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26 – 27 November 2015

European Economic and Social Committee

Venue: European Investment Bank | Luxembourg

CIVIL SOCIETY MEDIA SEMINAR 2015

Communicating European Development Policy

European year2015

for development

ContentsForeword 2The event 4The context of the seminar 4Programme 6Day I 8 Opening session 8 Panel I 10 Panel II 12

Conclusions 14Day II 16 Opening session 16 Panel III 17 Closing session 20

Quotes from the debates 22List of Participants 24Biographies 28

2 Civil Society Media Seminar 2015 - Communicating European Development Policy

Foreword The 9th Civil Society Media Seminar in Luxembourg was dedicated to the European Year for Development 2015 (EYD). The EESC played an instrumental role in the establishment of EYD2015. An active development policy is not only a fundamental social and economic goal of the EU but also a key tool in managing our relations with third countries and the impact of international development on the EU itself.

The fundamental question running through the seminar was how to effectively communicate European development policy. The strong interest shown in the event and its subject matter, the participation of knowledgeable speakers, and the positive feedback from participants showed us that we had chosen the right topic at the right time.

As Europe faces a massive influx of migrants, Europeans are increasingly becoming aware that helping developing countries is a win-win choice, which not only helps these countries but is ultimately also in the interest of Europe. In this context, development aid may take on another aspect: as the seminar stressed very clearly, development aid is not (only) about charity, but also about investing in poorer countries to enable them to help themselves and ensure a decent future for their populations. People are much less likely to flee if they are offered reasonable opportunities in their own countries. Helping developing countries – and finally reaching the millennium goal of allocating 0.7% of GNP per country to development aid – must therefore be a priority for the EU.

Communicating development is about touching

people’s hearts and minds


3Civil Society Media Seminar 2015 - Communicating European Development Policy 3Civil Society Media Seminar 2015 - Communicating European Development Policy

As the picture of development aid changes, so must development communication, which needs to adapt and modernise. Communicating development is about:

• demonstrating to people how their contributions – either through changing their behaviours and their consumer habits or giving physical or financial help – have made a difference to ordinary people;

• speaking the language of everyday citizens and avoiding bureaucratic jargon;

• touching people and winning their hearts and minds.

If the EU and its member states want to be successful in development policy, they have to win the support of their citizens.

At the seminar we discussed some of the different communication tools and channels available, placing a special focus on the power of pictures, thanks to an interesting contribution by a photographer who has placed development and developing countries at the heart of his work.

The seminar identified 10 major conclusions or lessons learned, such as the need to place human beings at centre stage in communication and to raise awareness of how people can

contribute to development policy and of the importance of their contributions.

While thanking wholeheartedly the moderator, speakers and participants for their extremely valuable contributions, we invite you to browse through this booklet and hope it will be a useful guide, even for those of you who do not work in the field of development, for in the end development is a matter that concerns us all.

Goncalo Lobo Xavier EESC-Vice President for Communication


The eventThe Department of Communication of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), in cooperation with the Luxembourg presidency of the Council of the European Union and the Luxembourg Economic and Social Council, held its 9th Civil Society Media Seminar in Luxembourg on 26-27 November 2015. The seminar was kindly hosted by the European Investment Bank (EIB) in its premises in Luxembourg.

The context of the seminarWith the European Year for Development 2015 approaching its end, the EESC wanted to reflect on the achievements of this special year and see how its added value and lessons learnt, particularly in the area of communication, can contribute to the world’s next development challenge: the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Distinguished speakers from the media, international organisations and EU institutions, NGOs and civil society organisations as well as members of the EESC discussed this theme from three different angles:

• The EYD2015 campaign: raising awareness, increasing engagement

This first panel looked at the initial achievements of the 2015 European Year for Development and examined which communication tools had met with most success.

• Communicating development: the role of civil society organisations and media

The second panel focused on the role of civil society in development policy and on how media can help to communicate on this topic.

• How to communicate SDGs effectively

This last panel covered the challenge of communicating the SDGs recently adopted by the UN. It also discussed what approach the EU and other actors should take in order to communicate this topic effectively.

One of the communication challenges ahead sketched out at the seminar was the need to ensure that people understand that development aid is not charity but an investment: it is about helping developing countries to become self-sufficient and enable them to lead their own path towards development.

While development policies are responsible for effective use of aid, it is the task of communicators to win the support of people and civil society for this goal, both in Europe and the developing world. The challenges are significant, but the ideas and tools offered by communication are nearly infinite.

5Civil Society Media Seminar 2015 - Communicating European Development Policy

Thursday, 26 November 2015


1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Registration 3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Coffee break

1:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. Opening session

Introductory speech by George Dassis, EESC President

Klaus RUDISCHHAUSER, European Commission, Deputy Director General, DG Europeaid

2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Panel I:

The EYD2015 campaign: raising

awareness, increasing engagement

Setting the scene: Irini Ivoni PARI, EESC Member, Group I

• Presentation of EYD campaign – Storytelling - Highlights of the Year

Stina SOEWARTA, Head of unit, EC

Marius WANDERS, World Vision

• The importance of promoting development issues on the European agenda

Andris GOBIŅŠ, EESC expert

• EIB activities in relation to development and the SDGs

Heike RÜTTGERS, Head of Division, Mandate Management, EIB

7:30 p.m.

Networking dinner accompanied by the Janos Nadasi Trio

3:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Panel II:

Communicating development: the

role of civil society organisations

and media

Setting the scene: Luca JAHIER, President of EESC Group III

• How NGOs actively communicate development through their activities and networks

Simone POTT, Spokesperson of Welthungerhilfe, Germany

• The power of pictures (and messages)

Jakob DALL, Photojournalist, Denmark

• Journalists’ perspective: reporting effectively on development issues – what works?

