Ariadne News & Events

NEW ARIADNE BOARD MEMBERS: Ariadne is delighted to welcome Juliette Decoster of Fondation Charles Léopold Mayer, Carola Carazzone of Assifero, Susan Treadwell of Open Society Initiative for Europe, and Walter Veirs of C.S. Mott Foundation to its Advisory Board. We would also like to thank Liz Palmer from CBS News and Hilde Klok of Koornzaayer Foundation, both of whom stepped down from the Advisory Board this year, for their long-time service.  The Advisory Board is drawn from Ariadne members, in all their diversity, and provides guidance on Ariadne’s strategy, activities, and its overall direction. We would like to thank everyone who submitted expressions of interest in this first round. A second round of appointments will follow in 2018.

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER: WEBINAR: THE STATE OF CIVIL SOCIETY IN TURKEY: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES: Ever since the failed military coup in Turkey in July 2016, the Erdogan government has been cracking down on civil society and limiting the space for free expression. Over the past year, activists, journalists, and academics have been arrested on spurious charges, and many NGOs have been forced to close. This telebriefing will provide donors with an update on the situation of activists and NGOs in the country, how they are mobilising and what their current needs are, and how donors outside of Turkey may be able to engage and support Turkish civil society under the current circumstances. Speakers will include Emma Sinclair-Webb, Senior Turkey Researcher, Human Right Watch; Emel Kurma, Co-Executive Director, Citizens’ Assembly and Meerim Ilyas, Senior Programme Officer, Urgent Action Fund. The telebriefing will be moderated by Julie Broome, Ariadne Director and will take place on 24^th October, at 15:00 BST. To register, please click here.

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER: ELEVATE CHILDREN AND ARIADNE EVENING RECEPTION – 25^TH OCTOBER: Ariadne and the Elevate Children Funders Group will host an evening reception on 25^th October between 18:00-20:00 at the Migration Museum in London, prior to the Elevate Children annual event. Join us to hear from Kamena Dorling, Head of Policy and Programmes at Coram Children’s Legal Centre and Lisa Matthews, Coordinator at Right to Remain. Kamena and Lisa will look at children and youth in detention in the UK and globally, and how detention fits within the broader migration/refugee issues, including broader child protection system, age determination, and rights of separated and undocumented children/adolescents. To register, please email Lori Klos.   

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER: FUNDER WEBINAR ON DISCRIMINATION IN ALGORITHMIC DECISION-MAKING: To learn about the risks of automated judgements in social and political contexts and ideas for what funders can do, join us for this webinar with Patrick Ball, Director of Research at the Human Rights Data Analysis Group, and Julia Angwin, investigative journalist at ProPublica. Patrick has been applying statistical methods to human rights violations for more than 20 years, and he has provided expert testimony in the trials of former Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic, former Guatemalan president General Jose Efrain Rios Montt, and the former president of Chad, Hissene Habre. Julia is a 2017 Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Explanatory Reporting for her work on exposing machine bias in criminal justice and social media. This webinar will be hosted by Ariadne in collaboration with an informal group of European digital rights funders. It will be moderated by Vera Franz, Deputy Director, Information Programme, Open Society Foundations. The webinar will take place on 31^st October at 16:00 GMT. To register, please click here.

REGISTER NOW: ARIADNE PORTAL TUITION: An hour’s tuition session to increase your skill in using the Ariadne Portal will be held on Wednesday 15^th November at 15:00 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 here.

SAVE THE DATE: 2018 ARIADNE POLICY BRIEFING – 7-9^TH MARCH 2018: Next year’s Ariadne Policy Briefing will take place in Paris, France between 7-9^th March 2018. We will open the call for session proposals on Monday 23^rd of October. More details will follow on the Ariadne portal soon. Please contact Lori Klos for more details.

TOOLKIT: DIGITAL IMPACT GRANT AIMS TO IMPROVE SHARING OF OPEN DATA: We are delighted to announce that Ariadne has been awarded a $30k grant from Digital Impact, part of the Digital Civil Society Lab at Stanford University, to create a new resource for funders which aims to improve the practices around sharing of grantmaking data. 360Giving will advise the network on open data formats as part of the project, with The Engine Room leading the research component. The aim of the project is to address perceived risks around sharing grants data and establish processes to diminish that risk in order to support the whole grantmaking sector to improve how it collects and shares data. We aim to launch the resource in spring 2018. The full list of grantees from this year’s funding round is available via the Digital Impact website.

*To register for Ariadne events, your institution must be a member organisation of Ariadne. For questions regarding your membership status, please contact Lori Klos.

