Pilot Project: 3 cities partners of Berlin in exchange with civil society (Berlin – Jakarta – Mexico-City – Windhoek)
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In collaboration with the Berliner Entwicklungspolitischer Ratschlag (BER), a consortium of BER member groups and Berlin One World Promoters has developed a concept and pilot project to strengthen Berlin’s long-standing city partnerships with Jakarta, Mexico City and Windhoek at a civil society level. Up to now, these partnerships have predominantly involved actors in city administration.
The pilot project comprises three South-North partner tandems, each consisting of a Berlin NGO (Afrika-Rat Berlin-Brandenburg, México Vía Berlín, Watch Indonesia) and an NGO in the respective partner city (NID-Namibian Institut for Democracy, WALHI – Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia, Casa Tochán), as well as an overall coordination by the Berliner Entwicklungspolitischer Ratschlag. The aim is to make international North-South cooperation more equal, sustainable and vibrant. The project is based on the City Partnership Concept of the same name.
In a 1.5-year development phase, the tandems will build networks in all four cities and between themselves (South-North and South-South) and jointly identify current global challenges for development cooperation. At the same time, relations between the administration and civil society will be intensified.
In a subsequent two-year implementation phase, the tandems will jointly devise development policy projects to meet global challenges through local action strategies. Through broad transnational networking, intensive dialogue and annual meetings, the project will develop innovative solutions that drive forward a socio-ecological transformation.
The three pillars of future-proof city partnership
The concept is based on three basic principles of partnership work, which form the pillars of cooperation: equality, sustainability and vibrancy.
Most people today would probably say that equal rights and cooperation ‘at eye level’ are a matter of course. This is enshrined in almost all partnership agreements and cooperation agreements. However, this is not reflected in the same way in practice. So what concrete measures are needed to implement this basic principle of an equal partnership?
An important step towards equal City Partnerships Cooperation is to design projects that consider domestic and international measures together, not separately, and take into account the potential for change in both partner cities. Implementing measures only in one or the other partner city contradicts the logic of partnership cooperation. We understand an equal partnership to mean that projects are developed collaboratively in order to tackle global challenges together. This includes defining common goals and working methods as well as a transparent approach to the respective motivation for being part of this partnership.
There are certainly differences in many situations that are related to the respective local contexts, but above all to global power relations. This is precisely what should be discussed between city partners, so that these differences can be taken into account in everyday practice. By being as open as possible about differences and shaping the partnership together – from concrete cooperation and dealing with conflicts to the conceptualisation of projects – new and innovative approaches can emerge, resulting in a mutual learning effect. This is what we are trying to realise with the pilot project.
With the second basic principle of sustainability, we refer to the structures of city partnership cooperation and to making them stable and sustainable. City Partnerships should not be dependent on the commitment of individuals. Ideally, several people (or departments, institutions and civil society actors) should support the partnership and take on complementary tasks. In addition to representatives from the respective city administrations and central civil society actors, the aim is to build a broad network that involves other civil society actors in shaping the partnership, such as actors from local self-government, schools, labour unions, universities, companies, migrant/diasporic groups and various communities without NGO structures (e.g. grassroots movements, informally organised collectives, etc.). In our view, this – in addition to the necessary financial resources – is an essential prerequisite for the success of city partnership programmes and their continued existence over a longer period of time.
The third basic pillar of vibrancy is crucial for a city partnership to have a lasting impact and initiate processes of social change. This principle encompasses specific activities (such as summer or Christmas celebrations, anniversaries, general meetings, delegation trips) and long-term projects that keep the cooperation alive. The intermittent activities promote the development of relationships and trust between the people involved. Without this building of trust, a long-term and sustainable partnership cannot function. Long-term projects, on the other hand, focus on addressing socially relevant issues in order to achieve the substantive objectives of the partnership. Such projects can include public relations work, educational initiatives or exchange programmes. Exchange programmes in particular are key to involving other groups of people from the local population and, where appropriate, recruiting volunteers or members for the partnership work.
The organisations
BER – Berliner Entwicklungspolitischer Ratschlag
BER took over the overall coordination of the pilot project.
The Berliner Entwicklungspolitische Ratschlag (BER) is the umbrella organisation of Berlin’s non-governmental development organisations. It represents over 120 member groups externally and connects them internally. BER sensitises Berliners to the One World concept and campaigns for change in Berlin and in the Global North in general – because change is needed in the North in order to come closer to achieving global justice. BER sees international (city) partnerships as an opportunity to tackle global challenges together, learn from each other and develop local solutions.
