Founded in 1990, ACEP – Associação para a Cooperação Entre os Povos (Association for Cooperation between Peoples) is an organisation working towards a fair and equitable world through solidarity and a more active civic engagement. ACEP aims to strengthen ties of cooperation and mutual support with other expressions of citizenship, with a focus on Portuguese-speaking countries. It promotes and conducts research and dialogue to share useful information for development, social advocacy and political lobbying pro-cesses. In its interaction with society, ACEP uses forms of communication that, rooted in ethics and aesthetics concerns, and refusing stereotypes or simplistic messages, documents human dignity threats, unveiling participatory initiatives and promoting human rights.

[I] AC. 2001 [T] Nadine Gordimer. Nobel speech. 1991

Founded in a world full of com-plex interrelations, on rising social exclusion situations and evidences of racism, and in a progressive discredit on motivations and impacts of development cooperation, ACEP realized that was needed a fresh look at the way in which concepts involving solidarity were put into practice, particularly at a time when the mainstay perceptions of major national and international social movements were being questioned.Its work had started in Portugal in two core axes: searching on cultural and political changes underpinned by citizenship and a commitment to building a more open and supporti-ve society. This included linking both local and national initiatives, and keeping up to date with important international processes in the field;

the second axis was more focused on working towards an improved integration of African immigrants within society, alongside building and strengthening ties with their representative organisations. The early 1990s were characterised by a focus on local initiatives, primarily in neighbourhoods with a signifi-cant immigrant population. Projects were implemented with teachers, communities, immigrant associations and their respective institutions and organisations.

From the very beginning, seeking new forms to contribute to political and cultural changes includes a focus on awareness-raising using communication materials and new forms of social media designed spe-cifically for this purpose. All com-munications have been formulated

in an ethical manner with a respect for aesthetic considerations. The stories shared are based on real life situations, chosen for their value in being at once thought-provoking and a call for action. An example of this was the very first documen-tary made to highlight racism in Portugal and in Europe and to show the challenges facing education in a sub-Saharan nation as Guinea-Bissau. This work had a profound impact that continued to make its mark in the coming decades.

In tandem, ACEP has kept abreast of developments in the international arena, and was fully aware of the importance for Portugal to open up to the world, after a period of isola-tion that had gone on for too long.

In this perspective, ACEP participates

1990 December: Cons-tituent assembly with the election of ACEP governing bodies. Deci-ding the request to join the Portuguese NGDO Platform

Start of the first project in Lisbon schools, focused on the integration of African immigrant children (in Algés and Miraflores, on the outskirts of Lisbon)

Launch of locally based projects providing support for the inte-gration of African immigrant chil-dren in schools with multicultural education and school/community links (Alto de Sta. Catarina and Pedreira dos Húngaros)

“Zita’s Schoolbook” to support the integra-tion of immigrant women, in a project in partnership with the Lisbon Cape Verdean Association

Participation in a information project on a revision of the Lomé IV convention

Participation in a campaign against the new nationality law, with a demand for a new legali-sation period for immigrants

Start work with the Associação José Carvalho and SOS Racismo, fo-cusing on initiatives against racism and xenophobia

Projects for multicultural clubs, with spare time activities and insertion of young immigrants

First ACEP Information Bulletin (bimonthly)

Participation in the Con-ference on Population and De-velopment (Cairo)

Chair of the Portuguese NGDO Platform

Participation as observer in the Mozambique’s first elections after the peace agreement

[I] RR. Portugal. 1997 [T] Solidarity in the Bantu language

in the first world summits, represen-ting Portuguese NGOs, or monitors the progress and the dialogue on the Europe/Africa relationship, on behalf of the Lomé Convention revision.

Facing social exclusion, that affects societies, had boosted ACEP to research on innovating processes to fight poverty at international level.The inspiring experience of Banco Grameen, in Bangladesh, opened up the debate around access to finance and led to a feasibility study, the lat-ter carried out as part of the “Right to Credit” movement. This initiative was the initial concept behind setting up the first Portuguese microcredit institution. Research/action has been a defining characteristic of ACEP since its outset as it seeks to foster know-how in social activism across academia and government institu-tions, whilst mobilising resources in Portugal and Europe, from both the

private and public sectors.

