Ariadne News & Events

SEASON’S GREETINGS: As the holiday season approaches, we would like to take the time to wish you a peaceful and happy holiday and thank you for your continued support. It is the Ariadne members who make our jobs a pleasure and make Ariadne successful. We look forward to working with you in the coming year.

REGISTER NOW: EMERGENCY TELE-BRIEFING – UPDATE ON THE EVENTS IN ALEPPO: After five years of war in Syria, over the past several days Aleppo has been virtually destroyed by Syrian government forces with the support of Russia and Iran.  Yesterday, shocking reports from the UN emerged of extrajudicial killings of civilians by government forces, while today it is being reported that Iran-backed militias are preventing civilians from evacuating east Aleppo. While we watch these events from afar, we are all asking ourselves what we can do.  While a full answer to that question will require time, we are trying to organise an emergency tele-briefing on the situation in Aleppo to bring donors up to date.  Pending availability of speakers, we will try to hold a tele-briefing on Friday, 16^th December, at 2pm GMT.  To register, please email Lori Stanciu. More details will be available on the Ariadne portal soon.

REGISTER NOW: 360GIVING SHOWCASE: OPEN DATA FOR MORE EFFECTIVE GRANTMAKING: Join us for a funder-only showcase on 360Giving, an initiative which supports organisations to publish their grants data in an open, standardised way and helps people to understand and use the data to support decision-making and learning across the charitable giving sector. The webinar will be an opportunity to learn about and discuss 360Giving and the 360Giving Data Standard being used by over 25 UK grantmakers to share their grants information in a comparable way. There will also be demonstration of GrantNav, a search platform which brings together the grants data published using the 360Giving Standard, making it possible to search, explore and download the detail of who, where and how much. The webinar will be presented by Katherine Duerden from 360Giving and will take place on January 18^th, 2017 between 15:00 – 16.00 GMT. To register, please click here.

REGISTER NOW:  2017 ARIADNE FORECAST ROUNDTABLES: We invite you to join some of the best brains in the field to help us as a community create an Ariadne forecast for the year ahead. We will be holding meetings on January 26^th in London, January 30^th in Brussels, January 31^st in Paris, February 3^rd in The Hague and February 14^th in Rome, with refreshments, to help us think about major trends, in human rights and social change issues and in the field of philanthropy. To come to one of the 2017 Forecast roundtables, please click here.

REGISTER NOW: ARIADNE PORTAL TUITION: An hour tuition session to increase your skill in using the Ariadne Portal will be held on  Wednesday, January 18^th, 12:00 GMT and on Thursday, February 16^th, 12:00 GMT. This is an online webinar you can participate in from your desk. To join, you will need a computer or tablet (iPad/Android) to watch the online demonstration. To register, please RSVP to Kenneth Hill.

REGISTER NOW: ARIADNE 2017 POLICY BRIEFING – APRIL 5^th-7^th 2017:  We invite you to register for the 8th Ariadne Annual Meeting and Policy Briefing between 5-7th April 2017 in Turin for two and a half days of networking, understanding the cutting edge issues for European funders, improving your grant-making skills and having an informative and enjoyable time in the company of fellow funders and grant-makers.  The Briefing will include a selection of visits to local sites of interest to social change and human rights funders, breakouts and plenary sessions, networking dinners and opportunities for participants to organise informal open sessions on Friday, 7th April. The event will include sessions for newcomers and others who want to brush up their skills in using Ariadne resources, such as the portal and Knowledge Tools and plenty of networking opportunities. Space is limited so please register early to be sure of a place.

SUBMIT NOW: Session Proposals – Ariadne Policy Briefing 2017: The planning committee has requested fresh ideas for break-out and plenary sessions for the next Ariadne Policy Briefing in Turin. We would be delighted to receive your session proposals. The deadline for submissions is Friday, January 20^th, 2017. If you would like to send a proposal, please see here for more details.

The next Thread will go out on Thursday, January 12^th. We would love to hear from you! Please contact Lori Stanciu by January 10^th if you would like to share announcements, events, or resources for the next issue. 

New Research, Articles and Judgements

New developments in community philanthropy emerge in Italy: In this article for Alliance Magazine, Carola Carazzone, Secretary General of Assifero, the national association of Italian grantmaking foundations, reports on how Italian foundations are using different forms of philanthropy to make a difference at a local level. Thriving community philanthropy organisations can and should make their own way through creative use of local resources and, above all, they should be deeply rooted in the local context. See also her Reflections on the Global Summit on Community Philanthropy and Is it time to dance? The intersection of community philanthropy and ‘traditional’ international development, by Anna Wansbrough-Jones, consultant and Director of Stratagem International.