New Research, Articles and Judgements

Scaling solutions towards shifting systems: This new report ‘Scaling Solutions Toward Shifting Systems‘ is a collaboration between the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and the Skoll, Porticus, Ford and Draper Richards Kaplan Foundations. The report examines how funders can work in more collaborative ways to place longer-term, adaptive and responsive resources to accelerate scalable solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.

Harrowing journeys – Children and youth on the move across the Mediterranean: For children and youth on the move via the Mediterranean Sea routes to Europe, the journey is marked by high levels of abuse, trafficking and exploitation. Some are more vulnerable than others, particularly those travelling alone, those with low levels of education and those undertaking longer journeys. These findings come from a new UNICEF and International Organisation for Migration (IOM) analysis of the journeys of some 11,000 migrant and refugee children and youth, as recorded in their responses to the Displacement Tracking Matrix Flow Monitoring Surveys conducted by IOM along the Central and Eastern Mediterranean routes to Europe in 2016 and 2017.

Independence far from reality for many people with disabilities: Many people with disabilities in the EU still live in institutions. They risk being isolated, marginalised and prevented from living a full, independent life, and face worse conditions than people without disabilities. This calls for systematic changes in the way support for people with disabilities is organised and funded, three new reports from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights reveal. The reports suggest what people with disabilities need from the EU and its Member States to enjoy living independently with community-based support, simply taking public transport or shopping.

UK Government data highlights discrimination, and a moment for action: The UK government has released a wealth of data documenting race and ethnicity related inequalities in the UK. Many findings confirm what communities and NGOs already know, that there are deep injustices structuring life chances in British society. Data on its own is not enough, but it offers an opportunity to further pressure government for concrete policy measures. See also, ‘#NotWithoutMe: A digital world for all?’ by Carnegie UK Trust, which explores the issues of digital exclusion amongst vulnerable young people.

Indigenous rights in the Russian Arctic: self-determining communities or stakeholders? Many indigenous communities in Russia do not have the right to effectively control their territories and cannot block industrial activity. In this article for Open Global Rights, Laura A. Henry, Associate Professor of Government and Legal Studies at Bowdoin College looks at ways of empowering indigenous communities in Russia to hold corporations that threaten their survival accountable.

Rethinking protection, power, and movements – Lessons from women human rights defenders in Mesoamerica: Just Associates has launched the sixth instalment in their Making Change Happen series, ‘Rethinking Protection, Power, and Movements: lessons from women human rights defenders in Mesoamerica’. This report brings a feminist and social movement perspective to the urgent question of why, despite advances in legal and institutional protections, women activists and their organisations are more at risk than ever. Faced with increasing violence against human rights defenders and broader political repression, many in the human rights field are seeing the need to revisit assumptions and strategies related to activist protection and safety.

Gender and politics in Bolivia – Violent repercussions of the political ‘empowerment’ of women: In 2012, a new law was passed to address the intimidation and violence inflicted upon women leaders. Yet women in Bolivia, regardless of their political background, still face harassment and bullying. Christian Aid has launched their latest paper “Gender and politics in Bolivia – Violent repercussions of the political ‘empowerment’ of women”. This case study explains how the passage of progressive laws in Bolivia have proved insufficient in genuinely empowering women. An unintended consequence triggered widespread bullying and outright violence towards women elected to office in what is still a predominantly macho society threatened by the redistribution of power.

Addressing the refugee crisis in Central Europe: This new report ‘Addressing the Refugee Crisis in Central Europe‘ by NESsT and supported by the Rutgers Presbyterian Church, examines the opportunities for labour-force integration of refugees in Central Europe. See also, ‘New migration realities’, by Policy Network and supported by the Barrow Cadbury Trust which explores how narratives around immigration have been created in the UK and in continental Europe.

Institute for Human Rights & Business launches new initiative supporting companies to respect LGBTI rights: The United Nations Human Rights Office has developed five Standards of Conduct to support the business community in tackling discrimination against lesbian, gay, bi, trans and intersex people. The standards are intended to provide a set of benchmarks for assessing the role of business in tackling discrimination and related human rights abuses affecting LGBTI people, and to support good practice by companies.

Compendium of best practices of Child Friendly Cities 2017: This publication by the Bernard van Leer Foundation showcases examples of ways to make cities friendlier for children and youth, with initiatives drawn from various sources: research studies, award lists, newspaper articles and recommendations from a community of stakeholders working in urban planning and design. It is intended to be a knowledge resource on innovative practices and approaches at national and city level. Based on the case studies, it formulates a set of recommendations.