In the second half of the decade, ACEP took up the challenge of de-velopment cooperation, to catalyse change in both the north and south, through the north/south and south/south connections, in knowledge sharing, solidarity and support

processes, and in trying new forms of organisation and innovative ways to take action.

The struggle against colonial do-mination and against dictatorship had provided a common ground for cooperation and solidarity between civil society organisations that were

Participation in the Copenhagen Summit on Social Develop-ment, representing Portuguese NGDO

Participation in “Migrants and associati-ve practices”, Brussels

Project in support of one-off legalisation for immigrants, in partnership with other associations

“Living in a multicultural community” – start of a process of seminars focusing on raising awa-reness for and between teachers, on multicultural education challenges

[F] ACEP. “Projecto escolas” (Schools Project). Portugal. 1991

Start of the “Common City”, an edu-cational project against racism and xenophobia, with specially produ-ced materials, including multimedia, along with work involving teachers, in partnership with the Associação José Carvalho and financing from the EU

“The Right to Credit” – start of a research project on the need for and viability of a system for microcredit in Portugal, inspired by the Grameen Bank experience

Start of research on decen-tralised cooperation, social exclusion and human deve-lopment, a partnership with the Italian NGO RC, and the Belgian ITECO

Representative of Portuguese NGDO in the task force on Co-financing in the Liaison Committee of European NGO at the EU

“Social solidarity actions in the PALOP’s NGO”, joint research between the NGO and public sector specialists in the PALOP on the fight against urban poverty, coordinated by ACEP and funded by the Portuguese Ministry of Labour and Social Security

starting out in all Portuguese-spe-aking countries. In this way, natural partnerships had formed within civil society, with communities working to-gether and learning from each other, whilst not attempting to replace or step in for each other. Joint initiatives were undertaken involving research, debate and disseminating informa-tion.

Cooperation is founded on working together and solidarity: this came to the fore when the political and military conflict in Guinea-Bissau (1998/99) led to ACEP being a focal point for a range of actors in the country’s society, its diaspora, groups from Portugal, Europe and other African countries with a common vision to bring peace to Guinea-Bissau. NGO from the country such as AD, AIFA-PALOP and TINIGUENA worked with the European Solida-rity Network and the Information

Network to gather data, interpret it, and share findings to support interventions in the country – both humanitarian and political solida-

rity activities – and also to further advocacy in Europe, Africa and/or international institutions.

[F] “Cidade Comum - O mundo às portas da Europa” (Common City – The World at the Gates of Europe). 1996

The 1990s finished with three highlights: firstly, the creation of the National Association for the Right to Credit), a professional organisation with a specific purpose to use micro-

credit as a tool to fight poverty and social exclusion in Portugal; secondly, the organisation, in Lisbon, of an international conference attended by representatives of the Guinea-

Bissau Government of National Unity, the aim being to present proposals put forward by NGO from Guinea-Bissau (and their partners) to rebuild the country; and thirdly, the first NGO meeting from all Portuguese-speaking countries, jointly organised by ACEP and around a dozen orga-nisations that bring their experiences and present their work to NGO and to other institutions involved in Portu-guese cooperation. This event was an important milestone in the recognition of these organisations as partners in their own right in the joint struggle to alleviate poverty.

Concerning funding resources, always focused in projects and initiatives, ACEPare funding from the public sector, including European fun-ding and Portuguese state funding, the latter comprising the Ministry of Education and the Lisbon City Council, and from the private sector,

“We at School” – a docu-mentary and a peripatetic exhibition to raise issues on underdevelopment, starting from the situation of education in Guinea-Bissau, with financial support from the EU

“Entre Povos” (Between Pe-oples), a new ACEP Bulletin distributed in Portugal and the PALOP

Building the foundations of the National As-sociation for the Right to Credit, following on from a previous project

Building the foundations for the International Solidarity and Information Networks on Guinea-Bissau during the armed conflict, in partnership with the Guinea NGO AD, AIFA-PALOP and TINIGUENA

