In a global environment marked by precarious political times and ongoing crises, greater commitment and effort to equity, justice, and inclusion is essential - especially as decades of cooperation have failed to dismantle persistent inequalities. In this context, organizations in the international cooperation sector must critically examine how they engage with diverse communities. Public engagement (PE), a vital component of international cooperation, requires a deeper commitment to decolonial, anti-racist, and feminist frameworks to foster genuine dialogue, participatory action, and transformative change.
Recognizing the complex and unequal global context in which organizations and individuals engage, this learning series, part of ICN’s campaign on decolonial, anti-racist and feminist public engagement, offers a practical and in-depth exploration of how these approaches can be meaningfully integrated into public engagement strategies. Participants will gain insights into the challenges and opportunities organizations face in implementing these approaches, while also equipping them with the tools and strategies necessary to build more inclusive, responsive, and impactful PE initiatives.
Through this series, we will create a space for reflection, mutual learning and the sharing of tools that will strengthen our use of decolonial, anti-racist and feminist approaches in PE. Specifically, the series aims to:
- Equip organizations with the skills to adapt their engagement strategies to evolving political contexts while prioritizing decolonial, anti-racist, and feminist principles.
- Explore how organizations can forge and sustain equitable partnerships in their public engagement work that reflect global solidarity and address systemic inequalities.
- Provide actionable insights into designing and executing public engagement campaigns that influence public policy and drive meaningful change through feminist, anti-racist, and decolonial lenses.
This series is designed for individuals and organizations that are committed and working towards global cooperation and solidarity, including public engagement practitioners, educators, policy makers, NGOs, grassroots organizations and activists. It will also be valuable for anyone working at the intersection of equity, justice and global solidarity who seek to deepen their understanding of inclusive engagement practices.
- Decolonial approaches to public engagement
- Anti-racist approaches to public engagement
- Feminist approaches to public engagement
- Rethinking engagement strategies during evolving political times
- Developing effective public engagement campaigns to influence policy
- Designing effective communications strategies to amplify impact and share promising public engagement practices
Session 1: Decolonial approaches to public engagement is coming fall 2025.