Eliza ANYANGWE, The Guardian, UK

ProgrammeModerator: Conny Czymoch

7Civil Society Media Seminar 2015 - Communicating European Development Policy 7Civil Society Media Seminar 2015 - Communicating European Development Policy

11:15 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. Closing session

Concluding remarks by Gonçalo Lobo Xavier, EESC Vice-President

Marco WAGENER, Vice-President of the Luxembourg ESC

11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Coffee break

12:00 a.m. – 1 p.m. Buffet Lunch

1 p.m. End of the event

Friday, 27 November 2015

8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Opening session

Introductory speech by Luis PLANAS, EESC Secretary General

Romain SCHNEIDER, Luxembourg Minister of Cooperation and Humanitarian Action

9:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Panel III:

How to communicate Sustainable

Development Goals effectively

Setting the scene: Gabriele BISCHOFF, President of EESC Group II

• Communication Campaign for the new SDGs

Caroline PETIT, Deputy Director, United Nations Regional Information Centre

• Communicating Sustainability – How can NGOs contribute to communicating the SDGs?

Stefania CAMPOGIANNI, Senior Communications Officer, WWF-European Policy Office

• How to improve labour conditions in developing countries?

Marcia POOLE, Director, Department of Communication, ILO

• How do States communicate their development policy?

Joachim BEIJMO, Director, Department of Communication, SIDA

Charles GOERENS, MEP


Day INovember 26

OPENING SESSIONIntroductory speeches

George Dassis, President of the EESC, cited poverty as the main cause of all the social and geopolitical problems in the world. Poverty has many guises: it goes beyond not having enough to eat or not having money in the pocket. Poverty is also about the lack of multiple possibilities: for example, not having access to education, not having access to health care, not having a job that guarantees a decent income, not having appropriate housing, not enjoying equality of opportunity – both between men and women and among all people generally – but also, most of all, not having perspective and not having a secure future.

Quoting the words of his Greek ancestor Plutarch, “an imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics”, the President stressed that development should be seen not simply as a way of relieving poverty, but also as an investment in the future of both developing and developed countries.

Dassis welcomed the recent adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and he also looked ahead to the COP 21 conference in Paris on climate change and warned that, if a productive agreement were not reached, future generations - especially those in less developed countries - would have to pay a heavy price.

With regard to the conference topic, “Communicating European Development Policy”, he affirmed the need for a ‘revolution in communication’. It is commonly agreed that we live in an “information age” but it is more accurate to say that we are living in a “communication age”; therefore, communication is key to development as well. Lack of means or expertise sometimes prevents the public from learning about excellent initiatives which would otherwise find supporters or imitators.

The President encouraged participants to use communication to enable a better world to flourish, one that is strongly rooted in sustainable development and also pays attention to development and the distribution of wealth, as well as the distribution of available work: development also has to focus on bringing millions of jobless people back into work.

For at least five decades, productivity has been rising and wealth produced has also been increasing – yet inequality is worsening. This shows that something is not working properly. Therefore this conference should send a message to policy-makers to encourage them to tackle these issues seriously.

Development is not only about

charity, but about changing

behaviour


Klaus Rudischhauser, Deputy Director-General of DG EuropeAid, European Commission, mentioned the Commission’s goal of showing how development cooperation is inextricably linked to other policy fields. This has been shown in even sharper relief with the many challenges the EU is currently facing, such as international terrorism and extremism, the influx of refugees and migrants, and global health pandemics. All of these challenges only prove that Europe cannot be isolated from problems beyond its borders. Development policy therefore concerns all of us.

Mr Rudischhauser also stressed the importance of civil society actors as partners in cooperation in development policy. Civil society and other non-state actors are the nourishing roots of democracy and sustainable development and are vital for advancing political, social and economic dialogue and change.

It is also important to communicate the EU’s many achievements to European citizens, including its role in formulating the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Year for Development’s slogan, “Our world, our dignity, our future”, is an excellent summary of the aims of the SDGs. It is well recognised across Europe, and should continue to be used in the coming years as the SDGs are implemented internationally.

Civil Society is the nourishing root

of democracy


p r e s e n tat i o n o f t h e e y d c a m pa i g n – s t o r y t e l l i n g –

h i g h l i g h t s o f t h e y e a r

EYD2015 was a joint effort

Development policy is a concern

of all of us

The interaction between all

partners was crucial

PANEL IThe EYD2015 campaign: raising awareness, increasing engagement

Stina Soewarta, Head of Unit, DG EuropeAid, European Commission, showed different tools the Commission has used for its communication campaigns, such as Change your perspective, an EYD2015 video made by a young blogger who visited five development projects across the world in ten days. Instead of taking direct control of every aspect of EYD2015, the Commission chose to work in conjunction with partners, including NGOs, EU Member States, and international organisations. This approach worked very well, and a good example of it was the co-curation of the EYD2015 social media accounts by groups such as Friends of the Earth. The EYD2015 team also found it important to focus less on the financial details of overseas aid and more on generating empathy by telling stories about how development aid changes people’s lives.

While the European institutions can sometimes find it difficult to engage directly with European citizens, the European Development Days held in June 2015, as well as the use of EYD2015 ambassadors, helped to communicate with the public about development. Moreover, the multilingual materials and educational toolkit about European development projects produced in 2015 will be useful for some time to come.

In introducing this panel, Irini Pari, EESC member (Group I), stressed the importance of development policy . At a time when issues such as migration and climate change are constantly in the news, it is more important than ever to pursue innovative development policies. Recent events have shown how easily events on one side of the world can affect the other side, and development policy is of concern to us all; indeed, Eurobarometer surveys show that Europeans are overwhelmingly in favour of the aims of development aid. Civil society organisations and the EESC have an important role to play in bringing institutions and citizens together to exchange ideas about development.

Marius Wanders, board member at CONCORD Europe (the European confederation of Relief and Development NGOs) and civil society ambassador for EYD2015, explained how it had taken over three years for EYD2015 to become a reality. He and former EESC member Andris Gobiņš had initially come up with the idea of a European Year for Development in the summer of 2011, and had then mobilised support for the initiative from a wide range of sources, including the EESC, the European Parliament and the Commission.