We must find new ways to protect human rights defenders: Almost 20 years ago the UN adopted the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, but they face more danger than ever, write Iva Dobichina of the Open Society Foundations and James Savage of the Fund for Global Human Rights. This article is part of a series promoted by the Open Society Foundations to mark Human Rights Day (10th December) and to focus attention on how human rights defenders worldwide are adapting to a growing list of antagonists, including governments, corporate actors, paramilitary groups, and organised crime.

CRPD 10th Anniversary: In December 2006, the U.N. General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Ten years after the adoption, data on laws and policies affecting people with disabilities continues to be largely unavailable. The WORLD Policy Analysis Center has launched new data and accessible tools that actors can use in their efforts to measure progress on CRPD implementation. Whilst far more data is needed, a global assessment of key rights areas provides important insights on the collective progress towards realising the rights enshrined in the CRPD. In this video, Open Society Foundations disability rights grantees and partners reflect on the advances of the past decade and the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Brave, Creative, Resilient: The Global State of Young Feminist Organising: FRIDA – The Young Feminist Fund and Association for Women’s Rights in Development’s Young Feminist Activism Program published Brave, Creative, Resilient: The Global State of Young Feminist Organising, a mapping of the global state of young feminist organising. Using two major data sets covering over 1500 young women, girl and trans* led groups and organisations, the research provides a ‘snapshot’ of who young feminist organisations are, the issues and strategies they work on, and the financial and political realities that shape their work.

UNHCR presents proposals on EU refugee management: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has published a set of proposals on 5th December 2016 that aim to improve the way refugee flows are managed in the EU. The proposal package includes measures to enhance the EU’s external engagement to strengthen the asylum capacities of third countries, improve funding mechanisms, link refugees and development, and expand legal channels for migration. Further measures include the development of an early warning and response planning system, ensuring standby capacity and improving coordination mechanisms. See also, Amnesty International’s new report Turkey: Displaced and Dispossessed.

Marine Le Pen: no free education for children of ‘illegal immigrants’: According to The Guardian, the French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has proposed that children of immigrants who are in the country illegally should be refused school places as part of tough measures to restrict state services. The leader of the National Front (FN) is forecast by opinion polls to finish second in next year’s presidential election but she is hoping for new momentum after the victory of Donald Trump in the US.

Should funding agencies also share in the sacrifice of social change? In this article for Open Democracy, Michael Edwards, writer and activist, looks at what standards of behaviour we should expect from the leaders of foundations, NGOs and aid agencies. He argues that leaders of foundations should put aside any opportunities for personal gain in exchange for solidarity with colleagues and the cause to knit together a strong social fabric. Consistency between words and actions is essential in building mutual loyalty and trust. See also, Turnaround Towns: International Evidence, by the Carnegie UK Trust.

Second European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey: Roma – Selected Findings: Highlighting persisting barriers to employment, education, housing and health services, this report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights also reveals that four out of 10 Roma surveyed felt discriminated against at least once in the past five years, yet only a fraction pursued the incident. The report presents information that can serve as a resource for policymakers committed to ensuring that Roma are treated equally with respect to their fundamental rights.

Canaries in the Coal Mines – An analyses of spaces for LGBTI activism in Malawi: The first country report on Malawi from the Other Foundation, Canaries in the Coal Mines is a series about the depth and nature of social exclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people in southern Africa.

Young Women’s Trust report: Young, Female and Forgotten? A report from the Young Women’s Trust and supported by Ariadne member Barrow Cadbury Trust, claims that more than a quarter of a million young women are not receiving the support needed to find work, despite more than 85% of them wanting jobs.  Young, Female and Forgotten is the first in-depth research into young women that are classed as ‘economically inactive’ and looks at the barriers facing them, including lack of affordable childcare and poor public transport services in rural areas.

This Is How Donald Trump Could Win Again In 2020: In this article for The Huffington Post, Rebecca Tinsley, Trustee of Tinsley Foundation, looks at several reasons why the US President-elect Donald Trump might win the election in 2020. Rebecca argues that those who disagree with Trump’s policies should focus on causes close to home, creating enlightened and tolerant, well-governed Twenty First Century city states. See also, Nonprofit leaders respond to the 2016 Presidential Election (round-up), by Farra Trompeter.

