Let’s Go to fiess2011 This Fall!
Join 1200 people from over 70 countries in Montreal , October 17th -20th who are activating the social and solidarity economy across Canada and globally. fiess2011, the International Forum on the Social and Solidarity Economy, brings together those who collaborate with different levels of government to effect public policy for the benefit of the social economy.
For Canadians, this is a great opportunity to take advantage of the world at our door. You will want to be at fiess2011 if you are part of the non-profit, cooperative, social business or social entrepreneurship sectors, or if you are working towards changing the landscape of public policy towards social well-being and economic growth. fies2011 takes networking to a new level with dedicated spaces and delegate meet-ups.
This is Canada's premier event to connect with the people who are changing how we collectively address complex social and envrionmental issues of our time. Check out the program, workshops and field trips planned throughout the week.
I am looking forward to hearing from this impressive list of international and national guest presenters:
- Jean Charest, Premier of Québec
- Maria Luz Rodriguez Fernandez, Secretary of State for Employment (Spain)
- Paul Singer, Secretary of State for the Solidarity Economy (Brazil)
- Laurent Lessard, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy (Québec)
- Ghislain Picard, Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Québec and Labrador
- Gérald Tremblay, Mayor of Montréal
- Antonella Noya, responsable du Forum OCDE LEED sur les innovations sociales, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
- Gemma Sacristan, InterAmerican Development Bank
- Michel Arseneault, President of the Québec Federation of Labour
- Joan Brady, Women’s President, National Farmers Union (Canada)
- Michael Swack, Founder and Director of the Financial Innovations Roundtable (United States)
- Chris Dobranszski, Vice President, Vancity Credit Union
- Carol Hunter, Executive Director, Canadian Coopérative Association
October 17th is packed with field trips and pre-forum events. The "ANICINAPE KICIKAN" event, held in conjunction with the FIESS, will bring indigenous experiences in the social and solidarity economy in Quebec and Canada to the foreground while raising awareness among international players. In addition, the event will provide an opportunity to highlight First Peoples’ contribution to the development and implementation of the social economy. The event will be a unique opportunity to share and discuss indigenous social economy practices as well as the measures needed to influence public policy.
You may be interested in attending the "Community Radio and Public Policy Development" event or the "Women at the Heart of the Social and Solidarity Economy".
On October 18th for those of us who follow all things social finance, I am looking forward to attending the "solidarity finance and trade" stream that has four workshops:
- Mutual Companies and the Social and Solidarity Economy
- Improving Market Access for Products of the Social and Solidarity Economy
- International Initiatives to Support the Social and Solidarity Economy
- Financial Institutions Servicing the Social and Solidarity Economy
- Pension Funds and the Development of the Social and Solidarity Economy
A second stream of workshops that are catching my attention are "Food Security and Sovereignty":
- Recovering Land to Ensure Food Security and Sovereignty
- Improving National Food Security Through Public Policy and the Social and Solidarity Economy
- Farmers and the Consumer Movement: A Reconcilable Vision in Food Security and Sovereignty?
What is the Social and Solidarity Economy?
The social and solidarity economy complements the public and private sectors and is made up of collective enterprises engaged in the production of both goods and services in the public interest. In other words, the social and solidarity economy includes all non-profit organizations, cooperatives, mutual companies and associations. The activities of these organizations are based on values of solidarity and democracy and they contribute both to social well-being and economic growth, for examples in areas of affordable housing, accessibility, and sustainable resource management.
The main theme of fiess2011 is the need for a State – civil society dialogue to develop public policies for the social and solidarity economy. There are five specific sub-themes themes, as well as six national case studies from South Africa, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Mali and Spain.
Territory and local development
The social and solidarity economy is above all the outcome of collective action at the local level, and the most successful initiatives are rooted locally.
Innovation and collective entrepreneurship
The social and solidarity economy is characterized by new entrepreneurial initiatives in every sector, through a collective approach which includes social, economic and environmental commitments. Innovation is at the core of this collective entrepreneurship. Whether it be new legal forms, new partnerships being developed, new ways of meeting needs or new production modes involving workers, there is no doubt that the social and solidarity economy generates innovations. These innovations are developed within many sectors (housing, tourism, etc.) and often lead to the implementation of public policies that ensure stability.
Solidarity finance and trade
Access to capital suited to the needs of the social and solidarity economy remains the greatest challenge in every country. Also problematic are the availability of suitable financial products, tools for supporting emerging enterprises, marketing, market access, etc. Within this theme, researchers will explore the links between the social and solidarity economy, local markets, procurement programs, and responsible investment.
Work and employment
Wherever it develops, the social and solidarity economy addresses a need for job creation. It also promotes democratization in the work place.
Food security and sovereignty
The issue of food security and sovereignty is approached very differently in countries in the North and in the South. Several developing countries have designed and adopted food security policies thanks to a dialogue with civil society organizations. Within this context, this theme will study the emergence of social and solidarity economy enterprises producing and transforming food, and beyond that the contribution of the social and solidarity economy to food security and sovereignty.
SocialFinance.ca is an official media sponsor of fiess2011. Stay connected to us for special fiess2011 features and updates leading up to and during the conference.