He also highlighted the important role played by an alliance of nearly 200 civil society organisations, convened by CONCORD Europe, and the successful small-scale projects that CONCORD was able to fund as part of EYD2015, including World’s Best News (which publishes positive news stories about progress in developing countries). CONCORD is now preparing a set of recommendations for future EU development policy drawn directly from the input supplied by citizens and civil society organisations during EYD2015.


t h e i m p o r ta n c e o f p r o m o t i n g

d e v e l o p m e n t i s s u e s o n t h e e u r o p e a n

a g e n d a

I hope EYD2015 will encourage

politicians to be more ambitious

e i b a c t i v i t i e s i n r e l at i o n t o

d e v e l o p m e n t a n d t h e s d g s

2015 is just the beginning

Andris Gobiņš, former EESC member and current president of Latvia’s European Movement, took up the story of the background to EYD2015. From the beginning it had had two key goals: to bring development to the attention of a wider public, and to influence policy-makers to adhere to (and even go beyond) the Sustainable Development Goals. While he regretted that EYD2015 would be the last official ‘European Year’, he emphasised that it had been implemented in an exemplary manner, with an excellent level of communication between European institutions, NGOs, and other partners, and successfully covered not only Europe but the whole world. This was “an exemplary cooperation – worthy of being imitated”.

Heike Rüttgers, Head of Division, Mandate Management, European Investment Bank, gave an overview of the EIB’s development projects. 2015 had been a key year for these projects, not just because of EYD2015 but also the UN Financing for Development conference in Addis Ababa, the New York summit where the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted, and the forthcoming COP 21 conference, and the EIB was looking forward to building on this progress in the future.

She reminded participants that the mission of the EIB - the long-term investment and development bank of the EU - is to support and finance EU priorities and policies, and that it has been active outside the EU for more than 50 years. Moreover, the EIB’s focus on not only poverty reduction but also energy, infrastructure and industrialisation, growth, employment and research in developing countries, as well as climate issues, is aligned very closely with the broad remit of the SDGs. She stressed the importance of global partnership and collaboration in implementing the SDGs, and also the need to involve the private sector. Finally, she announced that the EIB would be offering increased levels of funding to climate-based projects in the coming years.

PANEL I DISCUSSION

A major theme of the discussion was the importance of telling stories, instead of merely reporting information and statistics, as a means of communicating with the public about development and showing how aid can change lives. It was agreed that, although this approach requires time and resources, it can really make a difference to the way in which development is perceived. Technology and social media have a key role to play in this, and it is also a way of connecting with people at times when traditional media outlets are focusing on big news stories.

An interesting point was made with a proposal about ‘de-Brusselising’ communication about development, as people respond better when the human story is told rather than an institutional one. At the same time, though, it was agreed that the EU institutions, often working in conjunction with civil society organisations, have a major part to play in telling positive stories about overseas aid and promoting transparency about its use.


PANEL IICommunicating development: the role of civil society organisations and media

Presenting complex work to the public is a challenging

communication task

h o w n g o s a c t i v e ly c o m m u n i c at e d e v e l o p m e n t t h r o u g h

t h e i r a c t i v i t i e s a n d n e t w o r k s ?

Normality is hard to sell

t h e p o w e r o f p i c t u r e s ( a n d

m e s s a g e s )

Politicians do not always know what

is happening in their own

countries

Simone Pott, Spokesperson of Welthungerhilfe, Germany, compared an image of acute disaster relief with one showing small-scale farmers at work: she explained that the first kind of picture tended to receive a lot of attention, although the second was far more representative of the daily activities of development NGOs. It is difficult, however, to secure press coverage of these more ‘normal’ activities. One strategy adopted by Welthungerhilfe has been to organise trips for journalists (not just those who specialise in development issues) to visit ongoing projects and meet the people helped by them. This explains the project from a personalized perspective and makes it more tangible. In this regard she acknowledged the importance of ‘storytelling’ when communicating development, but also warned that it is not always easy to determine which stories will appeal to people, who also may in time become less receptive to this approach.

Powerful photographs from developing countries were the main focus of the presentation by Jakob Dall, a photojournalist from Denmark. He described his efforts to get to know the people in his pictures and discover the stories behind them, which he then seeks to show in his pictures. He endeavours to visit places both in the aftermath of a crisis and later on, once initial aid is no longer being provided, to demonstrate what people are struggling with.

Another focus of Dall’s work is internal displacement, and the serious effects of climate change on landscapes and lives: this also generates refugees. He mentioned the problem of some politicians not being aware of major issues in their own countries. Communication is therefore all the more important, and using pictures can add an extra dimension to this.

Luca Jahier, President of EESC Group III, chaired this panel, and in his introduction focused on the role of the media and civil society in development communication. In the past, it was common to use dramatic images to demonstrate the need for overseas aid, and to present development as a question of rich countries helping poor countries. Now, however, it is more important to focus on partnerships between developing and developed countries and the processes by which they are implemented, even though presenting complex work to the public may be challenging.


j o u r n a l i s t s ’ p e r s p e c t i v e :

r e p o r t i n g e f f e c t i v e ly o n d e v e l o p m e n t

i s s u e s – w h at w o r k s ?

Journalism cannot be

centred on aid

Eliza Anyangwe, a freelance journalist who was instrumental in creating the Guardian’s Global Development Professionals Network, was impressed by seeing how receptive development professionals have become to the idea of collaborating with journalists.

She described her work with the Guardian as reporting on development issues from a range of different perspectives. No media organisation, however, exists solely to cover development, and it can therefore be difficult to find funding for development stories. Journalism cannot focus only on aid programmes, even if that is what aid donors want; it must inform and inspire audiences and help them to understand broader issues. Human interest stories, interactivity, an emphasis on positive news, and content from local sources are especially effective means of communicating development.