Blogs and Other Sites of Interest

Jeans for Refugees: Jeans for Refugees is a global initiative founded by Johny Dar. The initiative is simple, celebrities donate their jeans and Johny Dar paints them. The jeans are sold to raise funds for the refugees. 100% of profits are donated to the International Rescue Committee.

UNICEF launches free online course on Social Change: University of Pennsylvania and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are jointly launching a free open online course on social norms and social change. The 4 weeks course, which consists of a theoretical section and a practical section, is taught in English. The course teaches how to measure social norms and the expectations that support them, and how to decide whether they cause specific behaviours. The course discusses several issues that are closely related to human rights such as child marriage and gender violence.

WATCH: Climate Justice: A human rights approach: In this video, Mary Robinson, President of the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice, highlights the importance of seeking climate justice on International Human Rights Day.

WATCH: A powerful animation on a world without fair trials: Fair Trials, a human rights organisation, has created a new animation showing what it would feel like to live in a world without fair trials. For example, the website accompanying the animation says that in China, imprisoned human rights defenders are being denied access to lawyers and in Spain it is common for suspects not to be given information about the case against them until shortly before the trial starts.

Survivor’s guilt and loneliness: the life of an activist in exile: After playing a key role in democratic protests in Bahrain in 2011, Maryam al-Khawaja had to flee Bahrain for her own safety. In this article for The Guardian, Maryam, now co-director of the Gulf Center for Human Rights, shares her story.

The UK Government just got hugely increased data spying powers: The Investigatory Powers Act, also known as the ‘Snoopers’ Charter’, has recently became law in the UK. In this article, Benson Egwuonwu of RightsInfo looks at The Investigatory Powers Act, a law which gives the UK government huge powers of surveillance over the UK population.

An interactive journey through Venture Philanthropy and Social Investment in Europe – The EVPA survey 2015/16: The European Venture Philanthropy Association launched its 2015/6 survey in November. Have a look at this short visual overview of the sector.

WATCH: The populist challenge to human rights – Professor Philip Alston: In this lecture at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Professor Philip Alston echoes other recent comments such as those made by James Goldstein of Open Society Foundations , who called for the human rights movement to promote economic and social rights and to engage in tackling socio-economic inequality as a way to confront the threat of the new populism to human rights.

Toolkit: Understanding statelessness in the Syria refugee context: Norwegian Refugee Council and Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion have published a new report and toolkit on statelessness in the Syria refugee context.

WATCH: The boy and the sea: The film The boy and the sea, produced by EED grantee from Syria, Bidayyat, that recently premiered at the official competition of the Muhr Short Dubai International Film Festival, tells a story of a boy who attempts to escape the scourges of war and misery by diving in to the bottom of the sea.

Social justice and equality in Europe – is possible! This publication from Caritas Europa, presents the organisation’s vision for resilient social models in Europe. Based on an analysis of social realities on the ground, the models outlined in the report set out an integrated approach for improving the well-being of people. According to the report family, labour market and social protection policies are key for effectively building solidarity and social cohesion.

‘Better Than That’ campaign against hate crime: A UK wide anti-hate crime campaign backed by the UK government, Better Than That, was launched on 1^st December 2016 in response to the rise in incidents following the EU referendum. UK Home Office figures show the number of racially or religiously aggravated offences leapt 41% in July 2016, compared with the same month the previous year, prompting fears that the Brexit vote has fuelled intolerance.

Grant-Making

Follow-up: Responding to the refugee crisis: what role for UK foundations: This joint Association of Charitable Foundations and Ariadne Network event held in October provided funders with an update on the impact of the refugee crisis across Europe and explored how UK foundations could most effectively respond. During the discussion, several gaps in provision were identified, one of which was the lack of adequate protection and support for unaccompanied refugee children. As a response, several foundations have expressed an interest in working more closely together to better support these children. We would like, therefore, to get an up-to-date view of the funding landscape and carry out a light-touch mapping exercise to identify where the funding gaps are. We would be very grateful if you could help us with this by completing a short survey by Thursday, 22^nd December, 2016.

