Together for more global responsibility: Participants of the regional development policy conference (Photo: SIMAMA STEHAuf e.V.).
100 VOICES FOR GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY: AT THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY CONFERENCE IN KARLSRUHE, COMMITTED FROM BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG MEET REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CITY OF KARLSRUHE, THE MUNICIPALITY AND THE STATE POLICY AND PUT THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT GLOBAL JUSTICE ON THE POLITICAL AGENDA.
Around 13 people came together in the Karlsruhe Tollhaus on June 2023, 100 under the motto “Global responsibility concerns us all!” There they discussed with Karlsruhe's mayor Frank Mentrup as well as state secretary Rudi Hoogvliet, representatives of the state government and the state parliament at the development policy regional conference about how digitalization can contribute to reducing global inequalities and what civil society needs in its commitment to greater global sustainability.
In workshops, participants had demands from the areas of sustainable agriculture and nutrition, climate justice, migration and young engagement, education for sustainable development and global learning, drones and peace, inner development goals, fair trade, international partnerships with the Global South and social issues entrepreneurship developed. For example, the “Women of Impact” workshop was about feminist development policy and equal access to resources such as education and work for all people. The workshop “Climate Justice, Migration and Young Engagement” dealt with the central topics and target groups for questions of global justice. After the input lecture by Prof. Dr. Sama Mbang (TecFactory of Mercedes-Benz Cars Operations, Daimler) discussed the topic of “Digitalization and global inequalities: a global challenge for the common future”, Courtney Okolo (SIMAMA STEHAuf e.V.), Geraldine de Bastion (connective) and Prof. Dr. Robert Lepenies (Karlshochschule) on the podium about the potential of digitalization to reduce global inequalities.
Praise for civil society – Mayor Mentrup and State Secretary Hoogvliet pay tribute to their tireless commitment to Agenda 2030
Numerous committed civil society actors have been working for a more sustainable world for many decades. Mayor Mentrup acknowledged the contribution of those involved: “The realization of the 2030 Agenda with its 17 goals for sustainable development will largely depend on the performance and willingness to innovate of cities worldwide and their citizens. The many civil society associations, initiatives and groups in the municipalities play a special role here. I welcome the development policy regional conference as a platform for the exchange of expertise and experiences between organized civil society, the administration and the citizens of the region.”
Rudi Hoogvliet, State Secretary for Media and Development Policy, who represents Baden-Württemberg as the state's representative in Berlin, emphasized: "The development policy regional conference in Karlsruhe shows once again what great development policy commitment we have at the local level in our country" and continued “In view of many different crises and major debates about the problems in our globally networked world, meetings like today's are a strong counterpoint.”
Invitation from the country's experts for more global justice
The development policy regional conference was held in 2023 by the Karlsruhe association SIMAMA - STEHAuf, which is part of the One World Promoters program with regional promoter Sylvia Holzhäuer-Ruprecht. The One World Promoters are contact persons for all people in Baden-Württemberg who are looking for solutions to questions about more global justice. Be it in the areas of supply chains and fair trade relations, or questions about how more global sustainability can be brought to schools or what colonial history actually has to do with our lives today. The sponsor of the One World Promoters program is the umbrella association for development policy Baden-Württemberg e.V. (DEAB). The One World Promoters program emerged from the state's development policy guidelines, which formulate how global responsibility is politically anchored in Baden-Württemberg. The program is financed by the federal and state governments. The promoters have been contributing every day for ten years to implementing these guidelines and winning over both the political levels and citizens. Their excellent networking and specialist knowledge are an important resource for development policy actors in Baden-Württemberg. The regional promoters promote One World work, support those who are committed and win new actors in their respective region.
About the regional development policy conference
Asked at the regular development policy regional conference as part of the World: Citizens dialogue format! Representatives of local politics, state politics and the Council for Development Cooperation exchange ideas with the development policy base and those involved in the region about current issues of global inequalities. The Baden-Württemberg Development Cooperation Foundation coordinates the Council for Development Cooperation, which advises the state government on development policy issues.
About SIMAMA – STAND UP e.V.
SIMAMA – STAND UP e.V. is a non-profit association that promotes global responsibility and solidarity. With events such as the Regional Development Policy Conference, SIMAMA – STEHAuf e.V. aims to raise awareness of regional and global challenges and promote practical solutions.
About the DEAB
178 development policy organizations and networks in Baden-Württemberg, a total of over 400 groups and organizations, form the umbrella organization Development Policy Baden-Württemberg e.V. (DEAB). The central tasks of the umbrella organization, founded in 1975, are to support its members through information, advice, networking, training and the political representation of their concerns to politicians and the public. In addition, the DEAB office in Stuttgart is a service point for questions relating to global responsibility and sustainability. State politics, global learning, fair trade and openness to migration society are the focus of the work. DEAB is the publisher of the Südzeit journal. The DEAB is also the sponsor of the One World Promoter Program and the Intercultural Promoter Program. Information: www.deab.de