PANEL II DISCUSSION

The discussion initially centred on the use of pictures in development communication: it was acknowledged that emotive images can serve a purpose, especially in disaster appeals, but they may also be intrusive and can give a skewed impression of the reality of development work. Codes of conduct do exist, but they are hard to enforce. It should be recognised that media organisations will often choose to focus on sad stories – most news is negative, after all – but it is also important to show hope, and to promote active, creative and critical learning about development work.

Participants also emphasised the importance of citizen journalism and campaigns that bypass major news outlets, in addition to more traditional forms of media. Examples of more and less effective campaigns were discussed, as well as Norway’s Radiator Awards, which evaluate fundraising videos. More generally, it was unanimously agreed that education about global citizenship and sustainable development should be a high priority for governments and NGOs, and it is crucial not to let this fall victim to austerity-driven funding cuts.


CONCLUSIONSSummary of the key conclusions of the Civil Society Media Seminar 2015 – Communicating European Development Policy

1

2

3

4

5

Most people’s impressions of development aid and development policy are somewhat outdated. Development aid is not about charity, but about investment in the future of both developing and developed countries. Communication about development policy needs to change accordingly and adapt to current needs.

The European Year for Development was a first step but its efforts need to be sustained. Its slogan - “Our world, our dignity, our future”- could also be used for future campaigns.

It is not always easy for EU institutions to communicate directly with citizens. The EESC can fill the gap, acting as a bridge and complementing the EYD2015 ambassadors. The original idea of a European Year for Development came from civil society and the EESC: this shows how important it is for EU institutions to listen to civil society, and how the EESC can help them identify topics that European citizens are concerned about and responsive to, if properly communicated.

“De-Brusselising” communication also means replacing “Eurospeak” with more practical language, showing pictures and telling stories. Images and narratives are important awareness-raising instruments. Nevertheless, sometimes images are hard to digest, and deciding which pictures can and cannot be shown is always a difficult balancing act.

But even though images do raise awareness and stir compassion, communication must not confine itself to this. It also needs to show what ordinary people can do to improve the situation in developing countries, i.e. by changing their behaviour.

Another useful approach is combining stories with facts and figures, thus making results more tangible and focusing on progress rather than problems.

Migration and climate change are topics that are interlinked with development policy. Communication about development policy must take into account its broader context. The “momentum” generated by the current migrant crisis could be used to communicate the importance of supporting developing countries, e.g. in education, and to promote investments and job creation in developing countries in order to discourage socio-economic migration. The same is true of issues related to climate change.

Draw a new picture of development policy

Keep the slogan alive

EU institutions should listen to civil society

De-Brusselise communication

- use stories, images and figures

Communicate development

consistently across policy areas


6

8

9

10

Development communication needs to place a special focus on global citizenship and sustainable development, which concern both governments and NGOs. It is also important to make people aware of how they themselves contribute to negative developments and how they can help improve the situation. A good example is WWF’s idea of setting up a website which allows people to calculate their environmental footprint.

Journalism on development policy cannot be centred on aid alone, but needs to look at issues from different angles. In this way it can inform and inspire audiences and help them understand broader issues.

Human interest stories, interactivity, an emphasis on positive news, and content from local sources are especially effective means of communicating development policy.

Ordinary people have a role to play in communicating development. They can tell their own stories much better than a PR company can – and will not charge for it!

In order to avoid excessive expenditure but at the same time multiply the effect of campaigns, it is also important to take advantage of existing events to communicate EU development policy, rather than stage new ones.

When using celebrities in campaigns, they need to really be involved in activities on the topics in question and willing to be associated with the causes they represent.

Raise awareness of how people

can contribute to development policy and how important their contribution is

7Communication in development policy should aim at building partnerships between developed and developing countries – mutual consultation is important, in order to avoid imposing on developing countries policies that are not suitable for them.

Look for partnership opportunities

between developed and developing

countries

Show journalists the different facets of

development policy

Let human beings take centre stage

Use communication opportunities and

resources to best advantage


Day IINovember 27

OPENING SESSIONIntroductory speeches

Luis Planas, EESC Secretary-General, stressed the great responsibility the EESC has not only as a bridge to civil society but also as its voice, and its role as an adviser to the European institutions. However, the best ideas, and the most comprehensive knowledge and advice, are worthless if they are not communicated well. In the EESC too, there will be a major focus on communication and tools relevant to communication. Referring to the day’s main theme, communicating sustainability, the Secretary General mentioned two of the several topics the EESC is working on in the area of sustainability, namely “planned obsolescence” and “civil society’s involvement in the implementation of the post-2015 agenda”. While recognizing that the EU is currently experiencing a series of crises which have demanded quick reactions, it is important not to forget long-term goals in areas such as development. Institutions must continue to work together, and civil society organisations can make an important contribution by advising them. The prosperity of Europe as a whole is closely connected to solidarity with less developed countries. Communication helps to spread good ideas.

Prosperity is linked to

solidarity

By creating worldwide prosperity,

we invest in the planet

Romain Schneider, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Luxembourg, reiterated the development “milestones” of 2015, namely the conferences in Addis Adaba, New York, and Paris, and stressed that this was a very appropriate moment for this EESC seminar to happen. At this tense time for Europe, it is more important than ever to defend European rights and principles, which include solidarity with people in need; by creating prosperity throughout the world we invest in the planet as a whole.

1% of Luxembourg’s GDP is reserved for development and, unlike in some other countries, development projects and education about development have not been the victims of financial cutbacks. Moreover, Luxembourg ministers used the opportunity afforded by their country’s presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2015 to raise developmental issues at a European level. EYD2015 showed what can be achieved with limited resources but a large amount of political will and openness to collaboration. Now it is for young people to commit to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in the decades to come.