Women leading the way in Brussels: Unlike American women leaders, who have been more visible in public life, European women have been, until recently, reticent about claiming their space at the top. In this article, Claudia de Castro Caldeirinha and Corinna Hörst of the German Marshall Fund highlight the stories of several remarkable women leading the way towards more diverse and inclusive leadership in Europe. This is a collection of personal, frank, and revealing vignettes of 14 women who exercise leadership across different sectors in Brussels. The stories show how it is possible to lead in many various ways and with many diverse strategies.

New report on global estimates of modern slavery: The International Labour Organisation and the Walk Free Foundation released the ‘Global Estimates of Modern Slavery’. The report found that 40.3 million people around the world are in modern slavery today, of which 24.9 million (62%) are in forced labour and 15.4 million (38%) are in forced marriage.

New survey results: Public support for peacebuilding: The Alliance for Peacebuilding and Conciliation Resources recently sponsored a survey measuring attitudes towards peacebuilding in the US, UK, and Germany. The survey is a collaboration between Conciliation Resources and AfP during a time of growing political polarisation in the US and Europe and provides great hope to the peacebuilding community as respondents in all three countries indicated strong support for government-led peacebuilding efforts.

Blogs and Other Sites of Interest

Guerrilla Foundation’s origin story and strategic thinking on grassroots movements and social change: Ivan Juric, Advisor to the Guerrilla Foundation offers some insights into the origin story of the foundation, its strategic thinking regarding activism, grassroots movements and systems change. See also Guerrilla Foundation’s, ‘Activist acupuncture’, which looks at systems change.

VIDEO: Philanthropy’s diversity challenge: Last week’s Alliance Breakfast Club, held at the Paul Hamlyn Foundation in London, discussed philanthropy’s diversity challenge and how philanthropy can do the most good if it reflects the society it seeks to serve. Angela Seay, Chair of Trustees of Polden-Puckham Charitable Foundation and DOC SOCIETY Charitable Trust was joined by Debbie Pippard, Head of Programmes for Barrow Cadbury Trust, Karen Weisblatt, philanthropy consultant, Omar Al-Qattan, philanthropist and chairman of the Al-Qattan Foundation and Bharat Mehta CBE, Chief Executive of Trust for London. A video recording of the session is now available.

TOOLKIT: Institute for Strategic Dialogue develops framework for spotting fake news: Fake news and extremism are becoming inextricably linked with disinformation feeding the narratives that drive polarisation and hate. This will only continue with increasing numbers of ‘twitter bots’ spreading news through automated accounts at an alarming rate. In order to debunk the myths spread by fake news and educate the population, the Institute for Strategic Development has been working closely with the Arena Project, part of the Institute of Global Affairs at LSE, to develop a framework to spot fake news and twitter bots online.

BLOG: Resistance alone is not enough – Women’s rights and illiberal democracies: Women’s rights are under a dual attack; both the ‘neoliberal neopatriarchy’ and reactionary anti-gender movements threaten to reverse hard-won gains in rights and equality. In this blog for Social Europe, Krisztian Simon speaks with historian and Professor at Budapest’s Central European University Andrea Pető about illiberal governments, the struggles of women’s rights organisations, and the challenges posed by labour market changes and robotisation.

PODCAST: Where is the Turkish education system heading? Another brick in the wall: The Turkish education system has become a battlefield of both policies and ideologies in Turkey. The latest proof of this is the abolishment of entrance exams for secondary education last month. Heinrich Böll Stiftung’s 3 Minutes Turkey is the foundation’s new format to update you on current social and political events from Turkey that often do not make it to the international news. Foundations staff write about activists, social movements and environmental issues, but also report on stories that might influence big politics in the long run to give you a more nuanced and more colourful picture of what is today’s Turkey.

BLOG: Fighting the Mafia with solar energy: This blog from The Community Foundation of Messina looks at the foundation’s strategy of using solar energy in fighting against Mafia in Southern Italy. With this, the foundation wants to give the city and its future back to citizens. This story is based on an interview with Carola Carazzone, Secretary General of Assifero.

INFOGRAPHIC: Funders Concerned About AIDS’ data spotlight – HIV philanthropy for older adults: Funders Concerned About AIDS have released a new infographic on HIV philanthropy for older adults.

