The annual development policy conference at the Academy of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart “Development Cooperation in the 21st Century” has also been supported by the Global Ethic Institute for years. From May 6-8, more than 300 participants gathered for this year’s event. Under the title “Alternatives to Development – Criteria for a Globally Sustainable Life,” not only was interdisciplinary bridge-building between theory and practice rehearsed – as is customary in this series – but real partnership was practiced internationally. With terre des hommes and the Weltethos Institute as co-organizers.
People from all continents took part in the online conference and discussed alternative approaches such as Buen Vivir (Andean region), Radical Ecological Democracy (India) and Ubuntu (South Africa). It was possible to involve not only established experts, but also grassroots groups and initiatives, young people and those affected. Managing Director Dr. Bernd Villhauer represented the Weltethos-Institut and moderated, among others, the discussions with Prof. Claudia Warning from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and Prof. Aram Ziai from the University of Kassel. Crossing borders played a role in many ways: the event was simultaneously translated into English and Spanish. “Who is developing whom here? And how can we develop together? These questions arose more and more in view of manifold global cooperations. We continue to be involved in this important series of conferences with pleasure and commitment, because real learning processes for the one world take place here” said Bernd Villhauer.