PANEL IIIHow to communicate Sustainable Development Goals effectively

Gabriele Bischoff, President of EESC Group II, chaired this panel. Referring to recent political developments, she stated that emergence of nationalistic movements in Europe means that better European and global solutions are needed, especially since the refugee crisis has shown that our lives are not isolated from the situation in other parts of the world. She again called for a ‘de-Brusselisation’ of development, and reflected that the Sustainable Development Goals are not merely another institutional initiative but shared universal goals for the citizens of all countries. It is important to communicate the connection between climate change, poverty and war to European citizens, and all people are equally concerned with these issues. Better European and indeed better global solutions are needed. The EESC is committed to doing everything in its areas of influence to help reduce poverty within Europe as well as outside it.

Caroline Petit, Deputy Director, United Nations Regional Information Centre, Brussels, gave an overview of how the Sustainable Development Goals had been communicated in Europe. Her team had decided to make use of the creative talents of a range of individuals and groups with specialist expertise: together with these partners they had run competitions, held outreach events, worked with young people and made full use of social media. She described, for example, how the film-maker Richard Curtis had devised a campaign that presented the SDGs as simple, visually striking icons.

Also other celebrities had contributed to the SDG message. A special actor contributor is Elyx, the UN’s ‘digital ambassador’, who transcends linguistic and cultural boundaries. In addition, the team’s approach was also one of seeking to collaborate with the organisers of existing events rather than stage new ones; these included the annual UN day, the Athens Marathon, and EYD2015 events. In these ways they had delivered an effective message within a relatively limited budget.

Better European and better

global solutions are needed

c o m m u n i c at i o n c a m pa i g n f o r t h e n e w s d g s

Creative people tell stories much

better than we do

Stefania Campogianni, Senior Communications Officer, WWF European Policy Office, presented a video promoting WWF’s ‘I am nature’ campaign in Germany, which aimed to highlight the links between humans and nature. This idea, that the way we live and the impact it has on the world are interconnected, is closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Ms Campogianni shared other examples of effective WWF initiatives, including a website that allows people to calculate their environmental footprint and a campaign to encourage the use of sustainable palm oil in Singapore. More broadly, she explained that WWF, as a solution-oriented organisation, mainly seeks to alert people to unsustainable practices in their everyday lives but also to empower them to make changes. In addition, it engages closely with businesses and policymakers. WWF therefore provides a model for other NGOs to follow.

c o m m u n i c at i n g s u s ta i n a b i l i t y : h o w

c a n n g o s c o n t r i b u t e t o c o m m u n i c at i n g

t h e s d g s ?

It’s a challenge, but a sustainable

challenge


For Joachim Beijmo, Director, Department of Communication, SIDA, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a fantastic opportunity to communicate development, and he defined communication as ‘change management’, which can make development happen. Unlike the earlier Millennium Development Goals, SDGs cover all countries, and already have achieved a far higher level of visibility.

Speaking of Sweden, he acknowledged that the recent influx of refugees was putting pressure on development budgets, but noted that the Swedish government had recently increased funding for communication of the SDGs. In order to implement this, his team is working with existing platforms, NGOs, schools, and cities and regions. He stated that they had three core principles: combining facts and figures with stories (“people at heart”), focusing on progress rather than problems (“sustained success”), and using new technologies and the democratisation of social media (“technology as an accelerator”).

Charles Goerens, MEP, Luxembourg, noted that different EU Member States take different approaches to communicating their development policy, partly because of their varying histories and traditional links to specific areas of the developing world. He reiterated that 1% of Luxembourg’s GDP is given to development projects, and that the challenge is to explain to the public that this money is put to good, targeted use. This cannot be achieved without the support of civil society.

The development gaps between countries such as China and the US have narrowed in the last few years, but at the same time inequality in all countries is increasing; this is why it is so important that the Sustainable Development Goals apply universally. It is also very important to convince public opinion to support development. He concluded by regretting the low level of Member State interest in the European Parliament’s Committee on Development, on which he serves, as it would be an ideal forum for national policies to be explained.

Marcia Poole, Director, Department of Communication, ILO, surveyed the work of the ILO and explained that its role is to improve working conditions not only in developing countries but across the whole world. In the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, its aim of promoting ‘decent work’ for all is closely echoed in the eighth SDG. She asserted that workers’ rights have recently come under pressure in Europe, and that governments, workers and employers must work together to resist this and encourage social dialogue, which has to be communicated accordingly.

The ILO itself is required to communicate with a wide audience, collaborating with the media and NGOs, to show why its goal of decent work is important, and she stressed the need to use simple, relatable language. The ILO has run global campaigns against issues such as forced labour, but also developed mobile apps designed to help workers know their rights, which is key to improving working conditions.

h o w t o i m p r o v e l a b o u r c o n d i t i o n s

i n d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r i e s ?

Workers need to know their rights

h o w d o s tat e s c o m m u n i c at e t h e i r

d e v e l o p m e n t p o l i c y ?

Communication can make

development happen

Everyone needs to work together in an integrated

market


PANEL III DISCUSSION

Some contributors focused on the holistic nature of the SDGs, emphasising how they do not promote a divide between north and south or the ‘first’ and ‘third’ worlds but concern everyone: moreover, some issues, such as environmental ones, have an impact on others, like gender equality and access to education. For this reason, the outcome of the COP 21 summit will be crucial. At the same time, the point was made that despite all the efforts to communicate about development, some aims have not been reached and the refugee crisis has polarised opinions in Europe.

There was also some discussion of the use of celebrities in campaigns. Although they are often associated with the global north, there is more diversity than is initially apparent: the problem is that very well-known stars (from Hollywood, for example) tend to attract the most attention worldwide. Contributors also warned that not everyone has access to the internet. In this context it was pointed out that the UN in particular still uses radio very effectively to communicate with people in developing countries, but also other channels, such as soap operas, are very successful.

Finally, contributors considered the place of development, and the SDGs in particular, within the European Commission’s wider priorities. The position of the EU as the world’s main aid donor is not communicated effectively enough.