VIDEO: We the Future: Accelerating sustainable development solutions: During UN General Assembly week in September, Skoll Foundation partnered with the UN Foundation and TED to produce ‘We the Future: Accelerating Sustainable Development Solutions‘. A range of noted speakers explored four cross-cutting strategies for change: data-driven approaches, innovative finance, behaviour change, and investing in human capital. Highlights included former UN Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson making the case that peace is a prerequisite for sustainable development.  See also Skoll Foundation’s, ‘A Deep Dive into Successful Climate Change Solutions from Social Entrepreneurs’, exploring the diverse models of eight social entrepreneurs.

UN policy paper: A call to action to end forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking: On 19^th September 2017, during the 72^nd Meeting of the UN General Assembly, 37 Member States and Observer States endorsed ‘A Call to Action to End Forced Labour, Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking‘. The call represents a commitment to end forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking, and the worst forms of child labour worldwide by 2030.

Toolkit: Ending child marriage in India: The American Jewish World Service has launched an interactive webpage that explores child marriage in India. This is part of their initiative to end the practice and improve the lives of girls.

PODCAST: What donors want: I.G. Advisors recently launched the second episode of their podcast series ‘What donors want’, which offers a behind-the-scenes view into major gifts fundraising from a donors perspective. This time, the podcast features dynamic philanthropic couple, Lynne and Peter Smitham who co-founded the Kiawah Trust in 2004. They give an insight into the do’s and don’ts from the perspective of a private trust, and various tips for grantees.

Do you have a great blog post, case study or podcast you’d like to contribute? We would love to feature it. Email Lori Klos at lori.stanciu@ariadne-network.eu.

Grant-Making

Recording: Masterclass – Social Movements Matter with Jessica Horn: If you were unable to attend this year’s Ariadne Grant Skills Day, but would have liked to, the video recording of the masterclass on why social movements matter with Jessica Horn, Director of Programmes at the African Women’s Development Fund, is now available. Drawing on her experience supporting women’s rights activists, Jessica provides some insights into the impact that social movements can have and the role that donors can play in supporting them, as well as the challenges that donors may face. Please see the Ariadne portal for notes and background resources from the other sessions. See also, Rhize’s new report ‘Understanding Activism’, which analyses the realities of activists to inform how allies can better support nonviolent social movements.

Grant funding an organisation that isn’t a charity: The UK Charity Commission has published a new guidance on how charities can further their purposes by making grants to other organisations. This guidance explains what you need to do if you are considering a grant to an organisation that is not a charity. The principles in this guidance are relevant to any charitable grant-giving. If you only want to fund other charities, see also the Commission’s guidance ‘Work with other charities’.

6 ways family foundations can make a difference in immigrant and refugee lives: In the current climate, immigrant and refugee communities face profound uncertainty and numerous, unprecedented challenges. In this article for the National Center for Family Philanthropy, Naomi Polin discusses six ways in which family foundations can support immigrants and refugees. These include a deep knowledge of community needs, a history of strong local relationships, and institutional flexibility. Naomi argues that, drawing on these assets and contributing with intention, family foundations can make a critical difference locally while addressing larger, systemic concerns. See also the Strategic Legal Fund launched by The Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association to support work that promotes the rights of vulnerable migrant children and young adults in the UK.

What works in soft skills development for youth employment? A donors’ perspective: The report summarises the areas of consensus on soft skills for policymakers, employers, educators, donors and civil society organisations. It also identifies implementation and evaluation challenges, as well as promising avenues for investment in cost-effective, scalable and sustainable interventions and in new knowledge to support these interventions. This report was commissioned and edited by the Youth Employment Funders Group in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

Funders’ briefing on civil society in Kenya and Hungary: The Funders’ Initiative for Civil Society has published funder briefings on the current situation for civil society in Kenya and Hungary. Due to their sensitive nature, please contact Abi Knipe if you would like a copy. See also, new Mama Cash and Urgent Action Fund report ‘Standing Firm: Women- and Trans-Led Organisations Respond to Closing Space for Civil Society’.

Working in place: Collaborative funding in practice: Responding to recent shifts in policy and the economy, some UK public and independent funders are working together on a range of issues from mental health crisis-care to school exclusion. This report by the Institute for Voluntary Action Research collates learning from five such partnerships, with praise for collaborative champions who can ‘leave their organisation at the door’ and other advice for cross-sector working. See also ‘A statement of values to guide philanthropic collaboration’ by TCC Group.

Outcomes of ‘Giving in the Netherlands 2017’ now available: The Center for Philanthropic Studies has published the results of its biennially research in the book ‘Giving in The Netherlands’. The book (in Dutch) is intended for all those who are politically or scientifically interested in the fast-growing philanthropic sector in The Netherlands. This is a jubilee edition, with special attention given to long-term trends in twenty years of funding.

