Latin America and the Caribbean ISTR Regional Network

VI ISTR Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean: ""Tercer Sector y Sociedad Civil en America Latina y el Caribe: (Re)Pensando Identidades y Relaciones Intersectoriales""

For the Sixth Time…and This Time in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil
By Beatriz Balian de Tagtachian, Universidad Católica Argentina

The VI Regional Conference of ISTR for Latin American and the Caribbean took place in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, from November 8 to 11, 2007. The Interdisciplinary Center for Development and Social Management (CIAGS), the Post-graduate Nucleus of Administration (NPGA), the Study Center of Power and Local Organizations (NEPOL) and the School of Administration of the Federal University of Bahia were the host organizations.

The theme of the Conference was “Third Sector and Civil Society in Latin America and the Caribbean: (Re) Thinking Identities and Inter-sectoral Relationships.”Ninety eight academic papers were received in response to the call for proposals and 63 papers were selected through a peer-reviewed process that anonymously evaluated each paper. The selected papers were originated in research conducted in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, México, Peru and Uruguay, and researchers from Spain, France, the US and the UK also attended the Conference.

The opening ceremony was held at the beautiful and historic Palácio de Aclamacão, where the attendants first listened to the national Brazilian anthem followed by welcome and opening remarks from the host institutions, ISTR, the federal government and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The Director of the School of Administration of the Federal University of Bahia, Reginaldo Souza Santos, indicated the importance of the event and emphasized the need to use all possible means to discuss the problems that currently affect and concern people all over the world.

Jacqueline Butcher, president of ISTR, emphasized the significance of the meeting to discuss issues that are at the core of the debate in Latin America, such as legitimacy and sustainability of the Third Sector.

Anabel Cruz, a member of the Conference International Committee and the Chair of the Board of CIVICUS, made a special reference to the fact that ISTR had recently celebrated its 15th anniversary. She noted that since its founding in 1992, significant events have taken place, such as the strengthening of democracy in Latin America and the globalization processes, which imply the need to re-define identities for social organizations and to renew research parameters. She also pointed out the importance of making the presence of Latin America stronger in global networks and specially in ISTR.

Rui Mesquita, representative of the W.K.Kellogg Foundation, shared remarks on the role of civil society in modern societies. He emphasized the significance of its autonomy and its capacity to exert control on the State and its agencies.Tania Fischer, Director of the Centro de Gestión Social, emphasized the importance of meeting spaces and the need to develop coalition and dialogue in an era of new movements and social transformations.

Finally, Federico Guanaes, Cabinet Chief of the Ministry of Social Development and Campaign Against Hunger of the Federal Government of Brazil, called attention to the social education processes, which employ the capacity of studying and researching critical aspects, with an important share of innovation, audacity and capacity to promote alliances.

In summary, the opening ceremony was marked by two parallel and complimentary themes, namely the Latin American and Caribbean Region, and the role of ISTR. In regard to the Region, while the problems were put forward, also the need for harmonic solutions was suggested. In regard to ISTR, emphasis was made on permanent research, on the need for researching new topics and relating them to practice, and on the importance of promoting participation to enable organizations to go from protest to proposals.

The opening ceremony concluded with a social gathering including, a musical group from Salvador de Bahia, which entertained and delighted the Conference participants.

November 9, 10 and 11 were busy days, with a total of 13 workshop sessions, three panels, three roundtables and the closing ceremony. The activities were held at Convento do Desterro (Banishment or Exile Convent), a building inaugurated in 1681, that belongs to Catholic nuns. The topics discussed during the three working days gave attention to the issues of sustainability of civil society organizations, and the interaction of the Third Sector with the State and the corporate sector.

Different viewpoints regarding the sustainability of organizations were presented and it was cautioned that sustainability often is exclusively linked to financial aspects, while accountability and transparency implies broader concepts, which have an impact on the legitimacy of organizations and has to be studied from different angles.

In regard to the interaction with the State, the contributions of civil society organizations to public policies were highlighted and experiences of alliances with the corporate sector were presented, although they need a deeper assessment. The core issue of these relationships has to do with the need to articulate the needs, demands, and goals, and to mobilize the necessary resources.

Identity and participation were two topics that generated important discussions, and the complexity of the Third Sector and Civil Society was put forward, as well as the links with both processes and organizational models. Voluntary participation and volunteerism, social economy initiatives, local development in the historical and social cultural context, were also topics of discussion and the path from philanthropy to solidarity and reciprocity was suggested.

The closing ceremony was chaired by Tania Fisher and included several representatives of the Conference, who recognized the efforts of the local committee in the organization of the meeting and evaluated the soon to-be closed conference. The diversity of research papers presented at the Conference was noticeable: empirical research works, theoretical papers, originated both in Universities, academic centers and civil society organizations had a place in the Conference. The high quality of the papers presented had been meet with rich debate, sometimes vehement and passionate debate, but always bringing forth new analytical perspectives.

All participants were invited to attend the VIII International Conference of ISTR, to be held in Barcelona in July 2008. It was announced that Mexico City or Montevideo (organized in this case by a bi-national Argentinean and Uruguayan committee) will host the next ISTR Regional Conference in 2009.

The papers from the conference can be found at www.lasocideadcivil.org/uploads/agenda/programa espaol.pdf