Funder Learning Visit – Jordan: Reflections and Key Takeaways: Ariadne and the International Human Rights Funders Group’s 2016 Funders Learning Visit brought a group of 25 funders to Amman, Jordan, for three days of critical exchange with local, regional, and international practitioners. In The Value of Coordinated Support for Refugees, Shoshana Smolen of The Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights, discusses why funders must coordinate to meet the varied needs of refugees. Chandra Alexandre of Global Fund for Women, Beth Fernandez of Sigrid Rausing Trust, and Catherine Zennström of Zennström Philanthropies look at Forced Migration: Challenges and Opportunities for Funders. Here are some key takeaways from the visit and the recording of the Visit’s Debrief Tele-briefing with Hady Matar of IRAP, Michael Diedring of EPIM and Cathy Togher of Comic Relief.

PWYP and Civicus report on civic space – Against All Odds: This report from Publish What You Pay and CIVICUS on shrinking civic space contains a series of case studies illustrating different types of threats, from restrictive legislation, criminalisation and unwarranted surveillance to smear campaigns, tight control of public space and violence.

FCAA’s latest report on philanthropic support to address HIV/AIDS in 2015: This new report from Funders Concerned About AIDS is the most comprehensive study of its kind, capturing data on more than 7,000 grants, awarded by 482 foundations in 10 countries, in an effort to identify gaps, trends, and opportunities in HIV-related philanthropy. This data supports funders in their efforts to make informed decisions about where resources would make the most impact.

Can charities help heal the divisions in society? In a blog based on her presentation at a recent New Philanthropy Capital (NPC) event, Barrow Cadbury Trust’s Chief Executive, Sara Llewellin, outlines her thoughts on how charities can help heal society’s divisions, after they were highlighted by the EU Referendum.

Enhancing effective implementation of FATF standards on nonprofits – lessons learnt from mutual evaluation processes: Here are the outcomes of a meeting held in London in September 2016, on the experiences of NPOs in the FATF evaluation process to identify good practice and challenges. The meeting also set out recommendations to improve the practical implementation of the process. This was done by engaging stakeholders involved in recent evaluations (FATF Secretariat and the evaluators, Governments and NPOs, academics, etc.). The overall goal was to help the evaluation process evolve, and to discuss steps to improve the implementation of the FATF methodology and the training of evaluators with regards to Recommendation 8 and its Interpretative Note.

Trans organisation and funding survey – Deadline 16th December: GATE, AJWS and Astraea are fielding a new survey for trans* groups and programmes. This survey – available in English, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Russian – is a follow up from the 2013 report and the landscape of trans funding globally. With your help, they can continue to impact funding globally by providing updated information about the sources of funding trans groups receive, the barriers to funding they face, their leadership structures and their organisational needs in 2016. Please share the survey with your grantees and other trans* groups worldwide.

Donors thinking big: beyond gender equality funds: In this article for Open Democracy, Emily Esplen of OECD argues that the case for investing in southern women’s rights organisations is firmly established, but to create sustainability, resilience and long-term change donors need to invest in the infrastructure of organisations and movements.

Launch of the new Stop Slavery Hotel Industry Network: From goods produced by forced labour to hotels being used for sexual exploitation, modern slavery is a very real and urgent concern for the hotel and hospitality industry. To help tackle it, Shiva Foundation has created a new initiative, bringing representatives from across the hotel industry together to develop and test methods to be shared throughout the sector.

Creative Climate Leadership Training — of use to your grantees? Julie’s Bicycle has launched Creative Climate Leadership, a new pan-European programme for artists, creative professionals and policymakers to explore the cultural dimensions of climate change, and take action with impact, creativity and resilience. The first Creative Climate Leadership Training Course will take place 27th – 31st March 2017 at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, Wales. In under a week they received applications from Egypt, Spain, France, USA, Germany and the Netherlands, as well as an unprecedented number of applications from across the UK. The deadline for applications is 10am (GMT) Monday 16th January 2017.

Talking about Poverty – How Experts and the Public Understand Poverty in the United Kingdom: Frameworks, in partnership with Joseph Rowntree Foundation have launched a new report looking at how experts and the public understand poverty in the UK.

The Good Grantmaking Guide – An approach to the principles and processes of participative grantmaking to civil society organisations:  This new report, compiled by the Environmental Partnership Association, shares the 20-plus years of experience and practices of the foundations active in 6 Central European countries, supporting sustainable development, social innovation and bottom-up projects initiated and leveraged by civil society organisations and local communities through user-friendly grant calls. It aims to share and synthesise the elements and cornerstones of a well-designed, flexible, yet transparent and effective support mechanism, where the emphasis is on achieving real results and impact by the granted groups and activities. The booklet is designed for public and private donors who may be considering launching small grant schemes for the benefit of civil society.

