“Alone we have problems, together we have solutions”
— Climate Social Forum
WHO WE ARE?
We are a group of people engaged in various experiences of climate and social activism and volunteering. (Laudato Si Association, EcoIstituto Valle del Ticino, Friday for Future, Agende Rosse, Legambiente, YOUnicef, YOUNGO observers..) We believe in a socially and ecologically sustainable future in balance with the planet, our common home, and with all its inhabitants.
Our mission
The Climate Social Forum is a free and inclusive universal assembly. Our goal is to create a virtual “agora” where activists, citizens, and experts can propose actions and stimulate national governments and local administrations to build an ecologically sustainable future.
How?
The virtual agora will consist of online events (web conferences, virtual meetings, etc…) to encourage the exchange of ideas and proposals. We want to create a space for dialogue between different realities that can generate shared proposals to be developed at local, national and global lev
Following the announcement of the cancellation of the Twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties (COP 26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) scheduled for late 2020 in Glasgow; We felt the need to “join forces” to try to respond to the decision-making vacuum that the postponement of COP 26 created precisely at a time when a further collaborative effort would have been needed. Thus was born in March 2020 the Climate Social Forum project to respond to the very serious and unavoidable social and economic consequences induced by the dual challenge induced by the overlapping of the health emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic with the climate and environmental emergency.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
LISTEN
.
GENERATIVITY
.
SOLUTION
.
Listening principle
It is important to follow everyone’s opinion on convergence with their common position. The common position may be different from the position of a single person, but not opposite or opposite.Approach to the message of group opinion and an important “group” position that supports individual opinion
Inclusiveness principle
The process of creating the initiative while remaining coherent with itself must be inclusive, that is to welcome everyone’s opinions in diversity from a “contributory” perspective. Each vision, even the opposite one, can represent additional information to reach the final solution or decision
Trust principle
The discussion can be generative if placed on a level of mutual trust and trust in the process. Trust in the other: those who decide to join the process, even from different paths, can have the same goal. Trust in the process: it is not important who arrives before or after, but to get there together as a group and to trust until proven otherwise that the group can go towards the common goal
Principle of focus on the solution
“No matter how long it may be, the important thing is to have a clear goal”. Both for the final objective – in a working group or in a meeting – it’s important to focus on the total or partial goal that you want to achieve. Even if it can be worth, it is important spend some time to focus the ultimate goal, before starting to walk or run.
Generativity principle
Debate and discussion are the engine of the process, as well as positive conflict or contrappositions. But they can only be so, if something arises from conflict and discussion. They must be generative: the comparison can enrich and generate unexpected solutions for themselves, for the group, for the final goal. Partial solutions or results can contribute constructively to the general solution
Time principle
Whether online or offline by joining the process, we share a space (physical or virtual) and time that allow us to relate internally and externally. Respect everyone’s time, time dedicated by everyone, and the time within which an internal or external interaction may be required of the group or initiative. This also includes compliance with internal and external deadlines that have been shared
Principle of the relationship with if and with the group
If we decide to join the initiative, we decide to put ourselves in relationship with a group. It is important to express ourselves and feel comfortable in the group in the relationship with the group itself. It is important to put the group in the condition to be able to best welcome our contribution It is important that the group has the best conditions for accepting contributions
“WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME BOAT, ONLY IF WE REMAIN TOGETHER WE COULD PREVENT THE STORM FROM HAPPENING” (Francesco I)
TALANOA DIALOGUE
Talanoa is a traditional word used in Fiji and throughout the Pacific to reflect an inclusive, participatory and transparent dialogue process.
Talanoa’s goal is to share stories, build empathy and make wise decisions for the collective good. The Talanoa process involves sharing ideas, skills and experience.
During the process, participants build trust and advance knowledge through empathy and understanding. Blaming others and making critical observations are incompatible with building mutual trust and respect, and therefore at odds with the concept of Talanoa. Talanoa promotes stability and inclusion in dialogue, creating a safe space that embraces mutual respect for a platform for decision making for a greater good [3].
From COP23 The Talanoa dialogue is also one of the methodologies used in the conferences of the parties during traditional negotiations to arrive at a common solution that involves the participation of all the parties involved.
It was also used in the Cumbre Social por el Clima Latino americana
Taking up the indigenous tradition of the Fiji islands is based on three questions
Sitting in a peer circle the questions are:
Where we are? (what is the state of the art)
Where do we want to go? (what is our goal)
How do we get there? (method and strategy)
What do we want? Our mission
The Climate Social Forum intends to present itself as a free universal assembly, inclusive and in the making. Given the emergency of the climate, social and environmental crisis, our goal is to create an “agorà”, an inclusive meeting and dialogue place available to local and international activists, citizens and authoritative international experts to illustrate and discuss proposals of concrete action capable of constructively stimulating national governments and ad acte local administrations with greater decision, courage (and imagination) in view of a socially and ecologically sustainable future for our House and for all its inhabitants.
As?
The virtual agora will consist of a review of online events (web conferences, tables, virtual meetings) to encourage the exchange of ideas, proposals, achievements and virtuous experiences available to all to build together a sustainable, fair and supportive society and stimulate in this direction the institution. We want to create a space for dialogue between different realities that can generate consensus proposals to be advanced at a local, national and global level.
To do this we rely on some guiding principles for participation
LISTEN
.
GENERATIVITY
.
SOLUTION
.
We are driven by values
LISTENING, GENERATIVITY and SOLUTION, have been the keywords of the Climate Social Forum that summarize the foundational principles of the virtual space of discussion, fostered by Climate Social Forum