Foundations have public responsibilities – it’s time to improve their governance: In this article for Alliance Magazine, Sachin Sachdeva, Director of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation in India, explores how grantmaking in India needs to be more transparent and how key decision-makers in those organisations should be sharing in the experience of those they are serving. See also, ‘The importance of building a foundation’s capacity’, by The Foundation Review.

How changing funder practices can change the world: In this article for the Ford Foundation, Kathy Reich, Director of Building Institutions and Networks explores how funders can do more to help social justice organisations become durable, resilient, effectively networked with each other, and better able to enact real change over time.

Forces for nature – Interviews with environmental funders: The Environmental Funders Network has published ‘Forces for nature – Interviews with environmental funders‘, a collection of 14 interviews with 15 funders, each supporting environmental issues in very different ways. Learn how they came to do what they do, why they think the environmental crisis is fundamentally a crisis for humanity, what they are doing to respond and why they think new donors are vital if we are to meet the challenges we face.

Managing or measuring your results? The European Venture Philanthropy Association has launched, in partnership with Social Value International, the Impact management principles, a guide to help funders set up impact measurement and management systems that help improve the products and services delivered to the final beneficiaries and that are in line with the overall strategy of the organisation.

The next Thread will go out on Thursday 16^th November. We would love to hear from you! Please contact Lori Klos by 14^th November if you would like to share announcements, events, or resources for the next issue. 

Jobs and Tenders

Consultant – Mama Cash: Mama Cash seeks to investigate the places and ways in which girls are organising around the world. The investigation will centre on girls as leaders and girl-led groups that operate with little or no adult intervention. The consultant will consider whether and how girl-led organising looks different than more typical adult activist models and what means are necessary to fund and advance girls’ activism. Location: Home based. Deadline for applications is 27^th October 2017.

Trustee – The Tudor Trust: The Tudor Trust is an independent, family based, values-driven grant-making charitable trust giving between £16 to £18 million per year to over 300 groups in the UK. The Trust does not focus on specific themes or programmes but instead aims to support a wide range of people and organisations working to achieve lasting change in their communities. The Trust would like to hear from candidates from a wide range of backgrounds but especially people who have real experience and knowledge of the kind of organisations and groups it funds. Location: The Trust is based in London, United Kingdom. Deadline for applications is 31^st October 2017.

Fund Manager – European Democracy Fund: The Fund Manager will lead and implement the strategic goals and working plan of the European Democracy Fund, and work to establish the fund and turn it operational in its various dimensions. The Fund is a joint effort of a group of European Foundations that will work on the revitalisation of democracies by working on two complementary strands: the ‘shrinking space of civil society in Europe’ and ‘increasing the quality of information in the public discourse.’ Location: based in Brussels, Belgium or able to regularly commute. Deadline for applications is 3^rd November 2017.

Grants Officer – Open Society Foundations: The Office of Grants Management seeks a Grants Officer, whose essential duties and responsibilities will include: training on legal, business and system requirements for grant processing from proposal solicitation through grant closeout; reviewing proposed grants to ensure compliance with statutory requirements and foundation policies; monitoring grantee reporting requirements and evaluating grantee narrative and financial reports; and developing and overseeing standard terms and conditions for grant agreements and formal correspondence. Location: New York, United States of America. Deadline for applications is 30^th October 2017.

Learning Partner – The Baring Foundation: The Baring Foundation has announced a call for tenders for a learning partner to support its Strengthening the Voluntary Sector programme. The learning partner will act as a critical friend to the Foundation, its funding partners and grantees, pulling together the threads of promising activity from projects, scanning the wider field and proposing options for further commissioned research and convening. Location: London, United Kingdom. Deadline for tenders is 5pm on 30^th October 2017.

Challenge Fund Project Assistant – 360Giving: The successful candidate’s core responsibilities will include: event organisation, assisting with communications, managing social media accounts, editing blogs, maintaining engagement on the online forum, and capturing and disseminating learning. Location: London, United Kingdom. Deadline for applications is 31^st October 2017.

Programme Officer – Open Society Foundations: The Open Society Foundations’ Economic Advancement Programme seeks a Programme Officer. The successful candidate will develop a range of grants that combine with investment, policy and engagement work to empower women in the informal economy, while supporting their voice in economic policy and decision-making. In short, because economic systems are complex, the Programme takes an integrated approach to achieve change. The Programme Officer will work collaboratively within OSF and externally, making decisions about specific grants, and contributing to the effective functioning of the programme. Location: London, United Kingdom. Deadline for applications is 11^th November 2017.

