The IV Global Forum of the Social Economy is about to open its doors. From October 1 to 3, Bilbao hosts the GSEF 2018 with the aim of highlighting the Social and Solidarity Economy, in its various expressions, as a viable option for progress and local development. It will be three intense days for all the people attending and, therefore, from RIPESS we propose an itinerary of conferences, debates and tables that you can not miss.

As you will see in the program, the conference will allow to know experiences of the Social and Solidarity Economy (SEE) from around the world. Thus, several members of RIPES will intervene in round tables, workshops and debates contributing their vision and work experience in the promotion and implementation of the SSE.

Monday, October 1

Workshop session 2.2: Social economy and citizenship in cooperation: transformation binomial
Time: 4:30 – 5:30
Place: Room A2

In this session, experiences of the SSE will be gathered from the organizations in the field in different cities around the world such as Kathmandu (Nepal), Seoul (Republic of Korea), or Madrid (Spain). Among them, the intervention of Pierrette Memong stands out, which, with its presentation “Women’s initiatives to extend the social protection network in Cameroon: the case of the association ‘Estrella'”, will talk about the case of Yaoundé (Cameroon).

Tuesday, October 2

Full session GSEF 4.5: Decent work and Business initiative for social and labour inclusion in Africa
Time: 10:30 – 12:30
Place: Room E

This workshop will focus on analyzing the perspective and policies of local governments on SSE for decent work and labour and social inclusion. In addition, it will also analyze the importance and role of SEE agents in Africa to guarantee and promote decent work creation. In that sense, the will also discuss about the challenges related to urbanization and how work can be generated through SEE at the local and national levels. We highlight the intervention of Pierrette Memong Meno who will speak about the Network of Parliamentarians on Social Economy in Cameroon.

Workshop session 6.4: The Social Economy in the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Linking the local to the global
Time: 14:00 – 15:00
Place: Room A4

This workshop is organized by RIPESS with the objective of analysing the role of SSE in supporting the achievement of the sustainable development agenda (SDG). Several members of our network will participate in this session, such as Yvon Poirier (Quebec), Denison Jayasooria (Kuala Lumpur), Madani Coumare (Bamako) or Carlos de Freitas (Paris).

Workshop session 7.2: Education, youth and technology
Time: 15:00 – 16:00
Place: Room A2

Moderated by Jason Nardi, president of RIPESS Intercontinental, the debate will focus on the role of young people, as well as the importance of education and technology from an SEE perspective. The intervention of Madani Coumare, member of RENAPESS Mali, “The role of cities in reducing rural exodus and clandestine immigration of young people: the path of social entrepreneurship” stands out.

RIPESS and REAS Euskadi event: Declaration of the transforming Social and Solidarity Economy. Convergences towards the Social Forum 2020 of the transforming economies.
Time: 18:30
Place: Room A3

RIPESS and REAS organize an own act to claim a transforming social and solidarity economy and present the process of confluence towards the World Social Forum 2020 of transforming economies. You are all cordially invited to this event where we will make public a statement. The session will end with a  picoteo at 20:30 at Hika Ateneo.

Wednesday, October 3

Plenary Session 4: The cooperative city
Time: 9:00 – 10:15
Place: A1 theater room

Taking as reference several local initiatives of importance in relation to the promotion of the Social Economy in the cities, the session will animate a dialogue about the priorities of the local projects. Jason Nardi, General Delegate of RIPESS Europe will participate in this session.

Closing session: Final declaration and presentation of GSEF 2020
Time: 12:00 – 13:15
Place: Theater Hall A1

In this formal session, the Final Declaration of GSEF 2018 will be read and the host city of GSEF 2020 will be announced.