Source: www.eudevdays.eu
The European Development Days are a yearly event hosted jointly by the European Commission and the EU Presidency.
The European Development Days bring some 4 000 people and 1 500 organisations from the development community together on an equal footing. Delegates from 125 countries are represented, including heads of state and leading world figures, Nobel prizewinners among them.
The event aims to make development aid more effective, to build a global coalition against poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Through frank and sometimes controversial debates on pressing issues, such as governance, poverty and environmental sustainability, the European Development Days provide unprecedented opportunities for sharing ideas and launching innovative partnerships.
Inclusive and participatory
Everyone has a say at European Development Days: political leaders and parliamentarians, international institutions, local authorities, NGOs, business leaders, academics, researchers, media representatives and young people.
The watchwords for EDD are participation and inclusion: any stakeholder can put forward speakers, events, network meetings or exhibitions. Half of the agenda is stakeholder-driven. Discussion panels must be gender balanced, geographically representative and multi-actor – the better to compare analyses, benchmark results and capitalise on diversity.
The scale and scope of European Development Days grow bigger every year as links to new networks and platforms are made.
Policy-making that matters
European Development Days is essentially a policy forum highlighting the most salient trends and exploring the latest initiatives. Though a different theme is chosen each year, EDD strive to cover the latest policy challenges in all key areas – global/local governance, climate change, international finance, trade, food security, water, energy, the role of the media, human and social rights…
European Development Days delves on the European Union’s mission “to contribute to peace, security, the sustainable development of the Earth, solidarity and mutual respect among peoples, free and fair trade, eradication of poverty and the protection of human rights, in particular the rights of the child, as well as to the strict observance and the development of international law, including respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter”.
Sessions, networking and learning
The European Development Days’ open platform ensures that different views are represented – from Europe and partner countries. It gives vision and direction to development policy, and avoids the formalities of negotiated statements and outcomes.
The main formats for discussions are:
- Plenary sessions, with panel discussions – giving participants an insight into the broader context of the world’s most pressing development challenges, and deciding on cross-cutting issues for discussion in working sessions;
- Round tables – a smaller format meeting of peers for interactive discussion and exchange of views; and
- Workshops – small groups of people meeting to work on a specific task over a concentrated period of time.
An important feature of the EDD is the networking opportunities which come from putting such a wide range of participants from different backgrounds and countries together. Facilities, such as lounges, meeting rooms and business centres are available to stimulate valuable networking and the exchange of information and knowledge.
Sharing knowledge in this way also promotes cross-sector learning. The organisation of training sessions and discussions between different stakeholders helps them to find out about the latest ideas and activities in the development field.
Delegates also get the chance to meet potentially hundreds of organisations taking part in the Development Village – a professional fair organised alongside European Development Days. In addition, they broaden their understanding of the ‘who’, ‘where’, ‘how’ and ‘what’ of international development co-operation.