Learning Partner – Human Dignity Foundation: Human Dignity Foundation is looking for a learning partner to review the foundation’s effectiveness at programmatic, organisational and sectoral levels and build a compelling evidence base to support HDF’s Legacy Strategy. For more information, please contact Kasia at kasia.pilat@human-dignity-foundation.org. Location: Dublin, Republic of Ireland. Deadline for applications is 15^th November 2017.

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

Public Meetings

ANTWERP, THE NETHERLANDS

November 19^th – 25^th
Bouncing back – the well-being of children in international child abduction cases: Every year, thousands of children in the EU become a victim of international child abduction by a parent. The 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention and the Brussels Ila Regulation can help resolve these cases. Workshops at this event will include: ‘the best interest of the child in contemporary Muslim jurisdictions’ and ‘the long-term effects of an international child abduction.’ The event will take place between 23^rd and 24^th November 2017 in Antwerp, The Netherlands.

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

November 12^th – 18^th
Strengthening Communications Capacity: Your Foundation’s and Your Partners’: European Foundation Centre invites you to explore issues around strengthening the communication capacity of partners and communicating effectively about philanthropy, particularly in a climate of distrust. The conference will seek to: share practices, discuss and learn from one another; distil innovative approaches, channels and tools to tell stories, build skills and target effectively different audiences; and strengthen the network of communications professionals within the sector. The event will take place between 16^th and 17^th November 2017 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

October 29^th – November 4^th
Beyond Grantmaking: The Role of Philanthropy in Conflict Prevention and Resolution: The Geneva Center for Security Policy, the Foundation Center and DAFNE will co-host this event which will bring together a group of approximately 25 foundations, trusts, philanthropic associations and other civil society organisations to explore common challenges and emerging practices within the field of conflict prevention and resolution. The event will take place on 30^th October 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland. To register, please email info@gcsp.ch.

November 5^th – 11^th
Designing Against Evil? Breakthroughs in Violence Prevention: How do we stop violent abuses of human rights and/or humanitarian law? The Violence Prevention Initiative draws on approaches within sociology, philosophy, and cognitive neuroscience to find new answers to this question that go beyond a focus on legal or rights-based approaches. By ergonomically re-designing the ‘situations’ in which violent abuses occur, the Initiative seeks – like road traffic safety systems – to prevent political violence without relying on changing the ideas, personalities, or institutional settings in which particular individuals operate. This event will explain how this is achieved and violent abuse is prevented. The event will take place on 9^th November 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland.

LONDON

October 22^nd – 28^th
The First Meeting of the Syria Working Group: The first meeting of the Syria Working Group will assist funders in understanding the situation on the ground in Syria and the important contribution that private philanthropy can make in conflict environments. To register, please email esther@global-dialogue.eu. The event will take place on 27^th October 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

October 29^th – November 4^th
Investing in Equality – the Role of Capital and Justice in addressing Inequality: Philanthropic organisations play a key role in challenging the causes, effects, and consequences of inequality, funding projects that aim to directly and indirectly reduce the inequality gap. However, questions have been raised about the approach, direction and priorities of such wealthy organisations when funding projects to tackle inequality, and the effect of these projects on the beneficiaries and the economy. At this LSE event, Darren Walker, President of Ford Foundation, will discuss the work and focus of the Ford Foundation, and the greater role of Philanthropy in reducing inequality. The event will take place on 1^st November 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

October 29^th – November 4^th
Emergent and Strategic Philanthropy – Evidence Based and Innovative Foundation Approaches to Better Giving: The concept of strategic philanthropy has gained momentum during the last decades. Lately, grantees and funders have been struggling with this concept and from this disruption, a new concept of emergent philanthropy has been developed. It derives from the thought that if funders are to make better progress in meeting the urgent challenges of today they should move towards a more nuanced model of emergent philanthropy which is better aligned with the complexity of today’s societies and social problems. This event will cover: how emergent philanthropy differs from strategic philanthropy; in what situations the different approaches would be most efficient; how does a foundation measure its impact if there is little benchmarking; and who are exemplars and what are their characteristics and impact. To register, please email registration@philanthropy-impact.org. The event will take place on 2^nd November 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

