Since the Diaspora Youth Pitch Competition is funded by the EU, we focus on youth-led diaspora organisations that are based in Europe. If your organisation has a chapter that is registered in the EU27, Norway, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, they can join the competition on your behalf. You may also forge a partnership with youth-led diaspora organisations that are already registered in Europe.
Introduction
The Future Forum is the European Union’s flagship conference on diaspora engagement for development. It offers a space for dialogue, learning and celebration for the different actors in the diaspora-development ecosystem.
At the conference, we bring together diaspora organisations, partner countries, EU Member States and institutions, as well as other key players, to share inspiring practices, take stock of progress, and explore pathways for cooperation around the world.
In the first two editions of the Future Forum, we explored themes such as the future of the diaspora-development ecosystem, the role of diaspora in the green transition, youth engagement, and human capital. Over these two editions, 900 participants tuned-in to learn from the practices and insights shared by 150 speakers.
For the first time since its inception, the third edition of the Future Forum will take place in person on 17 and 18 October 2023, in the heart of Brussels, the home of EUDiF’s donor, the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA). Around 200 participants are expected to attend to explore the broad but vital theme of partnerships.
At the Future Forum, EUDiF strives to…
Spark inclusive and dynamic practice-focused discussions- Inform ongoing and future policies and initiatives
- Offer meaningful networking opportunities
- Showcase the potential of youth diaspora
Focusing on partnerships
As we approach the end of EUDiF’s first phase, it is time to celebrate what the facility is all about: partnership. Partnership is the cornerstone of successful diaspora engagement for development and the backbone of EUDiF’s work – from research, to dialogue, to technical support. Everything EUDiF has done in its first four years has happened in some form of partnership.
At the Future Forum we will dig into some of the most exciting partnerships from our actions, as well as other inspiring practices from around the ecosystem to drive discussions on three key focus areas of partnership:
Success factors
- Diversification
- Maximising value
- In the lead up to the Future Forum, we will also be sharing a “Guide to partnerships” series. Stay tuned!
Who will be there?
As partnerships blossom through diversity and inclusivity, we have made sure to reflect the richness of our ecosystem in the line-up of invitees to the Future Forum.
In the invitation process, we have ensured a balanced audience in terms of actor type and region. We are also pleased to announce that 51% of our invitees are women, 48% men and 1% would rather not report their gender.
Moreover, 57% of our invitees identify as diaspora, with roots in all regions of the world, guaranteeing a truly global Future Forum.
Agenda highlights
Day 1: 17 October
Day 2: 18 October
8:30 - 9:00
Registration and welcome coffee
9:00 - 9:30
Opening ceremony
9:30 - 9:45
Setting the scene:
- The EUDiF journey – Oleg Chirita, Head of Global Initiatives, ICMPD
- The essence of partnerships – Julien Simon, Head of Mediterranean Region and Head of Regional Office for the Mediterranean, ICMPD
9:45 - 10:15
Lightning talks: A dynamic landscape for diaspora partnerships
Paddy Siyanga Knudsen, Vice-President, GRFDT
Gibril Faal, Director, GK Partners
10:15 - 10:30
Icebreaker
10:30 - 11:00
Coffee break
11:00 - 12:30
Thematic panel: Partnering for success
- Lilit Khachatryan, Advisor, IGORTS Programme, Office of High Commissioner for Diaspora, Armenia
- Fernando J. Diaz Lopez, Head of Research, Partnerships and Programmes at EIT Climate KIC
- Nahid Benani, Communications Officer, #DiasporaVote!
- Oula Tarssim, Senior Project Manager, GIZ
Moderator: Raphaël Capony, Head of the Diaspora Programme, Danish Refugee Council
12:30 - 14:00
Lunch
14:00 - 15:00
Diaspora youth pitch competition
- Aitalgon Boronbaeva, Executive Director of Danaker
- Jennifer Kwao, Co-founder, 1.2 Diaries
- Taman Mhoumadi, Climate Fellow, #DiasporaVote!
15:00 - 15:45
Lightning talks: From emergency to recovery
- Hafiza Hamoud, Outreach and partnerships coordinator, the Union of the German-Syrian Organisations in Germany (VDSH)
- Pefi Kingi, Pacific Regional Climate Migration Focal Point, Pacificwin & Pacific Civil Society Climate Migration.
