in the development of sustainable and inclusive agriculture systems and value-chains in Southeast Asia.

The Forum included sessions in different dynamic formats to enable participants to collaboratively identify concrete solutions for the achievement of the overall objective and highlight key learnings and recommendations to feed into public policies in the region and nationally. It also included a fair with booths from structures representing the agriculture sector in the region.

ACTED, Convergences and its partners: the Committee of the Tourism Development under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development, the International Finance Corporation and Asia +, within the SwitchAsia Programme were happy to welcome the very first Zero Carbon Forum on May 28th, 2022. This event was a chance to meet professionals working towards a sustainable consumption and production in the sector of tourism and beyond!

Co-constructed with members of the Working Group composed of experts in the tourism and energy sectors in Tajikistan, the Zero Carbon Forum aimed to be a platform for dialogue and networking where key issues are discussed and where projects supporting the dissemination of sustainable consumption and production practices to build a Zero Carbon Tajikistan are collaboratively created, encouraged and valued.

At the initiative of L’Effet Papillon, Convergences, DEAL Guadeloupe, CCI des Îles de Guadeloupe, Comité 21 and French Tech Guadeloupe, the Forum of Transitions – For a Sustainable Caribbean took place on September 21 and 22. It offered a virtual space for dialogue and exchange between actors and organisations working for a sustainable and inclusive development in the Caribbean.

During two days, workshops, round tables, booths and more have raised awareness, informed, equiped and trained on the economic, social, educational and environmental issues of our territories! A “Focus Entreprises” was held within the framework of the 3rd edition of the “Professional Meetings of Sustainable Development” by the CCI des Iles de Guadeloupe.

Digital inclusion can be a major tool in order to overcome development’s issues in oPt , especially for marginalised and disabled people as well as women. The 2021 oPt Convergences Forum’s objective was to develop easy-to-access digital tools to encourage the creation of new opportunities by taking advantages of digital resources offered by information and communication technology, especially to tackle youth employment issues in Palestine.

The Forum took place online on October 14, 2021, allowing all interested members of the digital palestinian sphere to participate.

CONVERGENCES PUBLICATIONS

In order to catalyse the exchanges and solutions suggested by sustainable development’s key actors in the countries where Convergences is active, deliverables have been developed. Find the inspiring initiatives implemented by project leaders from different sectors, all working towards the 3Zero objective in their respective countries – Zero Exclusion, Zero Carbon, Zero Poverty.

 2021 SENEGAL AWARDS

2021 was the occasion to put forward another format proposed by Convergences in order to value projects relevant to the achievement of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda. Indeed, the Convergences Senegal 2021 Awards, co-organised by the CoLab, rewarded 2 laureates developing concrete solutions by implementing a multi-stakeholder driving force for a 3Zero Senegal. They will receive technical and financial support for their projects as well as a promotional platform at the 3Zero World Forum in Paris on September 2 and 3.

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