ACFID CONFERNCE 2024 RECAP
31 October 2024
The 2024 ACFID Conference ran from 22 October - 24 October and this year the aim of the conference was to explore the transformative potential of solidarity and resilience in the face of unprecedented global challenges. WiAD Chair, Chris Franks and WiAD Director, Vivian Chordi attended the conference and shared some of their key take aways below.
The first plenary was 'Australia's Fair Share: Advocating for Climate Justice' with Alopi Latukefu, Director Edmund Rice Centre, Shiva Gounden, Pacific Lead of Greenpeace Australia, and expertly moderated by Renee Cremer.
There was a great energy in the morning, and I was particularly inspired by the discussions around the power of solidarity, and mobilising support from influential allies, and how that can be done effectively. The second session focussed on 'Rethinking Solidarity: Exploring the role of international development organisations in local movements' with Pradip Pariyar, Founder and Chairperson of Dalit Lives Matter Global Alliance, Tom Tanhchareun, Strategic Adviser: Foreign Policy from Equality Australia, Faaolo Utumapu-Utailesolo, Pacific Program Officer from Disability Rights Fund, Veasna Nuon, Country Manager, Cambodia from Union Aid Abroad APHEDA, moderated by Kate Lee - Executive Officer from Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA.
The panelists offered fresh perspectives on how movement building drives long-term systemic change and explored how development practitioners and NGOs can be genuine and effective allies in an increasingly complicated and constrained environment. A quote from Tom really resonated with me, he said, "we cannot have solidarity without relationships and building trust...we have to be aligned behind the advocacy strategies of the local partners". This encapsulated for me the need of the sector to be better at building relationships that dismantle power imbalances, better at listening, and better at how we go about creating and sustaining trust. - Vivian Chordi
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Conference Summary - Unity and Solidarity the running theme
Collaboration, cooperation - must work hand in hand with Pacific communities.
Rosa Parks said Martin Luther King was not supposed to say “ I have a dream” it was meant to be ‘We have a dream ‘ because we cannot work in isolation – that means we are surviving but by working together we can thrive.
The future we want is intersectional and local – find how to work better together as organisations, not just with local partners, look at frameworks, work in solidarity and work together - Fighting alone you cannot win.
So, we need to weigh up what we are doing and where we are going to support local communities in a more truly partnered way.
72% of people in the world live under authoritarian regimes, 1/6 live in areas of conflict today.
It is key that we work with partners to protect democracy, stand up against corruption and advocate for transparency.
As long as there is inequity in power and wealth, there is work to do!
Do less on programming more on partnering, support local ecosystems, convene and connect people in coalitions, increase reach without increase to turnover.
Our role here is to influence society and government, which is complicit in maintaining power balance in the world.
Our missions are more relevant than ever - stick to our missions, reach people and donors who support our missions.
Take care of those we might never meet but who are part of our common humanity. - Chris Franks