October 29^th – November 4^th
Messaging Masterclass for Progressive Communications for Grantees: You are invited to take part in a messaging masterclass with Anat Shenker-Osorio about the nuts and bolts of perception, persuasion and activation on political issues. Anat will walk participants through tested findings on how people come to judgments on issues including migrant rights, economic justice and equality with hands-on exercises to help activists communicate to win on our issues. Please bring a printed copy of a piece of your communication. This could be website text, a speech, an op-ed or mass email. Anything where you’re describing the problem you seek to solve, making the case for some policy, rousing support for an action or all of the above. To register, please email raluca@global-dialogue.eu. Attendance is free, and travel (but not accommodation) expenses can be arranged for those coming from outside London. The event will take place on 2^nd November 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

November 5^th – 11^th
Conflict Matters: The Evens Foundation presents Conflict Matters 2017, organised in collaboration with the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge, and the British Academy. In response to the increasing discords and polarisation in our societies, this event will address major educational challenges: teaching controversies, dealing with polarisation, working with communities, decolonising education, youth violence, and educating political subjectivities. As a gathering of education practitioners and researchers, the conference will feature contributions by scholars and a series of experiential sessions to transform societal tensions and controversies into learning opportunities in the classroom and beyond. The event will take place between 8^th and 10^th November 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

November 12^th – 18^th
Can we Rebuild Conservative Support for Human Rights? After such a long period of hostilities, it would be easy to conclude that conservatism is intrinsically at odds with the Human Rights Act and the values underpinning it. Yet this conclusion would be wrong. At this meeting, attendees will hear from: Matthew D’Ancona – journalist, Chair of Bright Blue and author of ‘Post Truth – the new war on truth and how to fight back’; Sir Micheal Tugendhat – author of ‘Fighting for freedom – the historic and future relationship between conservatism and human rights’; and Ryan Shorthouse – Director of liberal conservative think tank Bright Blue. As well as hearing from the speakers, the meeting will provide an opportunity for donors and NGOs to explore how we can be more effective at reaching and enlisting the support of conservatives. To register, please email neil@global-dialogue.eu by 31^st October 2017. The event will take place on 15^th November 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

November 12^th – 18^th
Trust Conference: Trust Conference is committed to finding real solutions to fight slavery, empower women, and advance human rights worldwide. The annual event convenes global corporations, lawyers, government representatives, and pioneers at the forefront of the fight for human rights. The first day’s theme will be ‘Fighting Human Trafficking and Slavery’, and the second day’s theme will be ‘Empowering Women.’ The event will take place between 15^th and 16^th November 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

November 12^th – December 2^nd
Imperial War Museum Short Film Festival: From the Syria conflict to modern terrorism and from suffragette surgeons to war art, IWM Short Film Festival presents a selection of films responding to past and contemporary conflict. The screenings explore themes from displacement to fear and the special evening events offer an insight into the challenges of documenting terror and a chance to experience hostile environment training. The Festival is part of Age of Terror: Art Since 9/11, a major exhibition season showcasing contemporary artists’ responses to war and conflict since the terrorist attacks on 11^th September 2001. The event will take place between 17^th and 26^th November 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

November 5^th – 11^th
Prosecuting ISIS Crimes against Women and LGBTIQ Persons: MADRE and their Iraqi partners invite you to a conversation with Fatou Bensouda, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. MADRE is launching a petition to the ICC; the first of its kind, it will advance the rights of women and LGBTIQ people simultaneously. Attendees will learn more about this work, and discuss how this innovative strategy for justice will be pursued. To register, please email madrespeaks@madre.org. The event will take place on 8^th November 2017 in New York, United States of America.

October23^rd-29^th
Human Rights and the Rise of Populism in Europe: Join Michael O’Flaherty, Director of the European Union’s Fundamental Rights Agency, in a discussion with Felice Gaer of the Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights, on the challenges facing human rights in Europe today, with a particular focus on the response and role of civil society. This event is organised by Open Society Foundations. The event will take place on 25^th October 2017 in New York, United States of America. 

OSLO, NORWAY

November 5^th – 11^th
EVPA Annual Conference: Participants will exchange ideas, lessons learnt and be inspired by a variety of actors in venture philanthropy and social investment (VP/SI) and showcasing the Nordic model. This year’s conference will be grouped into three streams: General, Exploring and Experts. The event will take place between 9^th and 10^th November 2017 in Oslo, Norway. On 8^th November there will also be an EVPA Crash Course on Venture Philanthropy and Social Investment. Click here for more information.

ONLINE

October 29^th – November 4^th
Building Inclusive Cities – What is a Welcoming Standard? This webinar will explore the Australian Standard for Welcoming Cities with Aleem Ali, Welcoming Cities (Brisbane, Australia), in conversation with Darren Reedy, Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (Edmonton, Canada). Participants will learn more about the change-making work behind Welcoming Cities, the design and implementation of welcoming benchmarks, and the strategic engagement of city and community leaders in the Standard’s bid to ensure that immigrants thrive in the social, economic and civic life of their cities. The event will take place online on 30^th and 31^st October 2017.