Gabi Bischoff summarized four key points in her conclusion:

1. The key challenge as regards these goals is to reach ordinary citizens, not just the groups that are already familiar with these questions. This is a significant barrier, which is not easy to overcome. Indeed, social media can be a useful tool in this respect but we have to remember that it excludes a lot of people. So other ways of reaching out to the public must also be discovered.

2. The key drivers at a political, economic and social level must contribute to the realization of the SDGs. Partnership, as reflected in goal 17, is essential. For example, companies must be convinced to participate in the global effort and partnerships between governments and NGOs will also be crucial.

3. It is important to put consumers (another key driver) and how we all consume in the spotlight. Consumption practices in our societies show that we have not yet found creative ways to influence young people in particular. People must understand that there is a connection between what we do here, what kind of development policy or environmental policy we implement, and what is happening in the world.

4. The key idea that we must keep in mind throughout this process of reaching out to the public is that the creative industry can be an extremely useful partner. Indeed, the experience of previous campaigns shows that innovative ideas are needed - such as storytelling - to ensure that the message reaches ordinary citizens.


CLOSING SESSION

In Communication

the simple approach

works best

The EU was born of good

communication

Gonçalo Lobo Xavier, EESC Vice-President, took the notion of ‘de-Brusselisation’ and stressed that the European institutions need to convey their genuine concern for people. More broadly, he felt that the seminar had served to widen perspectives and change perceptions about communicating development policy, and he made three main points:

• It is important to focus on what we want to achieve when communicating about development, and devise targeted strategies: EYD2015 did this very successfully. Development policy must be as multi-faceted as development itself, and the stereotypes of the past must be forgotten: development is not just about giving money, but sharing advice and good practice.

• “Words are the most powerful drug”, and every word used in communication must count. We all are aware of the power of words.

• NGOs are crucial, and organised civil society has an important part to play in helping promote more sustainable ways of living (the EESC itself is currently planning missions to less developed countries). Civil society organisations cannot mask reality, but they can use clear messages and positive stories to encourage people to become involved in development.

• To achieve better communication, a simple approach is always best: the UN’s ‘digital ambassador’ Elyx is a particularly effective example of this. For this reason, the EESC needs to focus even more on communication, and on winning supporters in partner organisations, especially the media.

Marco Wagener, Vice-President of the Luxembourg ESC, concluded the seminar by underlining the media’s role in shaping relations between European institutions and the general public, and in ensuring that people understand democracy and the links between the social, economic, environmental and political spheres. The media can also contribute to raising awareness and ownership of social rules and values as well as to social integration, and highlight what European institutions are doing for the common good of humankind, especially at a time when support for the EU is fragile, and under pressure from scepticism, nationalism and traumatic events.

Reminding the audience of the EU’s status as the leading global aid donor, he made the point that the EU also contributes to development through its regional policy, which focuses on the poorest regions of the EU. This regional policy accounts for approximately 1/3 of the EU’s budget and complements the Union’s broader development policies. It is to be hoped that these initiatives will be widely reported and discussed and that the outcome of the seminar’s discussions will lead to real changes in the ways in which development is communicated in the EU.


Quotes from the debates

“We need to ‘de-Brusselise’ the language of the stories we tell, by making them relevant to the everyday lives of

EU citizens.“

“We cannot but

communicate.”

“Part of defending our rights

and principles is showing

solidarity with those in need.“

“The EESC played a crucial role in

making EYD2015 happen.”

“We don’t just live in an information

society, but a communication

society.”

“2015 was akey year for

development.”

“The SDGs concern every

one of us.”

“There must be better

links between the world of

policymakers and reality.“

“The EU’s role as an external

player is under-recognised by

citizens.”


“Responsible people are responsible

policymakers.”

“We should give refugees

a voice.”

“The SDGs are a fantastic

opportunity to communicate development.”

“The best ideas are worthless

when they are not

communicated well.”

“EYD2015 triggered

policymakers to act.”

“We need to make it clear that there are no jobs

on a dead planet.”

“The best success stories do not always receive

the publicity they deserve.”

“For better communication,

basic is always best.”

“Not all provocative pictures are

disrespectful to their subjects.”

“Selling stories about development is ‘damn hard

work’.”


List of ParticipantsALLEN Alexandra Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (Luxembourg)

ANYANGWE Eliza The Guardian (UK)

AUMAIR Silvia-Monika European Economic and Social Committee – Press Unit (Belgium)

AVRAMOPOULOS Pavlos European Economic and Social Committee – President’s cabinet (Belgium)

BAKKER Stefania European Journalism Center (Netherlands)

BEIJMO Joachim SIDA (Sweden)

BERGRATH Dirk Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Workers Group (Germany)

BIRKENFELDE Sanita Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia (LBAS) Latvia

BISCHOFF Gabriele President of the Workers’ Group, European Economic and Social Committee Germany

CABRAL Graça DECO Portugal

CAILLIES Julia BDI Belgium

CAMPOGIANNI Stefania WWF European Policy office Belgium

CORPAŞ Călin-Nistor Russmedia group Romania

CORRÊA NUNES Mariana Wisdom Consulting Portugal

CSER Agnes Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Various interests’ Group Hungary

CZYMOCH Conny Independent International Journalist Germany

DAHM Christine Cercle de coopération des ONG de développement Luxembourg

DALL Jakob Photojournalist Denmark

DASSIS Georges President of the European Economic and Social Committee Greece

DERVEAUX Céline European Parliament Luxembourg

DIETZ Sandy Conseil économique et social du Luxembourg Luxembourg

DITHMER Claus Danish Consumer Council Denmark

DONKER Vera IHECS Belgium

EPISTITHIOU Nicolaos Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Workers Group Cyprus

ETIKWA IKUTU Nicole Action Solidarité Tiers Monde Luxembourg

FIEDLER Peter LIGA, Democratic league of independent trade unions Hungary

FORT Laura Studio Pix Mix France

FRANKE Anne Confederation of German’s employers’ associations Germany

GAJDOSIK Alfred Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Various interests’ Group Austria

