Webinar on Democracy
The IFS Helsinki Office is inviting you to participate in the webinar on Democracy. Here is an opportunity for the IFS and its members to do a deep dive into the subject of Democracy. Spread the word!
Date & time
November 5, 2021 at 03.00 pm Finnish time. Register at info@ifsnetwork.org
Event speakers
Franco Uda, IFS Board Member and a member of the National Board Directors of ARCI – responsible for human rights, peace, disarmament, international solidarity, and volunteering – and Vice President of ARCS, ARCI’s NGO. ARCI is the largest Italian cultural association, with over 1 million members and about 5 thousand community-based associations.
Title: Democratizing democracy through participatory practices.
Modern democracies have lost their initial flame and have become a set of formal practices, which regulate state administration and harvest the consent of citizens. We should recover our democracies by strengthening active citizenship and planning new forms of citizen participation, to consolidate trust in institutions and in democracy itself. Some unique experiences and some concrete examples on the ground throughout Italy could help us exchange the best parts that have changed local communities.
Christopher Hanway, Executive Director of Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement, a 135-year-old community-based organization that serves children, seniors, immigrants, and families at 8 locations in Western Queens, New York City. A member of the IFS Board of Directors Chris has worked for over 12 years at Riis Settlement, one of 46 members of the United Neighborhood Houses of NY network.
Title: Beyond Civic Engagement: How Neighborhood Based-Organizations Foster and Strengthen Democracy.
Civic Engagement is an important part of the work of Settlement Houses in New York and beyond. From service-learning projects for youth to voter education and engagement in older adults, neighborhood centers are uniquely positioned to combine service-delivery with activism and community building activities. From the earliest days of the movement to the present and into the future, this presentation will take a closer look at the unique ways that Settlement Houses have helped transform program participants from recipients of service to active leaders in our communities.