Funding in conflict-affected environments: This guide aims to answer the question – how can independent philanthropy fund activities and initiatives in conflict-affected areas to promote and support peacebuilding? The study, written by Avila Kilmurray and published by the Social Change Initiative, Belfast and the Working Group on Philanthropy for Social Justice and Peace. See also, Ten years of Peacebuilding Work in Conflict Regions: Reflections and a Policy Contribution from the Foundations for Peace Network, by Philanthropy for Social Justice and Peace Working Group.  

EPIM call for expressions of interest on work protecting access to rights for mobile EU citizens: In 2015, 15.3 million EU citizens were living in a Member State other than their own. The European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM) is calling for expressions of interest from civil society organisations that seek to engage at a European level and have an advocacy and/or awareness raising focus. Project proposals of up to 24 months will be considered and funding of up to 180,000 EUR is available. Deadline for expressions of interest is Monday, 9th January 2017.

Rosa launches the Woman to Woman fund: Rosa, the UK Fund for Women and Girls, has launched the Woman to Woman fund. With grants of up to £25,000, no fewer than 100 local grassroots women’s organisations across the UK will be supported using funds from the ‘Tampon Tax.’ Grants are available for groups with an income of under £100,000 per year, to support a wide range of charitable work that benefits women: from building confidence and leadership skills, tackling harassment and violence, to training in financial literacy and increasing engagement in decision-making.

Jobs and Tenders

2 x Programme Officers and 1 x Senior Programme Officer – AJWS: AJWS is seeking a Programme Officer on Civil and Political Rights (Asia), a Programme Officer on Strategic Learning, Research and Evaluation, and a Senior Programme Officer on Natural Resource Rights. Location: New York, United States of America. Deadline for applications is ongoing.

International Grants Manager – Comic Relief: Comic Relief is looking to recruit an International Grants Manager to support its Stronger Communities programme. The successful candidate will use their experience in sustainable enterprise, inclusive markets and grant-making to support Comic Relief’s Stronger Communities programme, which seeks to ensure that communities are more productive, empowered and connected in development. Location: London, United Kingdom. Deadline for applications is 18th December 2016.

Research Fellow, Human Rights Initiative – Center for Strategic & International Studies: CSIS is seeking a Research Fellow to join its Human Rights Initiative. The successful candidate’s responsibilities will include qualitative and quantitative analysis, drafting and finalising reports and commentaries, and overseeing research partnerships. They will conduct research on closing space for civil society, aimed at better understanding the phenomenon and generating concrete strategies for making civil society more resilient and sustainable. This research is part of an international consortium of scholars and practitioners that HRI is leading, to develop evidence-based solutions for protecting freedoms of association, assembly, and expression amid a global crackdown. Location: Washington DC, United States of America. Deadline for applications is ongoing.

Atlantic Fellows Programme, Economics and Social Inequality – London School of Economics and Political Science: Applications have opened for the Atlantic Fellows programme in Economics and Social Inequality, based at LSE. The programme invites applications from experienced activists, academics, policy makers and practitioners to explore the causes of inequalities wherever they are found and to challenge them with innovative, multi-disciplinary approaches. Interested candidates can apply for either the Atlantic Residential Fellowship, where they will undertake the MSc in Inequalities and Social Sciences, or the Atlantic Non-Residential Fellowship, which will involve a 12-18-month programme of week-long workshops and project work. Location: London, United Kingdom. Deadline for applications is 22^nd January 2017 for projects taking place before September 2017, or 8^th March 2017 for projects taking place between September 2017 and August 2018.

Head of Funding, Policy & Learning Manager, and 2 x Funding Managers – Big Lottery Fund: Big Lottery Fund is looking for a Head of Funding, a Policy & Learning Manager, and two Funding Managers to join its social investment team. The social investment team seeks to work with others to enable charities and social enterprises to create more sustainable social impact by accessing social investment and diversifying their income. Location: Flexible, United Kingdom. Deadline for applications is 9^th, 4^th and 4^th January 2017 respectively.

Programme Officer, Ethnicity & Health Equality – Open Society Foundations: Open Society Foundations is seeking a Programme Officer for Ethnicity and Health Inequality, with responsibility for Roma health rights. The successful candidate will be responsible for the strategic leadership and management of the allocated PHP Roma health portfolio. The portfolio consists of work focused on social accountability and legal empowerment of Roma communities to recognise and claim their health-related rights and engage in policy dialogue on issues affecting them; EU advocacy on Roma access to healthcare; and the Roma Health Scholarship Programme that supports students to complete medical studies and challenge the perception of Roma from within the healthcare system. The post-holder will also contribute to conceptualising and developing a new body of work on migration and health rights in Europe. Location: Budapest, Hungary. Deadline for applications is 1^st January 2017.

