Enrollment for the II International Congress on Co-governance is now open!!
Hurry to sign up as soon as possible! Prices might increase from the 31st of August.
Stay tuned: we will soon publish the full event schedule!
*If you have any difficulties with the enrollment, but would like to participate, please write to info@cogovernance.org and we will analyze your situation. We don't want you to miss the opportunity to participate!
The context
The pandemic that crossed the planet produced an acceleration of critical issues present in the political systems, already weakened by economic globalization and the growth of inequality. Along with the virus, authoritarian tensions also spread, fueled by the growth of political polarization and the distrust of democratic institutions, which appeared unable to provide satisfactory answers, especially to the most vulnerable sectors.
As never before in history, it became evident the need that collaboration between nations and peoples to be translated into political transformative processes.
There is nothing more irrational, in the current context than fueling rivalry, conflict, and individualism in human relationships, jeopardizing the survival of all. National states and different forms of supranational integration have struggled to realize such collaboration, while cities, the original place of politics, even under the pressure of tumultuous planetary processes and dramatic events, continue to express the capacity for social innovation and resilience.
Understanding the way in which cities should be governed today represents a major challenge. What role is required of government leaders in a context of imminent interdependence? And in relation to the participation of citizens and collective actors, what space do they occupy, and what response do they have to the demand for a more mature democratic quality?
The concept
In this context, some innovative concepts are emerging. One of them is the idea of co-governance, which today, based on numerous international researches, identifies an experience of participatory government (organized as a network), which aims at a high level of intersubjective and multi-sector collaboration in the construction of public policies.
As new organizational models spread, based on intense connections between people, organizations, and institutions, a “collaborative era” is emerging which, especially in urban governance, recognizes and connects all present protagonists in a network of political relationships in the public space: politicians and activists, employees, researchers, and students. In the academic context, this collaboration already involves a wide range of actors in everyday life that move towards active citizenship: members of popular movements or neighborhood communities, employees of companies and communication systems, cultural and training networks…
Considering the important and complex issues, such as health policies, access to work, the use of the territory and the development of the peripheries, the processes of social inclusion and integration, possible responses to the problem of inequality, the proper protection of environmental heritage, technology, and the digital revolution, the cooperation between cities – a reflection emerge. With which government instruments will we face these issues in our historic moment?
As for the way governance works, at least one conviction stands out: that the “best government” is no longer that of the “enlightened autocratic leader” who organizes power in a virtuous way, but the one that allows the city system to collectively devise a common social vision and then act in co-responsibility.
The event
The first International Congress addressing these issues had the theme: "Co-governance: Mutual responsibility in cities today". The event took place in January 2019 in the Castel Gandolfo region, in Rome (Italy), promoted by the Politics for Unity Movement and the New Humanity Movement (Focolares), with the collaboration of numerous organizations. Participated 400 mayors, administrators and citizens of 33 countries around the world. The course of this first congress provided for other international commitments in different continents, so that the research started, experiences and their practical applications could continue.
The II International Congress "Co-governance as a method for building fraternity in politics starting from cities" continues along the same path.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it will be held in virtual mode. The transmission will have Brazil as host, taking place between the October 9th and 12th, 2021.
A network of Latin American organizations is ahead of the event's planning, in order to give greater relevance to the program.
Call for articles on the topic of Cogovernance:
Movement for Unity and Politics, New Humanity Movement, Sophia University Institute - Latin American and Caribbean Campus - Sophia ALC and Istituto Universitario Sophia call for papers:
"Co-governance as a method for building fraternity in politics starting from cities"
to the 2nd International Congress of Co-Governance, to be held in Brazil in October 2021.
The paper must be original and unpublished, deal with a topic pertinent to the aforementioned key themes, and relate to the chosen critical issue of principles of fraternity.
The articles must be sent to the e-mail: artigocogovernanca@gmail.com by 11:59 p.m. (Brazilian Standard Time) on July 15, 2021.