+49 162 5717 654 , lopez@eineweltstadt.berlin, https://eineweltstadt.berlin/wie-wir-arbeiten/staedtepartnerschaften/
Am Sudhaus 2 . 12053 Berlin
www.eineweltstadt.berlin
WALHI – Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia
Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (Indonesian Forum for the Environment, WALHI) was founded in 1980 and addresses a range of issues at the intersection of the environment and human rights. In urban contexts, including Jakarta, the organization focuses on key areas such as the right to water and housing, environmental and air pollution, the impacts of the energy transition, and pathways to a just energy transition, along with equitable climate protection and adaptation. WALHI places a strong emphasis on integrating cross-cutting issues such as the climate crisis, gender equality, and social justice into its work.
Watch Indonesia!
Watch Indonesia! has been active since 1991, focusing on human rights, democracy, and environmental protection in Indonesia and Timor-Leste. The organization addresses a range of issues, including ending impunity, promoting justice and reconciliation, and advancing climate justice, land rights, and Indigenous rights. Its goal is to empower civil society actors to exert political influence and advocate effectively for their causes. Additionally, the organization works to enhance understanding among the public and policymakers in Germany and Europe about the complex issues and challenges facing Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
México vía Berlín
Mexico via Berlin e. V. (MvB) is an organization active since 2011 that advocates for social and ecological justice and works together with a wide network of organizations and social movements in Mexico and Germany.
MvB is actively involved in following the political processes in Mexico and believes that active participation in Germany is necessary. The organisation conducts research from a critical, multidisciplinary, and internationalist perspective to understand the political, social, and economic relations between these two countries.
Through publications, workshops, lectures and networking events with activists and organizations from both countries, the organization focusses on important issues like human rights, the environment, and culture. The aim of MvB is to impact on the bilateral agendas using active and multidirectional solidarity networks: from science to politics, from education to action, from theory to praxis and vice versa.
Casa Tochán is a civil society organisation that works to defend and promote the human rights of migrants, asylum seekers and other vulnerable groups in Mexico City. Through the solidarity and collaboration that Casa Tochán has developed, in 2011 it opened the first shelter in Mexico City, where migrants and asylum seekers arriving in Mexico can receive medical and psychological care, as well as legal advice.
Although the shelter is at the heart of Casa Tochán’s work, the organisation is also committed to spreading and advocating for the human rights of all people. Therefore, Casa Tochán’s networks include a variety of organisations, schools, universities, churches and volunteers working in the fields of health, education, culture, music, arts and crafts. The common goal is to promote social justice with a focus on cultural remembrance.
In a context where migration and human rights work is highly stigmatised, Casa Tochán is sustained by the commitment of volunteers from different areas of Mexico, Central and South America, the USA, Germany and other countries, as well as by solidarity with neighbours in the area where it’s based.
AfrikaRat Berlin Brandenburg
The umbrella organisation Afrika-Rat Berlin Brandenburg e.V. is a network of associations, organizations, initiatives and people of the African Diaspora in Berlin and Brandenburg, founded in 2005. Meanwhile, the Afrika-Rat has 36 member organizations and is a shareholder of Berlin Global Village gGmbH. The most important task of the Afrika-Rat is to bundle and represent the common interests of the African Diaspora in Berlin and Brandenburg. With the goal of fostering international understanding and participation in social and professional integration and strengthening the pluralist, the umbrella organization promotes the cooperation of member associations, organizations, projects, groups and people of the African Diaspora. The Afrika-Rat is committed to an equal, solidary coexistence with all people in the state of Berlin and Brandenburg.
The Namibia Institute for Democracy (NID) was established in 1991 to strengthen Namibia’s democratic landscape through the sharing of information and knowledge. Operating under Section 21 of the Companies Act of 2008, NID implements initiatives in community development, civic education, social politics, voter education, gender mainstreaming, anti-corruption, and political leadership training, along with conducting relevant research.
NID empowers decision-makers, party liaisons, civil society organizations, law enforcement agencies, and traditional authorities to protect the Constitution and uphold Human Rights instruments signed by Namibia.
As a member of the Access to Information Coalition (ACTION) and a founding member of the Civil Society Information Centre Namibia, NID has created and maintained long-standing partnerships with a wide range of development stakeholders over its 32 years of operation, fostering synergies and sustainability.
Please contact us
Fon: +49 (0)30 53672911
E-mail: 3-staepa@eineweltstadt.berlin
The pilot project is funded by