Programme Officer, Governance & Debates – Open Society Foundations: Open Society Foundation Initiative for Europe is seeking a Programme Officer to join its Governance and Policy Debates Unit; working on the implementation of activity portfolios dealing with topics of governance, and state or regulatory capture in the countries of the EU and South-Eastern Europe. The Programme Officer will perform a wide range of responsibilities that advance portfolios and other programme strategies, mainly consisting of grant making to civil society organisations, research institutions, and building political constituencies and alliances, and, occasionally, policy advocacy in selected countries of Europe. Location: Budapest, Hungary. Deadline for applications is 29^th December 2016. For more jobs with Open Society Foundations please click here.

6 x Board Members – FRIDA | The Young Feminist Fund: FRIDA | The Young Feminist Fund is calling for nominations for up to 6 enthusiastic and dedicated feminists to join its Board of Directors. Board Members oversee the legal and financial management of the fund, mobilise resources and contribute to the fund’s financial success, represent FRIDA at conferences and meetings, oversee the performance of Co-Directors, contribute to FRIDA’s organisational development and strengthen its global governance structure. The board members will be elected for a three-year term; 2017-2020. To nominate yourself or someone else email board@youngfeministfund.org with an introduction to the nominee and their unique contribution as a FRIDA Board Member, CV, and contact information for two references. Deadline for nominations is 4^th January 2017.

*For more jobs, see the ‘Career Opportunities’ section on the landing page of the Ariadne portal.

Public Meetings

BARCELONA

April 23^rd – 29^th
2017 Just Giving Conference – Re/Organising Power for Systems Change: This conference will build on EDGE’s recent work around the Just Transition, and explore the question of system change through the lenses of power, privilege and emancipatory struggles. The experience of Spanish and Catalonian social movements, particularly strong and dynamic in building systemic alternatives, will be woven into the conference design. Just Giving 2017 will seek to discuss how citizen action and system change philanthropy might re-organise power to build the new and overcome the extractive economy. Based on the pillars of people power, systemic alternatives and progressive philanthropy, the Just Giving programme will be designed to engage participants in deep debates about the systemic challenges the world is facing today and how to overcome them. The event will take place between 25^th and 28^th April, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain.

BRUSSELS

November 13^th – December 31^st   
Championing Philanthropy: European Foundation Centre’s ‘Championing Philanthropy’ exhibition showcases how institutional philanthropy improves lives through projects by its members, and brings to life a wide range of projects that have been devised and carried out by members of the European Foundation Centre’s Governing Council. While there is a diversity of projects, there are several common themes including: Refugees and Migration, Education, Social Development, Youth Empowerment, and Health. The exhibition is open until 31^st December, 2016 in Brussels, Belgium.

March 26^th – April 1^st
RightsCon Brussels 2017: Access Now invites you to attend its sixth RightsCon, which seeks to shape the conversation about how to keep the internet open, free and secure. RightsCon Brussels 2017 will gather the global digital rights community in the heart of European politics and policymaking to attempt to tackle the most pressing issues at the intersection of technology and human rights. The event will take place between 29^th and 31^st March, 2017 in Brussels, Belgium.

GENEVA

February 19^th – 25^th
The 9^th Geneva Summit for Human Rights & Democracy: On the eve of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s main annual session, the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy assembles dissidents and survivors of human rights abuses, activists, diplomats, journalists and student leaders to shine a spotlight on urgent human rights situations requiring global attention. Human rights practitioners, activists and former political prisoners from China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Venezuela and others will testify about their personal struggles for human rights, democracy and freedom, and join together to plan action strategies. The event will take place on 21^st February, 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland.

LEEDS, UNITED KINGDOM

January 29^th – February 4^th
Increasing Philanthropic Giving – A Missed Business Opportunity for Professional Advisers: At this event Philanthropy Impact will present its research mapping the level of philanthropy advice amongst professional advisers in the UK and a survey of HNW and UHNW individual giving patterns. Philanthropy Impact believes that by increasing the number of professional advisers who give philanthropic advice, philanthropic giving could increase exponentially. The expert panel will explore: how to start the conversation on philanthropy with clients, the business opportunity for advisers, risk and rewards on talking about philanthropy with clients, how can we develop a culture of giving, and implications and opportunities of the results of the market research for advisers, philanthropists and charities. The event will take place on February 2^nd, 2017 in Leeds, United Kingdom.

