INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSIONS 2020 – 2022
May 18th, 2020
Dear Forum participants,
Today, facing growing uncertainty and shifting global dynamics, international Catholic inspired organizations are presented with a unique opportunity. As the Forum offers a dedicated space of exchange for our organizations, the Vatican dicasteries and the Secretariat of State, we see that current events are giving rise to a profound moment of global reflection. The ensuing dialogue is now crucial to healing the wounds of the present, identifying weaknesses in past approaches and making decisions that are truly at the service of humanity’s common future.
The fragility of our world now on full display, and indeed that of the human condition itself, offers a clear reminder of the care needed for humanity and its common home. The interconnectedness of our world and its societies, as well as the growing effects of globalization, are visible now more than ever. Amidst increasingly strained economic and political relationships, human flourishing and peace depend upon the recognition of our shared journey and a renewed commitment to live together as one human family.
As promoters of humanity (2017), working towards an inclusive society (2019), Catholic inspired organizations have an irreplaceable contribution to this dialogue, each according to their unique identity. The words of the Forum’s founding document are opportune in this regard: “In reading the signs of the times, organizations of Catholic inspiration, according to their identity, seek to make a shared assessment of these new challenges, deepen together their analysis of the interacting factors, consider anew the question of the future of our communities, safeguard those dynamics that contribute to social cohesion, and to exchange essential points of advocacy and action carried out before intergovernmental bodies.”1 Seen from this perspective, and with the pandemic only serving to reinforce its value, our document on inclusion provides a solid base and a supplementary tool for our activities before international institutions.
Through analyzing these present challenges and seeking creative and forward-looking solutions, international catholic inspired organizations contribute to building a future for the one human family. In light of this profound moment of global reflection and the focal points offered by the participating organizations, this two-year working program will consider the kind of future we want to build together, beginning today. In the words of Pope Francis, “Let us seek solutions together, boldly undertake processes of change and look to the future with hope.”2
The approach of 2017-2019: Moving toward convergence
During the 2017 – 2019 Forum program, organizations worked with one transversal theme (inclusion) in thematic groups to generate greater convergence and to take steps toward interaction in policy building. Organizations considered “a more inclusive society” through their various areas of thematic expertise by using a common methodology of identifying keys to the concept, challenges and positions taken. Their findings were then brought together and analyzed in a multi-disciplinary group of representatives from the various thematic groups. The resulting “mix” of themes and analysis saw both the concept of inclusion engaged from all thematic perspectives and each individual thematic perspective enriched by the analysis of the other themes. The resulting “convergence” was experienced in the Forum Assembly last December through shared analysis, relationship building, synergies and the publication of the inclusion document.
1 Founding Document of Forum. 2 Francis, Message for the Launch of the Global Compact on Education, September 12th, 2019.
Forum of Catholic-inspired NGOs Forum des ONG d’inspiration catholique
Migration
Youth
Human Rights
Development and Environment
Education
Family
Health
Thematic Groups
2017 – 2019 Program
• Keys to the concept
• Challenges
• Positions taken
Transversal Theme: “Inclusion”
• Presentation of findings
• Multi-theme analysis and interaction
• Integration
Multi-disciplinary Group
• Publication
• Joint evaluation of overall program
• Future planning and expectations
Forum
Methodology
Functionality
Outcome: Convergence
The approach of 2020-2022: Moving from convergence to increased collaboration in policy building
The present Forum program takes the achieved convergence of the organizations and the discussion group methodology as a starting point. Instead of working with a single transversal theme as was the case with “inclusion,” we suggest working with more specifically defined topics that parallel the respective international agendas of the organizations. In the diagram on the following page you will see that the overall themes remain but have been given more specific orientations. The groups themselves will further define these orientations in deciding on the specific topic(s) they intend to share and discuss. This approach offers two core advantages: it clearly enlarges the scope and vision and it increases the possibilities for organizations to mix and reorganize themselves within the groups of their choice.
The outcomes of these discussions will – as was the case in the previous Forum program – be taken up during four interdisciplinary meetings, yet this time by specifically looking through the prism of four core subjects: (1) the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, (2) the shaping of a new multilateralism, (3) follow-up on the various aspects related to integral human development and (4) reading future pathways through Christian anthropology. These subjects, in se, are an interplay of the various thematic approaches. The implications of the Covid-19 crisis, as much as the shaping of a new multilateralism, strongly impact development, environment, education, family, health, human rights, migration, and youth. The two other prisms are much more related to a specific Catholic/Christian reading of existing national and international policies. These interdisciplinary meetings will thus take the overall analysis a step further by examining the dynamic interaction of all the various elements.
