Building upon concrete experiences of advocacy at the United Nations from a civil society perspective, “Diplomacy and Activism: Is The Compromise Worth It?” will explore lessons learned about advocacy strategies and compromises.

Where: https://mau-se.zoom.us/j/65255491375
What: Online lecture at Malmö University
Who: Cristina Diez Sagüillo, ATD Fourth World Volunteer Corps member since 2003.
When: Wednesday January 20, 2021, 5pm Central European Time, 11am (US east coast)
How much? Free!

Ms Diez will explore the question “Is Compromise Worth It?” by examining the success and failures of three concrete examples:

• influencing negotiations of the Sustainable Development Goals and introducing the concept of leaving no one behind;
• establishing a United Nations mandate on extreme poverty and human rights, and facilitating adoption of the Guiding Principles on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights; and
• the unresolved relationship between poverty, violence and peace.

The lecture will also explore ethical questions. Very often to be pertinent in a multilateral space, civil society has to adapt its message and make compromises. Are these compromises a betrayal of the ideals, values, and people of the organizations with consultative status at the UN?

Diplomacy is an exercise of compromising; to be at the table you have to compromise. What is the right balance between these compromises and being a watchdog?

Read more: Diplomacy and Activism: Is The Compromise Worth It? Facebook event