The “Issues” Bulletin is made up of self-teaching texts to be used by NGO, written in Portuguese, on topics identified in surveys in Portugal and the PALOP

[F] AV. “Na no skola” (“We at School”) Iemberem. Guinea-Bissau. 1998

International Con-ference for NGO to move Guinea-Bissau forward again, held in Lisbon

“The NGO from the PALOP as cooperation partners in the fight against poverty” – First meeting of the NGO from the PALOP, Brazil and Portugal (at Lisbon)

“Micro-credit for income-generating activities for women and young people”, in conjunction with SOLMI, the Cape Verde NGO

“Associative structures and microcredit in the fight against poverty and for rural well-being in Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique” – research in partnership with NGO from the three countries (SOLMI, Cape Verde NGO platform, AD, TINIGUENA, AMRU), coordinated by ACEP and publication by the Portuguese Ministry of Labour and Social Security

comprising European NGO and Portuguese philanthropic foundations such as the Fundação Gulbenkian (Gulbenkian Foundation).

ACEP’s funding is channelled directly to projects and initiatives, and is disbursed to underpin an incremental professionalization of each recipient organisation, to build up institutions with a growing sphere of influence and responsibility. However, ACEP adopted an approach that refuses to allow, by funding, distortions of the organizational model and action beacons. Beneficiary institutions may choose to remain small to safeguard their independence and sustainabili-ty; remain innovative to avoid repe-ating the same approaches; remain efficient to handle their resources accountability and; remain rooted in solidarity because values underpin all our actions and bind us together.

[I] RR. Portugal. 1997

“Zita’s Schoolbook”, ed. with the Associa-ção Caboverdeana

“The Adults’ Teacher and the Cape Verdian Community”, project “Nô Djunta Môn” 1982/1989, ed. with the Associação Caboverdeana

“Common City – Teaching/Learning Notebooks”, ed. with the Associação José Carvalho

“Stories - Common City”, various, ed. with the Associação José Carvalho

“Issues”, quarterly publication, containing texts used in teaching materials about development, ed. with AD/Guinea-Bissau, ADRA/Angola, AMRU/ Mozambique and CITI-HABITAT/Cape Verde

“Grameen Bank – Training Materials for the International Replication of the Grame-en Bank Financial System”, David Gibbons (ed. With AD, ADRA,AMRU and SOLMI)

“Cooperation in the fight against poverty: the PALOP NGO in the struggle against poverty and for well-being and

citizenship” various, ed. with AD, AMRU, SOLMI and TINIGUENA

“Decentralised Cooperation: rebalancing power between north and south, bolste-ring links of solidarity, fostering changes”, Ana Filipa Oliveira and Ana Sofia Pinhei-ro (coord.)

Multimedia format

“Common City”, documentary, production with the Associação José Carvalho

“We at school – the paths of education in Guinea-Bissau”, Andrzej Kowalski (director)

[I] RR. Portugal. 1997

First multi-party elections in Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique

Approval of the first law on NGDO

“Africa Friend” campaign put on by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, using private funds in support of Angola and Mozambique

Revision of the Lomé Convention, with the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific states meeting half way through its term

Approval of the statute for “Young Aid Worker”

Setting up of the CPLP – Portuguese-Speaking Countries Community

Setting up of the Cape Verdian NGO platform

Assassination of Alcino Monteiro, a young Cape Verdian man, by neo-nazis, on June 10th in Lisbon

Debate between NGDO and state institutions on the statutes for young aid workers, and norms for NGDO co-funding

Draft law on patronage in cooperation activities

Start of a political and military con-flict in Guinea-Bissau, extended until 1999

“Portuguese coopera-tion on the threshold of the 21st century”, a strategic guideline document approved in the Ministers Council

Huge show of public support in Portugal in favour of indepen-dence for East Timor

Portugal signs the Schengen Agree-ments, the European border control policy and restriction on citizens cir-culation from outside the community, the start of ‘Fortress Europe’

“Problematic issues stemming from the emergence of national NGO in the PALOP”, a meeting organised by the SOLIDAMI institute in Bissau

