EEB: Online meeting – Civil Society Forum for Sustainability, 8-9 November 2023 On behalf of the Real Deal project partners, civil society organisations are invited to the next meeting of the Civil Society Forum for Sustainability, which will take place online on 8 and 9 November. The Forum's 6th edition will bring representatives of civil society organisations, citizens and key speakers together to discuss how to strengthen the synergies between climate, environmental and social objectives in the context of the upcoming European Parliament elections. Why attend? Engage in thoughtful discussions and inclusive dialogue on crucial social and environmental issues; network and collaborate with civil society organisations and experts; and generate impact by holding the EU and its Member States accountable for their sustainability promises and commitments. More information is available on the Real Deal website. Please register to attend the meeting. EPA General Assembly and International Conference Rome, 10-11 November 2023 The European Parents' Association (EPA) will hold its second general assembly of the year in Rome on 10-11 November. The conference, entitled "Sustainable and resilient Education - How changing of education systems will promote a sustainable development for new generations" will also include a multiplier event for the Erasmus project "eSafety – eCreativity Network of teachers and parents/guardians", and the topic of (cyber)bullying will be tackled by the UNESCO chair Prof. Dr. James O'Higgins Norman from DCU. The full program can be found here. ECAS: Webinar on Gender-inclusive language, 17 November 2023 The EU is committed to gender equality and non-discrimination on the grounds of gender. However, we can sometimes imply cultural stereotypes when communicating, even when we don't have discriminatory or hurtful assumptions. On 17 November, from 12.30 to 13.30 CET, the ECAS Accessibility and Equity Manager will give a 1-hour free webinar on gender-inclusive language! Join us to learn what wording to avoid to be more inclusive in your communication! Read more here. LLLP: Registrations for LLLWeek 2023 are open! 27 November-1 December 2023 The Lifelong Learning Platform will be holding the 14th edition of the iconic LLLWeek on 27 November to 1 December! Check out all the events and register here to discuss Key competences for all: a lifelong learning approach to skills. Social Platform: Capacity-building webinar on the European Semester – 6 December 2023 The European Semester process coordinates, monitors and evaluates Member States’ economic, fiscal, social, environmental, energy and climate policies and reforms. Involving civil society organisations in the development, implementation and evaluation of policies is key to ensure that these policies are evidence-based and address the situation on the ground. However, the consultation is often still ad-hoc and its quality depends on the political will of decision-makers. A capacity‑building webinar on the European Semester, organised jointly by Social Platform, EAPN Europe, ENSIE and the ERGO Network along with three of their national members, gives civil society organisations active at EU and national level and other stakeholders an introduction to the Semester. It explains its importance for policymaking, the way it works, key moments and ways to engage. Further information, the draft agenda and a registration form are available here. Please contact katja.reuter@socialplatform.org if you have any questions. European Youth Forum: Join the democracy festivals in 15 EU countries You will soon be able to join one of the 15 democracy festivals that the European Youth Forum is organising with their local partners. These are events where different groups of people – including younger and older generations and marginalised communities – will come together to share, learn and build ties. You will be able to attend different activities, such as interactive dialogues, panel debates, political discussions, art exhibitions and other cultural festivities that will help everyone connect. The democracy festivals will also give you a chance to meet local, national and European decision-makers and have your voice heard. You can find the full list of festivals and more information on the European Youth Forum's website. EEB: Fiscal Matters launches the FUND our Future campaign "FUND our Future" aims to address pressing issues related to European fiscal rules and their impact on climate action, inequality, and the wellbeing of young people. We are passionate about creating a more sustainable and just future for all, and we believe it starts with reevaluating these fiscal rules. We will be using the hashtag #FundOurFuture. Every week has a different focus, so you can join us at any time! All info is here. If you have any questions or need further information, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at Katharina.wiese@eeb.org. EEB: Toxic mercury cosmetics still marketed as a "solution" to dark skin Despite being banned under a global treaty, mercury-added skin lightening products (SLPs) are still sold by some of the world's biggest online retailers to unsuspecting consumers, according to the new Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG) report released today. The report provides yet more evidence that hazardous SLPs are widely available across the global market. NGO partners across 12 countries were able to purchase 213 suspect SLPs on 23 online platforms. Of these, 191 (90%) had mercury concentrations ranging from 1.18 to 74 800.00 ppm of mercury, above the 1 ppm limit for cosmetics laid down by many governments as well as in the Minamata Convention. You can read the full press release here. CAE: #CulturalDealEU calls for a central place for culture in the 2024 electoral campaigns Culture, creativity and cultural heritage are Europe’s unique features that underpin European values. In their new appeal, the #CulturalDealEU campaign calls for culture to be explicitly included in the electoral manifestoes and platforms of parties and political groups in the run up to the 2024 elections. "Culture must hold a central place in pre-election debates to help bring Europeans together rather than driving them further apart,” reads the letter. Eurochild: “Poverty takes away the right to childhood”: Children’s perceptions of poverty in four EU Member States Eurochild has published its first report on child poverty. The report provides an overview of child poverty on the ground in Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, and Malta and brings children’s voices into the conversation on child poverty, reminding us that children have a right to share how they are affected. Read more here. ACE-CAE: Built environment coalition is backing the European Commission to develop an ambitious Whole Life Carbon Roadmap The Architects' Council of Europe (ACE-CAE) joined the initiative of the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) to unite in voicing support for the European Commission’s development of a Whole Life Carbon (WLC) Roadmap for the building sector. In an open letter issued on 21 September to several Directorates General in the European Commission, the coalition of 41 stakeholder groups and businesses representing over 5,000 built environment organisations is calling for an EU Roadmap which takes a holistic approach to tackling WLC in the built environment, which accounts for around 41% of the EU’s total carbon emissions. The letter also calls for a clear decarbonisation pathway to be outlined in the Roadmap, as well as clear policy interventions across products and building regulations, procurement and finance, and waste and circularity, as outlined in the EU Policy WLC Roadmap launched by WorldGBC in 2022. Read more. |