LONDON

October 1^st 2016 – March 11^th 2017
Guerrilla Girls: Is it even worse in Europe? The Guerrilla Girls’ new commission for the Whitechapel Gallery revisits their 1986 poster stating “It’s Even Worse in Europe”. Characteristically deploying their strategic combination of humour, information, bold graphics and a subversive use of public space, their latest campaign includes a banner installed on the front of the Gallery and a display of posters and new research. Guerrilla Girls: Is it even worse in Europe? explores diversity in European art organisations. It presents responses to questionnaires sent to 383 directors about their exhibitions programme and collections. The questions were formulated to critically look at the narratives that are produced by cultural institutions. The exhibition is open until 5^th March, 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

January 8^th – 14^th
Pressing for change: 25 years seeking trans equality: Stephen Whittle is a trans man, activist and Professor of Equalities Law at Manchester Metropolitan University. Press for Change campaigned to successfully change the UK into one of the most transgender-friendly countries in the world. At this LSE public event, Professor Whittle will discuss what worked, what didn’t and what is left to be done. The event will take place on January 10^th, 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

January 8^th – 14^th
Protecting Children in War and Conflict: European and Global Implications for Child Rights: CEO of Save the Children International and former Prime Minister of Denmark, Helle Thorning-Schmidt led a coalition government from 2011 until 2015. Throughout her career Helle has tackled significant national and global issues, specifically with regards to children’s rights. The event will take place on January 12^th, 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

January 22^nd – 28^th
How to Assess the Outcomes and Impact of Projects You Fund: CES is one of eight organisations who manage and deliver ‘Inspiring Impact’ – an international collaborative programme, working to help organisations know what to measure and how to measure. This course seeks to support participants in how to assess and demonstrate the effectiveness of their grant-giving. Through presentations, group work and discussion this course will: explain terminology and jargon, provide good practice guidance, help attendees to clarify the outputs, outcomes and impact of their funded organisations, support them to develop and apply an appropriate and proportionate monitoring and evaluation system, explore reasonable and feasible ways to collect information, and help with the interpretion of this information. The event will take place on January 26^th, 2016 in London, United Kingdom.

January 29^th – February 4^th
Equally Ours Strategic Communications Workshop for London-Based Organisations: Equally Ours’ one day workshop is free for organisations working in London. It will seek to help participants to: think about how to communicate in a different way, explore and understand the evidence of what works when talking about social issues, including insight from brand new research carried out in London, learn about practical tools to help communicate complex information, regardless of budget or experience; and apply this learning. The event will take place on February 3^rd, 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

February 19^th – 25^th
Iran Human Rights Review: Where Now for Human Rights in Iran? This event will take place as Iran looks ahead to a Presidential election in May 2017, where even the challenging human rights situation under the Rouhani Presidency is at risk of deteriorating further under growing pressure from hardliners. It will explore the current culture of human rights in Iran and attempts by sections of the regime to position personal freedoms as threats to Iran’s security. The seminar will focus on the themes of the three latest editions of the FPC’s Iran Human Rights Review: the human rights impact of the economy as sanctions are slowly lifted; issues of women and human rights; and the upcoming edition on due process (due to launch in early 2017). The event will take place on February 21^st, 2016 in London, United Kingdom.

March 20th-26th
Bond Annual Conference: The Bond Annual Conference brings together diverse organisations and thinkers to share ideas and discuss emerging trends in the international development and humanitarian sectors. In this time of unprecedented change, this two-day conference will challenge your thinking and stimulate debate around crucial current issues. You’ll be inspired to take new approaches in your work to make a real difference while tackling the challenges facing the NGO sector. Hear from a range of high profile speakers, including Rt Hon Priti Patel MP, British Council chief executive Sir Ciarán Devane, and Norwegian Refugee Council secretary general Jan Egeland. The event will take place between 20-21st March in London, United Kingdom.

MALTA

January 22^nd – 28^th
Lost in Migration: Working Together in Protecting Children from Disappearance: Missing Children Europe and the Maltese President’s Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society invite you to join the discussion at “Lost in migration: Working together in protecting children from disappearance.” The conference will bring together key stakeholders concerned with the issue, to take stock of the situation and develop forward looking proposals for the protection of children in migration. It will address the need for a comprehensive child protection approach to effectively prevent and respond to disappearance. The event will take place between 26^th and 28^th January, 2017 in Attard, Malta.

