Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to this year’s Spaces of Solidarity meeting, where we again gather to discuss issues that are relevant to us.
I am pleased to see both old faces, which speak to continuity, and new faces, indicating that our network continues to refresh itself and is prepared to address emerging issues.
Meetings like this are important because they allow us time to reflect on the past year, to discuss issues with each other, and to strengthen relationships.
Such meetings also provide an opportunity to understand constraints and garner support for change.
As you would agree, our goal is to build a platform that clearly states concerns, persuades decision-makers to prioritise our issues, offers solutions or compromises, and ensures that action is taken.
Furthermore, such meetings strengthen a collective voice and allow for mutual support among people with similar experiences.
We are meeting at a time when there is a democratic decline globally, with headwinds facing us as we try to move forward.
We have seen a wave of cyber laws that infringe on freedom of expression, while NGO laws seek to curtail freedom of assembly.
Ladies and gentlemen, developments in the US have not spared us, with cuts to aid literally causing the downfall of several organisations in our sector.
I know sometimes it feels as if the future is bleak.
But this is not the time to be despondent; rather, it is the time for us to come together and seek solutions.
I will not belabour the point, but to say, I hope today’s meeting comes up with actionable points and will reinvigorate the Spaces of Solidarity.
Before I take my seat, I would like to express my gratitude to DW Akademie for their unwavering support and for making this meeting possible.
We are eternally grateful.
I will not take up much of your time, as I see you are itching to start the workshop.
I thank you!