GALKA Ewa Centrum Pisop Poland

GATETE Ogyen Tendzin IHECS Belgium

GEISEN Norbert Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Various interests’ Group Luxembourg

GELHAUS Katarina United Nations Belgium


GERONIMO Lorenza United Nations France

GOBIŅŠ Andris Expert for the European Economic and Social Committee Latvia

GOERENS Charles Member of the European Parliament Luxemburg

GOSLINGA Maaike European Journalism Centre Netherlands

GOUVEIA Francisco Economic and Social Council of Portugal Portugal

GRAMMATICOGIANNI Vasiliki Athens Voice/Europepolis Greece

GRAUS Ischi Solidar Belgium

GRIKMANE Ruta Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Latvia

HARTOG Kyrill European Economic and Social Committee – Press Unit Belgium

HEINISCH Renate Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Various interests’ Group Germany

HENCKS Raymond Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Workers’ Group Luxemburg

HERMOSO Carola UNESID Spain

HOCQUET Chantal European Economic and Social Committee - Communication Department Belgium

HURLEY DEPRET Molly Smart Villages Luxembourg

ILARI Martina European Parliament Luxembourg

JAHIER Luca President of Various Interest’Group - European Economic and Social Committee Italy

JAROSZ Leszek European Economic and Social Committee - Group I (Employers) Secretariat Belgium

JONES Alun European Economic and Social Committee – Head of Press Unit Belgium

JOPKIEWICZ Gzegorz Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Poland

JULIAN Melissa European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) Belgium

KARADJOVA Liliana Economic and Social Council Bulgaria

KAŠĖTA Vytautas Lithuanian Trade Union “Solidarumas” Lithuania

KATSANI Soultana National Confederation of disabled people Greece

KEIFFER Max Economic and Social Council Luxembourg

KRÄFTNER Florian ÖGB Austria Trade Union Austria

KRIŽNAR Urška Sklad 05 – Foundation for social investment Slovenia

KYSELOVÁ Karolina Czech Chamber of Commerce Czech Republic

LAHOUSSE Chloé European Economic and Social Committee – Various interest’s group secretariat Belgium

LANG Jiri European Court of Auditors Luxembourg

LARSEN Charlotte European Parliament Luxembourg

LERARIO Maria Anna UIL Nazionale Italy

LESIDRENSKI Lyuben Confederation of independent trade unions in Bulgaria Bulgaria

LHOEST Audrey FGTB Belgium


List of ParticipantsLIBAERT Thierry Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Various interests’ Group France

LINDVALD-NIELSEN Peter European Economic and Social Committee - Head of Communication Department Belgium

LOBO XAVIER Gonçalo Vice-President of the European Economic and Social Committee Portugal

LOMOZOVÁ Jarmila Caritas of the Archdiocese of Prague Czech Republic

LUCKOVÁ Renáta RePaCompany Czeh Republic

LUNGU Diana European Journalism Center Netherlands

MACAK Tibor Association of European journalists Slovakia

MARANGONI Daniela European Economic and Social Committee - Press Unit Belgium

MARIYANOVA Valentina Bulgarian Industrial Capital association Bulgaria

McNAMARA Aoife Irish Development Education Association Ireland

MELLI Daniele ETUC Belgium

MELOTH Nadine European Women Management Development Network Poland

MENDOÇA Lucia Uniao Geral de Trabalhadores Portugal

MENEI Marina Conseil économique et social du Luxembourg Luxembourg

MINCHEV Milen European Economic and Social Committee – Press Unit Belgium

MOURITSEN Thor Seierø Danish Consumer Council Denmark

NATI-STOFFEL Marianne Secrétaire-générale du Conseil économique et social du Luxembourg Luxembourg

PARI Irini Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Employer’s Group Greece

PARTENIOTIS Plamena Podkrepa CL Bulgaria

PAWLOWSKA Malgorzata Business Centre Club Poland

PELIKANOVA Kristyna European Bank of Investment Luxembourg

PETIT Caroline United Nations Belgium

PLANAS Luis Secretary-General, European Economic and Social Committee Belgium

POOLE Marcia ILO United Kingdom

POPOVIC Vojislav European Court of Auditors Luxembourg

POTT Simone Deutsche Welthungerhilfe Germany

RAUNEMAA Pirkko Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Various interests’ Group Finland

RODESCH Paule CGFP Luxembourg

RODRIGUEZ Alain Caritas Europa Belgique

RUDISCHHAUSER Klaus European Commission – DG Europeaid Belgium

RUETTGERS Heike European Bank of Investment Luxembourg

SAUNDERS Olivia European Bank of Investment Luxembourg

SCHNEIDER Romain Minister for Cooperation and Humanitarian Action Luxembourg


SCHROEDER Christoph European Parliament Luxembourg

SENNEKAMP Peter Business Europe Belgium

SIMITOPOL Anca Eliza Social and Economic Council Romania

SIRBU Iulia National Council of Small and Medium sized Enterprises in Romania Romania

SOCACI Roxana ECJ Luxembourg

SOARES Mario Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Worker’s Group Portugal

SOEWARTA Stina European Commission – DG DEVCO Belgium

SORIANO Francisco European Economic and Social Committee - Group II (workers) Secretariat Brussels

SPANIKOVA Miriam Federation of Employer’s association of the Slovak Republic Slovak Republic

SPENCER Ellen Naledi Projects Fir Kanner a Südafrika Luxembourg

STEIWER Guy Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques Luxembourg

STOJKOVSKI Ljupce ECA Croatia

STUBBS Tristan European Parliament Luxembourg

SUTTY Antoniya European Parliament Luxembourg

SZYMCZYCHA Mateusz Employers of Poland Poland

THEODOROU Martha Economic and Social Council Greece

VAREIKYTĖ Indrė Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Various Interest’s Group Lithuania

VEIHMANE Kristina Employer’s confederation of Latvia Latvia

VESELY Paul RePaCompany Czech Republic

VICENS GUILLEM Catianna Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Worker’s Group Spain

WAGENER Marco Vice-President of the Luxembourg Economic and Social Council Luxembourg

WAGNSONNER Thomas Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Worker’s Group Austria

WANDERS Marius World Vision Netherlands

WESTENDORP Dirk Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Various Interest’s Group Netherlands

WINBERGA Emilia LO Sweden Sweden

ZAREBA Joanna Polish Confereration Lewiatan Poland

ZUCCALÀ Emanuela European Journalism Centre Italy

ZVOLSKÁ Marie Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Employer’s Group Czech Republic


Biographies

Eliza AnyangweEliza Anyangwe, a Cameroon-born, London-based journalist, covers the Sustainable Development Goals, and Africa more broadly, as a freelance writer and commissioning editor for the Guardian.