SUVA, FIJI

December 3^rd – 9^th
2017 International Civil Society Week: International Civil Society Week is a key global gathering for civil society and other stakeholders to engage constructively in finding common solutions to global challenges. CIVICUS, in partnership with the Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organisations, will hold its flagship event in the Pacific – providing an ideal forum for civil society to meet and discuss climate and social justice. This year the Pacific will feature prominently in several key intergovernmental initiatives, including COP 23, the UN’s Oceans Conference and the UN international year of sustainable tourism for development. The convening’s three programme tracks will be: Our Planet, Our Struggles and Our Future. The event will take place between 4^th and 8^th December 2017 in Suva, Fiji.

THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS

October 15^th – 21^st
Museum Night – Freak Like Me: At this event, rapper Massih Hutak and qanun player Shaza Manla will challenge you to take a closer look at your own prejudices with their in-your-face humour and music. Attendees will also step into the shoes of a refugee and experience what it’s like to have to leave everything behind. Especially for this evening, actors will make the 45-minute ‘what does it feel like to have to flee?’ interactive experience even more real. You will also be able to create your own protest banner and share your message with the world, inspired by photo exhibition ‘Relating to Refugees’ by Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei. Finally, both new and ‘established’ residents of The Hague are introduced in Robin de Puy’s photo exhibition Studio Aleppo, and guests will also be able to see the negatives from Aleppo itself that gave rise to the Studio Aleppo project, found amongst the debris in the devastated city by the Syrian photographer Issa Touma. The event will take place on 21st October 2017 in The Hague, The Netherlands.

November 5th – 11^th
What do Macron, Merkel and Rutte want for Europe? 2017 was an important election year for the European Union. New governments have been chosen in France, Germany and the Netherlands. What are the outcomes of all these elections for Europe? According to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Europe is doing well. The economy is growing and the populists are forced into defence after the elections. In his annual ‘State of the Union’ he therefore speaks of a window of opportunity. This is the time to reform Europe and make it stronger and more democratic. But to what extent is this window of opportunity realistic? The event will take place on 7th November 2017 in The Hague, The Netherlands.

VIENNA, AUSTRIA

Until November 25^th
Stopover – Ways of Temporary Exchange: Almost 30 years after the fall of the Iron Curtain, Vienna is still problematically described as a gateway between ‘East’ and ‘West.’ Since 2011, ERSTE Foundation and tranzit have been collaborating within the jointly operated Artist-in-Residence programme. Artists, curators and theorists from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and the Slovak Republic have been invited to Vienna to live and work in the city’s MuseumsQuartier. The themes of friendship and exchange, social movements and activism, the historical dimension of imperialism and its impact on the present, and the strengthening of new nationalisms underlie the artistic productions at the exhibition. The exhibition will be open until 25^th November 2017 in Vienna, Austria.

WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

October 22^nd – November 4^th
6^th Annual Symposium on Women and Genocide in the 21^st Century – The Case of Darfur: The first day of the symposium will consist of panel discussions with experts on genocide, gender, and the effects of violence against women in conflict; remarks and analyses from keynote speakers; and testimonies from witnesses and survivors, including women from Darfur and other areas of conflict. The second day will be dedicated to breakout sessions for students, activists, and Sudanese diaspora members, with a focus on advocacy training, networking, strategy development, and a roundtable discussion with Sudanese diaspora from all parts of Sudan to develop a united Sudanese strategy for change in Sudan. The third day will be an optional ‘lobby day.’ The event will take place between 28^th and 30^th October 2017 in Washington D.C., United States of America.

October 22^nd – November 4^th
Burning to Tell You: Critical Conversations with Risk-Taking Artists: This event will bring together artists, activists, journalists and thinkers from around the world whose work embodies the urgency of free expression in contexts of censorship, repression and violence. The event will highlight leading artists from a range of disciplines, including Belarus Free Theatre; the Russian feminist punk rock group Pussy Riot; acclaimed best-selling author Azar Nafisi; and leading voices from Syria, Iran, and the United States. Featuring a roundtable discussion, documentary footage, and a special performance by award-winning actor Rick Foucheux from Harold Pinter’s Nobel Lecture, the event will bring together artists whose work emerged out of life-threatening circumstances to have a global impact and to help to forge and sustain communities in diaspora. The event will take place on 28^th October 2017 in Washington D.C., United States of America.