SID NL Vijverberg Sessions 2008

Vijverberg sessions is “The European Agenda on International Cooperation: contribution of the Dutch with regard to emerging global scarcities and power shifts”. Vijverbergsessions are divided in 4 interrelated and interdependent sub-thematic session: energy; food; water; and climate change and (forced) migration. Participants will be informed about relevant current European/international policies and the dilemmas involved. Reflecting together, exchanging information and viewpoints, they will deepen their own understanding as well as contribute to advance the level of policy thinking in the Dutch as well as in the European policy arena on international relations and development issues.

Vijverberg sessions are ‘’fireplace sessions’’ organised by SID Netherlands Chapter and the SID European programme in cooperation with theme specific partners (e.g. for Energy with CEPS, for Water WWF, for Climate Change and Migration it is Dutch Refugee Council-DRC) that bring together a limited number of selected (expert) participants to engage in cross sector dialogue, with the aim to critically reflect on – and contribute to – European policies regarding global issues and international relations. As such, the sessions are also meant as a vehicle to actively involve Dutch stakeholders in European policy making, in particular with regard to North-South relations.

The objective of the Vijverberg sessions is threefold:

1.To inform and involve Dutch policy-makers, politicians, business sector and academics about changes in European policies concerning the South;

2. To involve a broader public in European matters through these opinion and policy-makers;

3.To use the Dutch expertise and development results (i.g. on water management, biofuels and agricultural development) in European policy.

Four meetings have been organised in the Hague. The first meeting addresses Energy and took place on 20 May 2008; the second was on Water on 11 November 2008; the third on Climate change and Migration on 20 January 2009 and the fourth meeting on Food took place on 22 September 2009. Each meeting will be prepared by a core group of relevant institutes and international experts, which are going to consult each other in the e-mail discussion and when needed will meet physically as well. The process will be coordinated by the SID secretariat.

For reports of the sessions on energy; water; climate change and migration; and food, click here.  

For additional information regarding SID NL Vijverberg sessions please contact: Iem Roos at i.roos.sid@socires.nl; or tel: +31 (0)70 338 3290.