Introduction
Although it is an active process for centuries, the globalization has enjoyed accelerated development over the past few decades. Literally, the globalization refers to the process of building a common level of society to all human beings. Concretely, this term was first used in the economic and financial sectors, it is then understood as a phenomenon that tends to increase the interdependence of economies in a global market system. This had many repercussions across the whole world and in all fields: economic and financial but also political, social, cultural, etc. In the 1990s, anti-globalization and altermondialist movements that denounce the negatives consequences of this system on world populations, environment and biodiversity appeared.
In this globalization paradigm, the co-responsibility provides a bottom-up approach : a co-responsibility territory (its multi-actors Platform or local public authorities)decides to bond with one or more other co-responsability territories from other countries with which links already exist, for example by the presence of emigrants from these territories. A twinning can then be created between these territories to develop cooperation in various fields such as agriculture, culture, education, etc. However, the idea is to go beyond a simple twinning which is only a general framework for cooperation to develop a virtual proximity between geographically distant territories through synergy effects between different types of links between these territories (emigration, childs patronage, twinning between schools, companies or other collective bodies, links between producers and consumers,fair trade tourism, etc.), everyone becomes a carrier of messages and informations to others, just as neighbors. The various experiences conducted until now have determined the ways of progress in this field of inter-territoriality, to realize the virtual proximity between remote territories and develop co-responsibility at a distance away.
History of the sub-network
A first discussion meeting was held on this subject in Jette (Belgium) February 24, 2014 to lay the foundation of this concept from the specific case of existing coopérations et twinnings between several towns in Belgium and Marocco.However,lack of ressources, it was not possible to give continuity to this process after the Responding Together project. The implementation of the CO-ACT project is an opportunity to revitalize all sub-networks (defined here?).
Activities and perspectives
The first meeting of Jette, however, allowed the development of a first draft Draft Reference Model - Interterritoriality|reference model for a partnership between two co-responsibility territories. The next meeting of the sub-networks will be held on 26 and 27 March 2016 in Gloucester - (UK). It provides for the meeting of different actors on this theme, with the objective to complete public policy proposals developed as part of the CO-ACTE project. For more informations on this project and on the meetings of thematic sub-networks, visit here and here? !
Results
Common reference framework
The involvement of migrants in the twinning territory The involvement of emigrants can be an important asset in twinnning between territories. Indeed, they are the ideal poeple to be carriers of such inter-territorial projects/twinning Territories of Co-responsibility. Indeed, they have the privilege of knowing two different territories, two different populations, two different cultures. The emigrants have the ideal profile to be ambassadors :ambassadors of the "left" country in the "integrated" country, ambassadors of the "integrated" country in the "left" country, or both at the same time. Their knowledge and personal experiences make them better able to contact, communicate and develop inter-territories projects with a region or a town they are close, although they are in a foreign country. Migrants are often organized in associations, also invating others to participate in solidarity and co-development of their region of origin. See for example the Franco-Moroccan association Migrations & Développement.
To observe the impact of the involvement of migrants in twinning projects between territories, click here.?
_ Solidarity inter-local partnerships (SILP)_ The term inter-local partnership and solidarity refers implicitly to local and solidary partnership between producers and consumers (LSPPC), so it is with respect to these SILP that are defined in the first instance. The term LSPPC was created by actors of different contractualised direct sales movements, see the page Food thematic network for more details.
SILP is used to show all a proliferation of initiatives that are as an extension of activism, its extension has products available locally, by betting that the proximity between producers and consumers can be maintained despite the distance. SILP claimed the ethics of SILP and are often carried by the same actors. However, SILP actors , as the PLS to date, don't consider necessary to adopt a label, then there is a fair trade label. Why ? Just because the Producer-consumer Relationship, very strong in the SILP as in the PLS, take warranty.
Some initiatives are directly inspired by local and solidary partnership like AMAP. initiatives du type Groupe d'Achat Solidaire (GAS) they were also developed. Furthermore, as part of SILP, also raises the question of products transport?, which, ideally, should also stand in a co-responsibility logic.
Solidarity tourism? The solidarity tourism? is a type of alternative tourism : tourism es respectful of the natural and cultural environment, favors meeting and exchange and ethically involved in local development. It should be added that in case of solidarity tourism, activity doesn't benefit only to one person, it is about a group of poeple involved in a project, unlike solidarity and fair tourism concepts. For a project to be truly united, so benefiting to all involved persons, distribution of ressources and tasks should be discusses locally between all project members. See for example Tourisme Atlas and Maroccan network of solidarity ecotourism.
Fore more informations about the potential impacts of solidarity tourism on welfare, click here.?
Conclusions
The three modes of action mentioned above, applied simultaneously, allow to move towards the stated objective of virtual proximity between distant territories, because they lead to the development of remote accountability relationships. The involvement of migrants in twinning projects, as bearers of a double culture, ensure greater success and dynamism to these initiatives. These poeple, having a pivotal role between the two distant territories, facilitate the development of exchanges, both cultural and economic. The creation of inter-local and solidarity tourism partnerships would be particulary relevant in this context because the involvement of migrants population and twinning projects would form a Framework for the development of more eco cultural links with more just economic benefits, for a better development of each territory.
Contact
For more information or if you want to get involved in this sub-network, contact Indirah Osumba : tn.interterritoriality à wikispiral.org, or the TOGETHER international secreteriat: contact à wikispiral.org
Traductions