Thematic groups are invited to choose the specific topics of exchange in a way that serves the discussion of the four “prism” subjects in the interdisciplinary meetings, always starting from their own organizational perspective. The facilitators will organize and plan the discussions, agenda and the dates of the virtual meetings throughout the coming period until April 2022. They will inform the Secretariat on the topics and regularly brief on the outcomes.
The discussions will follow a pattern of identifying the challenges, suggesting possible positions and defining focal points of advocacy. These will fuel the discussions of the interdisciplinary meetings, which will be composed of one or maximum two facilitators per thematic group, one person identified by the existing platforms, participants of the Vatican dicasteries and the Forum Committee members. The outcome of their discussions will subsequently be shared with all Forum participants.
A new tool to facilitate exchanges and sharing
To support and facilitate this collaboration, a Forum intranet is currently being developed according to the suggestions made following the 2019 Forum Meeting in Rome. The intranet will mirror the functioning of the Forum itself and bring the organizational base of the Forum into one virtual location. A forum wide news center will display news concerning activities, meetings, projects, events, calls for collaboration and other forum-wide communications. A master calendar will display activities relevant to the Forum, thematic groups, discussions upon the multi-thematic working topics, Vatican dicasteries and opportunities for advocacy before international institutions. A mapping of participating organizations and contact information will be available to enhance organizational communications. The existing thematic groups will each have their own “home page” with opportunities for discussion, document sharing and collaboration on their specific elements of interest. The inter-disciplinary meetings will have dedicated space for the consideration of the four “prism” subjects and for the summary report document of each discussion cycle. The geographic platforms (Geneva, Paris, Rome, Strasbourg, etc.) will have pages as well to share news, events and communications.
Forum of Catholic-inspired NGOs Forum des ONG d’inspiration catholique
Forum
2030 SDGS and follow up
Themes
Focal topics
Examine topics through the following prisms:
Inter-disciplinary meetings
Message building, communication, and advocacy
Education to fraternity and peace
1. Impact of COVID-19
crisis 2. Towards renewed
Internal:
Internal:
Internal:
• Intranet
The well-being of the family
multilateral relations 3. Integral human
• Intranet
• Publications of summary documents for all participants
Pandemics and new responsibilities
Challenges, positions and focal points
development 4. Christian
anthropology
• Publications of summary documents for all participants
• Suggestions in Positioning
UN, human rights, multilateralism and nationalism
to be decided by the thematic groups
Policy Positioning:
• Interaction of topics
• Suggestions in Positioning
External:
• Website
Migrants, refugees and human trafficking
Youth, security and technology
Choices of existing geographic and other platforms
2020 – 2022 Program
• Core challenges at policy level
• Proposals of positions
• Publication and dissemination of documents
• Synergies, including other actors
The intranet platform will be made available to Forum participants in the coming weeks. Each user will be assigned a login identification that will include a confidential username and password. Upon adherence to the intranet terms of use, participants are encouraged to actively contribute information, initiatives, and events to the Secretariat according to the scope and goals of the Forum’s founding document. Access may be requested by email to the Secretariat and confirmed on an annual basis for a cost of seventy euro (70€) per license to cover costs of the software. Participating organizations are welcome to request more than one license if this would serve their organizational needs. Organizations are invited to contact the Secretariat for further information.
A flexible and adaptable approach
These interactive discussions will continue throughout the full program and into the Forum Assembly to be held in April or May 2022. The summary report documents from the thematic discussions will again be assembled into a Forum wide publication at the end of the two-year program. The process, when taken as a whole, will lead to greater Forum wide communication, message building and synergies in advocacy both internally within the Forum and externally toward broader society. Participants are encouraged to suggest new and creative ways of working together as the Forum network “is brought forth in a spirit of communion and characterizes itself by an approach that is dynamic, voluntary and non-hierarchical.”3 More details are available in the tentative timeline at the conclusion of this document.
