There are a lot of people, organizations and initiatives who works hard for peace, human rights and sustainability. Besides supporting people and initiatives in different ways, ADEP has this year decided to support Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research, Blank Spot Project and Help through Music (Musikhjälpen in Swedish) since these are all initiatives that deserves support and respect for the work they are doing. The support from ADEP is not big but hopefully helpful.
Assigned by The City of Umeå, Umeå University and Region Västerbotten I attended SWEDESD international conference Bridging the Gap in August 2016, and The Global RCE Conference in Yogyakarta, Indonesia in November 2016 for the purpose of clarifying how RCEs could enhance the work with the new sustainble development agenda through The Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).
Assigned by Robertsfors Municipality and Region Västerbotten as a project-leader and as an expert, me and the teams hosted two african groups from Busia Municipality Uganda and Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya in October and November 2016 in order for the partners to work for sustainable livelihood through different entry-points. These partnerships are funded by Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD).
Once again assigned as a teacher in Peace and Conflict Studies at Umeå University on special programme in September 2016. I prepared a lot, for example by participating at seminar on non-violence at PRIO in Oslo, Norway. A key-note speacker was Sdrja Popovic (in the picture), a well known activist from Serbia working in Otpor and founder of CANVAS. Together with others we discussed policy implications of non-violent actions.
As a result of the UNs Decade on Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014, a global RCE-network has been created working with ESD. Today there are 146 RCEs around the world - all approved by United Nation University (UNU-IAS). RCE North Sweden - governed by Umeå University, The City of Umeå and Region Västerbotten with me as the coordinator and expert - is in the phase of finding their way forward in relation to the 2030-agenda.
Sfi - Swedish for Immigrants in The City of Umeå has just recently started a project called Sfi - Ready, Steady, Go! for immigrants who need special support due to their background as refugees and with no or little acess to formal education in their lives. It is a project that will last three years, and with me as an evaluator. The project has got support from The Swedish ESF-council, a government agency under The Ministry of Labour.