The Malaga Charter to promote sustainable development and social justice, which Initiatives of Change (IofC) helped to draft, was launched at the New Economy and Social Innovation (NESI) Forum in Malaga, Spain, on 20 April 2017. Initiatives of Change's TIGE programme (Trust and Integrity in the Global Economy) was one of the partners in launching the charter at the four-day event, 19 to 22 April. The charter was co-created by over 600 individuals and new economy movements from 35 countries who took part in the NESI Forum.
Rishabh Khanna, representing the TIGE international steering committee and IofC Sweden, presented IofC's work to the 600 participants. Christiaan Groen, from IofC Netherlands and the TIGE international steering committee, facilitated a learning track on purpose-led business, together with the Dutch social enterprise Fairphone and the US sports clothing retailer Patagonia.
The Malaga Charter, which was the brain-child of Diego Isabel La Moneda, Director of the Global Hub for the Common Good, and his colleagues, advocates a rights- and values-based economic system as the only way to eradicate global issues such as wars, forced migration and resource competition. The charter states: 'The goal and the purpose of the economy are to serve people and the planet and, in order to achieve this, we need a rights and values-led system where justice, solidarity, sustainability, equality, autonomy and collaboration are at its centre.'
This statement is based on international research conducted by D-Lab, the University of Barcelona and the NESI Forum from the second half of 2016 to February 2017. Data was collected through an online survey as well as through several workshops about the goals and values that should govern a new economy.
The NESI Charter states a new paradigm is emerging: 'People around the world are living with a new consciousness and building a new economy' - a new economy 'that works within the ecologic planetary boundaries and is based on shared capabilities, social and economic justice as well as human rights.'
TIGE Sweden supported the participation of Micheal Akampa, founder of Traction Capital, who delivered a workshop on impact investment. Other TIGE and IofC participants included Catalina Quiroz who with her colleagues delivered a workshop on social economy. Vanessa Jane Smith was invited to do visual facilitation throughout the conference. The TIGE network sees a long-term partnership with NESI for future events and trainings. 'It was an enormous attempt to converge diverse movements for the new economy,' says Khanna, 'and start creating a shared language so that we can better cooperate across movements.'
Read more about the charter on the NESI Forum website
See also Rishabh Khanna's evaluation article
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