Joachim BeijmoJoachim Beijmo is Director of Communications at SIDA, the Swedish government agency implementing most of Sweden’s international development cooperation and humanitarian aid. He is also co-chair of the OECD/DAC Development Communicators Network.

Gabriele Bischoff Gabriele Bischoff is special advisor at the German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB) and, since October 2015, has been the President of the Workers’ Group of the EESC. She is also a member of the board of the European Movement in Germany.

Georges DassisGeorges Dassis is the current President of the EESC. Previously he was President of the Committee’s Workers’ Group (2008-2015). Since 1981, he has been a representative of the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC, formerly ICFTU) and to the International Labour Office (ILO).

Andris GobiņšAndris Gobins, a former member of the EESC, is currently President of Latvia’s European Movement and works as a freelance trainer. He was one of the initiators of the idea of the European Year for Development.

Charles Goerens Charles Goerens is a member of the European Parliament, where he sits in the committee on development (DEVE) and the subcommittee on human rights (DROI) and is co-president of the delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.


Stefania CampogianniS t e f a n i a C a m p o g i a n n i i s s e n i o r communications officer at WWF European Policy Office in Brussels. She started her professional career as an academic researcher on multilingualism at the European Research Academy in Alto Adige, Italy.

Conny CzymochConny Czymoch, who studied economics and international relations at the University of Reading in the UK, is an independent international moderator and journalist. She has moderated conferences on many topics for the EU, German ministries, German corporations and non-profit organisations.

Jakob DallJakob Dall is a freelance photojournalist with a degree from the Danish School of Journalism. He has won awards from World Press Photo, Picture of the Year International (POYi) and EISA for his photographs.

Luca JahierLuca Jahier has been President of the Various Interests Group at the EESC since 2002. He was President of FOCSIV (Federation of development cooperation NGOs) from 1994 to 2000 and was also among the founders of the Italian Third Sector Forum.

Gonçalo Lobo XavierGonçalo Lobo Xavier is Vice-President for Communication at the EESC, where he is serving his second term of office. Since 2013 he has also been the Portuguese National Delegate for Innovation in SMEs and Risk Finance for the Horizon 2020 programme and, since 2007, has represented the Confederation of Portuguese Industry (CIP) in BUSINESSEUROPE’s working group on Research and Technological Innovation.

Irini PariIrini Pari has been a member of the EESC (Employers’ Group) since 1998, and was Vice-President for Communication in 2008-10. She is also the Permanent Delegate of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) in Brussels.


Caroline PetitCaroline Petit is Deputy Director of the United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC) in Brussels. She was previously head of the Partnership Unit at UN headquarters in New York for 12 years.

Luis PlanasLuis Planas has been EESC’S Secretary General since March 2014. He has had a long career in the European institutions and has also served as Spanish ambassador to Morocco, Spanish ambassador and permanent representative to the European Union, and Regional Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment in Andalucía.

Marcia Poole Marcia Poole has been the director of Communication and Public Information at the ILO since 2011. Previously, she was senior director for Communications at Amnesty International’s Secretariat in London. She also spent nearly five years with UN peacekeeping missions, as spokesperson and chief of media in Timor-Leste and Kosovo.

Roman SchneiderRoman Schneider is the Minister for Social Security, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs and Minister for Sport of the current government of Luxembourg. Prior to that, he was Minister of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development, Minister of Sport and Minister Delegate of the Solidarity Economy (2009-2013).

Stina SoewartaStina Soewarta is Head of Unit in DG Development and Cooperation - EuropeAid, in charge of Communication and Transparency. During her 16 years in Brussels she has occupied positions in the Danish Permanent Representation to the EU, the European Parliament, and the cabinet of European Commissioner Andris Piebalgs.

Marco WagenerMarco Wagener, a member of the Economic and Social Council of Luxembourg since 1984, is the Committee’s current Vice-President and rapporteur of the commission on tax issues. He studied economics at Louis Pasteur University in Strasbourg, France.


Simone PottSimone Pott is the spokesperson of Welthungerhilfe, one of the largest German organizations that combines humanitarian aid and long-term development projects in almost 40 countries. She is a specialist in crisis communications.

Klaus RudischhauserKlaus Rudischhauser has been Deputy Director-General of the DG for International Cooperation and Development - EuropeAid at the European Commission since August 2012. Previously he was Director of Directorate B, Quality and Impact (2011 - 2012), and between 2007 and 2011 he was Director in the then DG Development ACP General Affairs.

Heike RüttgersHeike Rüttgers is Head of Mandate Management at the European Investment Bank (EIB), where she has worked on a broad range of lending transactions covering sovereign and corporate lending as well as credit lines and structured finance deals in West and Northern Africa and in the Indian Ocean region.

Marius WandersFormerly a Master Mariner and navigator, Marius Wanders is a member of the board of CONCORD Europe and the organisation’s treasurer. He successfully led CONCORD’s initiative for the designation of 2015 as European Year of Development (EYD2015).

© European Union, 2016Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

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Published by: “Visits and Publications” UnitEESC-2016-06-EN

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ENREG.NO. BE - BXL - 27

Print:QE-02-16-042-EN-C

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