Development Education in the Focus: TRIALOG Study Visit to Brussels

The annual TRIALOG Study Visit took place on March 2-5 in Brussels. This year’s focus topic was Development Education and Awareness Raising. The group gathered 18 participants from EU13 member states civil society organisations. Out of the participants three were members of national development CSO platform secretariats (SKOP, SLOGA and CROSOL) and 15 members of CSOs active in national platforms.

The main goals of the Study Visit were to increase familiarity with EU institutions and their role in development cooperation, reflect on EU processes related to development education and awareness raising and understand important current processes in EU development cooperation policies, such as the discussions around the sustainable development goals. Over the course of the preparatory meetings, guest visits and the external meetings the participants had a chance to gain an insight into the development cooperation institutions, CSOs and advocacy campaigns taking place in Brussels.

During the 4-day Study Visit the participants met with the director and the head of advocacy from CONCORD, representatives from VSO International, ActionAid and Oxfam and were introduced to the European Year of Development. Furthermore, participants took part in meetings with representatives of the Cabinet of the Commissioner for Development, European Commission DG DEVCO- EuropeAid where the issue of access to EC DEAR funding was raised, the European Parliament Development Committee Secretariat and representatives from the European External Action Service and Economic and Social Committee. The group was also hosted in the Latvian Permanent Representation to the EU in order to understand the tasks involved in holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

As every year, half a day was devoted to leaving space for participants to hold meeting with their MEPs, MEP assistants and representatives in Brussels. These meetings allowed participants to enhance contacts and raise issues important for Platforms and their organisations. On the final day of the Study Visit the participants made their follow up plans on how to disseminate knowledge and information gained in this Study Visit upon return to their countries, and how to get further involved in local advocacy and policy making efforts.

TRIALOG is looking forward to new activiti
es of the participating organisations resulting from the Study Visit.

Have a look at the TRIALOG Study Visit Photo Album on Facebook and the documentation of meetings on our website.

Information provided by TRIALOG