MEXICO CITY

February 19^th – 25^th
WINGSForum 2017 – Critical Philanthropy: Addressing Complexity, Challenging Ourselves: WINGSForum 2017 intends to provide an opportunity for reflection on the field, and on the dynamics of power, money and participation. The opening plenary will address the complexity, diversity and contractions within philanthropy and challenge participants to discover the potential for connection and synergy. Themes to be explored include: philanthropy’s influence on public policy: efforts to protect and strengthen local and cross-border enabling environments; the significance in philanthropy of emerging business solution model approaches to impact social problems; and assessment of the quantitative and qualitative approaches to philanthropy development and the impact on quality of life. The event will take place between February 22^nd and 24^th, 2017 in Mexico City, Mexico.

ONLINE

December 18^th – 24^th
Qualified to Work: Tapping the Skills and Experience of Internationally-Trained Immigrants: Internationally-trained immigrants face barriers to employment when their qualifications, skills, and experience are not recognised. This webinar asks if we can afford to put valuable new sources of talent and social capital at risk. Participants will learn about initiatives in Montreal, Canada and Augsburg, Germany that recognise the value of immigrant talent and maximize the opportunities for internationally trained professionals to work to their full capabilities, skills, and qualifications. En route, they are driving innovation in the workplace and opening-up space for new thinking and intercultural learning across the urban landscape. The event will take place on December 20^th, 2016 online.

SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN

April 2^nd – 8^th  
24^th EUROCLIO Annual Conference 2017: Intersections: EUROCLIO, The European Association of History Educators, is to host its 24th Annual Conference Professional Training and Development Course with AEPHG – History Teachers Association of Spain and Ikastolen Elkartea – Basque School Network. The conference will reflect on the opportunities and challenges posed by the question ‘How Can History Education Change Today?’ by looking at the intersections of past and present, local and global perspectives. This thematic question is motivated by the challenges Europe and the rest of the world is facing, where the role of history education comes into force. The event will take place between April 2^nd – 7^th, 2017 in San Sebastian, Spain.

VIENNA

January 22^nd – 28^th
Russia and the Western Far Right: This lecture will focus on the relationship between various Russian actors (i.e. activists, politicians, organisations, media, and officials) and the Western far right. It will seek to provide a historical perspective, discussing the pro-Soviet or pro-Russian views of particular Western far right activists, but its major focus will be contemporary Russia. The lecture will argue that as Moscow has become more anti-Western, contacts with the Western far right have become more intense and operate at a high level. It will seek to demonstrate that the Russian establishment was first interested in using the Western far right to legitimise Moscow’s politics and actions both domestically and internationally, but that more recently Moscow has begun to support particular far right political forces to gain leverage on European politics and undermine the liberal-democratic consensus in the West. The event will take place on January 22^nd, 2017 in Vienna, Austria.

February 19th – 25th
Zero Project Conference: Save the date for the Zero Project Conference 2017 on Employment, Work, and Vocational Education and Training: Innovative Policies and Practices for Persons with Disabilities. This sixth Zero Project Conference hopes to gather 500 decision makers and opinion leaders worldwide; highlight more than 50 innovative policies and innovative practices concerning employment, work and vocational education and training from around the world; and involve leading experts in the discussion of the most relevant solutions for the implementation of the UN CRPD. The event will take place between February 22^nd and 24^th, 2017 in Vienna, Austria.

WARSAW

May 28^th – June 3^rd
EFC AGA and Conference: Courage to Re-Embrace Solidarity in Europe – Can Philanthropy Take the Lead? The 2017 EFC AGA and Conference will focus on the theme of ‘courage for solidarity’ and specifically how philanthropy might be involved in fostering, supporting and promoting it. It will offer an opportunity for delegates from around the world to reflect on their own work, learn from their peers, and discover how, by finding the courage to re-embrace solidarity, they can help shape a brighter future. The event will take place between May 31^st and June 2^nd, 2017 in Warsaw, Poland.

WASHINGTON

April 30^th – May 6^th
Peace and Security Funders Group Annual Meeting & Federal Policy Briefing: The Peace and Security Funders’ Group is seeking ideas for its Annual Meeting and Federal Policy Briefing. To suggest workshops, roundtables or speakers please fill in the short survey by clicking the above link. The event will take place between 2^nd and 5^th May, 2017 in Washington DC, The United States of America.