- Bashair Ahmed, Executive Director, Shabaka
- Marta Barandiy, President and Founder, Promote Ukraine
15:45 - 17:15
Thematic panel: Diversifying partnerships
- Eiman Kheir, Public Policy Manager / Diaspora Engagement, Meta
- Stella Opoku-Owusu, Deputy Director, AFFORD
- Mariam Keburia, Attachée, Department for Diaspora Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
- Nupur Kohli, Doctor, Healthcare and women leadership specialist
- Moderator: Habiba Addi, Entrepreneurship Unit Coordinator, Expertise France/Meet Africa
17:15 - 18:00
Coffee break
18:00 - 18:30
Presentation of youth pitch prizes
18:30 - 20:00
Evening social event
8:30 - 9:00
Welcome coffee
9:00 - 9:30
Lightning talks: Inspiring partnerships in practice
- Denise Margaret Matias, Professor, BRI of the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development
- Maureen Duru, Founder & Director, Food Bridge
- Kweku Lisk, Deputy Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone
9:30 - 11:00
Thematic panel: Maximising the diaspora-development value chain
- Raffaella Greco Tonegutti, Team Leader for Migration and Development, Enabel
- Freedanz Ferdinandz & Achsuthan Thiruketheeswaran, Co-founders, Comdu.it
- Mauro Martini, Senior Technical Specialist, International Fund for Agricultural Development
- Angela Naa Afoley Odai, Acting Head of the Diaspora Division, African Union Citizens & Diaspora Directorate
- Moderator: Fanny Tittel-Mosser, Knowledge management & research officer, EUDiF
11:00 - 11:30
Coffee break
11:30 - 12:30
Passing the baton to the 14th GFMD
- Jorge González-Mayagoitia, First Secretary, Migration and forced displacement expert, Permanent Mission of Mexico in Geneva
- Violina Donu, Deputy Head of the Diaspora Relations Bureau, State Chancellery of Moldova
- EUDiF rapporteurs: Diana Hincu, Elvina Quaison, Hala Tarabay
12:30 - 13:00
Closing ceremony
- Tamar San Miguel García, Counsellor and Coordinator for Justice and Home Affairs, Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU
- Ralph Genetzke, Director, ICMPD
- Maria Regina Tongson, Diaspora Youth Community, EUDiF
13:00 - 15:00
Lunch
Diaspora Youth Pitch Competition
In every edition of the Future Forum, we strive to provide opportunities for youth diaspora to actively participate – whether as attendees, speakers, moderators, or co-organisers.
This year, the first Diaspora Youth Pitch Competition will highlight the unique and innovative ideas of youth diaspora. True to the win-win nature of partnerships, this competition offers exciting benefits to the competitors whilst simultaneously providing inspiration to policymakers and practitioners on how to innovate within the diaspora-development ecosystem from a youth perspective.
From April to June, youth-led diaspora organisations in Europe submitted development-oriented ideas on how diaspora youth could leverage partnerships to deliver on SDG 4 (Quality Education) and/or SDG 13 (Climate Action). After a careful eligibility review and selection process, the EUDiF team and the Advisory Committee have selected three finalists: 1.2 Diaries – Diaspora Climate Platform, #DiasporaVote!, and Stowarzyszenie “Danaker”.
The finalists will pitch their ideas to the Future Forum audience on 17 October for the chance to win prizes of up to €3000.
Competition FAQ
I am a youth diaspora living in an EU country, but I belong to a diaspora organisation that is registered outside of the EU. Am I still eligible to join?
Can I join the competition as an individual?
We do not accept applications from individual diaspora members. You may consider partnering with an eligible youth-led diaspora organisation registered in Europe to submit your application.
If we decide to partner with organisations that are registered in the EU, what documentation would we need to show to prove the partnership?
We do not require a formal partnership agreement or any similar document. You may set up arrangements internally on how to credit ideas, balance the workload, select the representative, or split the prize money. In the end, the organisation registered in the EU would submit the application, since they are the ones who have formal status within the EU.
Are youth-led diaspora organisations registered in the United States eligible?
No, only those registered in the EU, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom are eligible to apply.
My diaspora organisation is still in the process of legally registering itself. Can we still apply?
Depending on how far you are in the registration process and on how long it takes for your registration to get approved, we will consider it. We will need the statute of the organisation and all relevant documents in time before the selection in early July. Ultimately, we will have to be fair to all organisations that apply.
Can I still join the Diaspora Youth Pitch Competition even if I did not pre-register for the Future Forum?
Absolutely! You do not need to be pre-registered for the Future Forum to join the competition. If you have any interest in coming to the Future Forum, you may contact us through EU-diaspora@icmpd.org to be put on the waiting list.
If selected, will my organisation have to cover the costs of attending the Future Forum?
For each of the finalist organisations, EUDiF will sponsor one representative’s transportation, accommodation and meals during the Future Forum in Brussels on 17-18 October 2023.
Advisory committee
In order to make the Future Forum as relevant and meaningful as possible for all members of our community, this year we are working with an advisory committee made up of diaspora, regional organisation and government representatives from Europe and partner countries. This advisory committee serves as a sounding board to help us refine everything related to the conference, from agenda design to content and speakers.
EUDiF is immensely grateful for the time and energy the advisory committee members are putting in to support the Future Forum.
Angela Naa Afoley Odai
Raffaella Greco Tonegutti
Oscar Alvarez
Mariam Keburia
Freedanz Ferdinandz
Maria Regina Tongson
Partnerships create win-win situations with possibilities for all partners to apply their strengths and grow in other areas.
Freedanz Ferdinandz
Co-founder, comdu.it Deutschland