3 Founding Document of Forum.
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To conclude, and in terms of practical notes, please recall the following. The Secretariat remains at the service of the Forum at large and will not intervene in the discussions themselves nor draft their meeting reports. It will offer logistical support, assist in establishing the parameters of discussion and follow their progress. Contributions to the discussions and document submissions may be made in one of the following four languages: English, French, Italian or Spanish. The working language of the multidisciplinary group will be mainly English. It is important that group facilitators can ensure their continual presence and follow up for the discussions until the Spring 2022 Forum. In a similar way, the person designated to contribute to the inter-disciplinary meetings should be able to participate in all of the meetings without having to be replaced. Meetings of the inter-disciplinary group will take place in Rome (travel conditions permitting) and as was the case in previous meetings, the Forum committee will ensure that accommodation and meals are provided, but the cost of travel will remain the responsibility of the participants.
We hope that this offers clarity regarding the proposed path ahead and we invite you to contact the Forum Secretariat with any questions, desires or suggestions you may have. With gratitude for your attention and hopeful for your active engagement, we take this opportunity to extend our prayerful best wishes and regards.
Sincerely,
Johan Ketelers on behalf of the Founders, the Board and the Secretariat
* Please see below for a tentative timeline *
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Proposed Timeline
It is difficult to offer precise dates given the current situation of the pandemic. We suggest that the facilitators set the exact dates for the virtual meetings and that the new board, which will soon be confirmed, set the dates for the interdisciplinary meetings.
I. June to September 2020
• Thematic groups
o Confirm participants and facilitators; define the topics. o Set the agenda and the dates for virtual meetings. o Identify the participants to attend the interdisciplinary meetings in Rome. o Inform the Secretariat on the choices made.
• Secretariat
o Introduce Intranet set up and terms of use. o Prepare the format of the summary report document. o Share the topics chosen by the thematic groups as well as the composition of these groups with all Forum participants.
II. October to December 2020
• Thematic groups and ongoing intranet exchanges
o Discuss the identified topics through virtual meetings, document sharing and intranet. o Inform the Secretariat on the first outcomes by mid-November.
• Interdisciplinary meeting: The implications and impact of the COVID-19 epidemic. Some examples of possible questions are below, but these are to be defined according to the choices made by the thematic groups.
o How does it impact upon the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity? o What about the many suggestions made to review social organization and social cohesion?
o What lessons are there for future national and international policies?
III. January to April 2021
• Thematic groups and ongoing intranet exchanges
o Discuss the identified topics through virtual meetings, document sharing and intranet. o Inform the Secretariat on the outcomes by mid-March.
• Second meeting of the interdisciplinary group: Towards renewed multilateral relations. What do we want? Some examples of possible questions are below, but these are to be defined according to the choices made by the thematic groups.
o Suggestions to improve the relations between nations and multilateral policy building. o Implementation levels and global responsibilities seen from a national perspective. o Role of civil society organizations and shared paths forward.
Forum of Catholic-inspired NGOs Forum des ONG d’inspiration catholique
IV. May to September 2021
• Thematic groups and ongoing intranet exchanges
o Discuss the identified topics through virtual meetings, document sharing and intranet. o Inform the Secretariat on the outcomes by mid-August.
• Third meeting of the interdisciplinary group: Integral human development and care for our common home. Some examples of possible questions are below, but these are to be defined according to the choices made by the thematic groups.
o What progress has been made in leaving no-one behind? (SDGs 2030) o How do we configure human development to include the “whole person”? o What is the relation of self-fulfillment and community fulfilment? (self-development versus community development)
V. October to December 2021
• Thematic groups and ongoing intranet exchanges
o Discuss the identified topics through virtual meetings, document sharing and intranet. o Inform the Secretariat on the outcomes by mid-November.
• Fourth meeting of the interdisciplinary group: Starting from a human anthropological perspective. Some examples of possible questions are below, but these are to be defined according to the choices made by the thematic groups.
o Moving from an academic concept to international policies. o Moving from a profit-centered economy to a person-centered approach. o Scientific (biologic and physical) anthropology versus moral attitudes. (intersection of science and humanities)
VI. January 2022 to April 2022
• Thematic groups and ongoing intranet exchanges
o Finalizing conclusions based on the thematic discussions and the four outcomes of the interdisciplinary meetings. o Inform the Secretariat on the outcomes by mid-March.
• Secretariat:
o Assemble the outcomes and submit the overall document to all participants for final corrections.
VII. Forum Meeting: April/May 2022 Forum of Catholic-inspired NGOs Forum des ONG d’inspiration catholique