Creation of FONGA – Angolan NGO Forum

First multi-party elections in Cape Verde

Peace agreements in Mozambique

Worsening war situation in Angola after the first round in the first election process

“Fado Tropical”, a report on African immigrants living in Pedreira dos Húngaros, on the outskirts of Lisbon, leading to protests because of the stereotyped picture that was painted

First public hearing on coo-peration for development, at the behest of the Portuguese parliament

Meeting of European extreme right xeno-phobic groups in Portugal (Sesimbra)

Creation of the network “Reality of Aid”, across the globe, covering analysis and lobbying, the policies for poverty eradication and the international “aid” system, published annually

Approval of the African Charter for Popular Participation in Development, in Arusha, Tanzania

ACEP’s work in this decade builds on the experience gained over the previous ten years, and is focused in three main areas.

The first is an ongoing commitment to challenge the prevailing mind-set in Portuguese society, reinforced by stereotypical images and over simplistic descriptions of Africa as a developing continent and providing an alternative in order to fight stere-otypes and simplistic views which still predominate.

The first initiative to encapsulate this approach was a reportage under-taken over a two-year period by a journalist and illustrator who travelled across the five PALOP (Portuguese-Speaking African countries), aiming to “uncover” people, processes, orga-nisations who bring about change on a daily basis in their own respective

countries or communities. The result was “Ilhas de Fogo” (Islands of Fire), a 200-page illustrated publication that effectively “shook up” how Africa was viewed and talked about, a fact widely recognised, indeed highli-ghted by leading media outlets in Portugal. To this day, the publication is referred to both in training and information-exchange activities, in Portugal and beyond (for example, we know partial translation into Fren-ch—and Polish!).

ACEP’s added value for its work on raising awareness in Portuguese society and its pursuit of cooperation with other nations was made clear by this alliance of creative expres-sion and journalism and other highly respected forms of communication. This collaborative work was groun-ded in rigorous ethical values, and

provides an alternate to G. Debord’s “society of the spectacle” approach.

The second initiative was to seek innovative models that improve development cooperation and part-nerships—starting from shared and complementary perspectives and responsibilities, combining theory and implementation in the field, an experience’s exchange and the in-volvement of a wide range of actors.

The work that had taken off at the end of the 1990s with various organisations, above all those from the PALOP, showed that ACEP’s first steps in this field were on the right path. ACEP’s identity was beginning to take shape, as was the identity of several organisations emerging from recent positive shifts in political openness. This created an opening for institutions to interact with each

Participation in organi-sing the first European and African CSO Forum

1st NGO Guide from, in partner-ship with NGO of the five countries and support from the ICP

Start of the project involving Portuguese and Guinean NGO, focused on integra-ted development in the outskirts of Bissau

“Strengthening the Cape Verdean NGO Platform and its mem-ber organisations), a medium-term project, with EU and ICP support

First meeting of community radios in the PALOP, in Cape Verde, with the NGO AD and CITI-HABITAT

“Cantos do Sul”– new ACEP infor-mation bulletin

“Islands of Fire” – pro-ject involving illustra- ted reports with African people in Africa, supported by APAD, CGD,FCG, NOVIB, INTERPARES, SWISSAID

Setting up of the first community radio in Cape Verde, with Citi-Habitat, and support from the Fundação Portugal-África

Pilot study “Obser-vatory of poverty and well-being” in neighbourhoods on the Bissau outskirts

Support for setting up Rádio Jovem, as part of the Network of Young People Associations in Guinea-Bissau

Chair of the Portuguese NGDO platform

European mee-ting “Cohesion, coherence and citizenship in the enlarged Europe-an Union”, Lisbon

[I] AC. “Ilhas de Fogo” (Islands of Fire). Angola. 2002 [T] collected by Eduardo Galeano in a Quito’s street

other, share experiences, discuss risks and innovations, and to recognise the work of others. There was also an acknowledgement, by the State, of the role of these institutions itself and international development institutions.

This approach, as a question of coherence, involves the choice not to work with expatriates or local delegations, not to replace partner organisations and not to work on the basis of artificial production to short-term “results”. This choice meant that time would be needed, along with the capacity to produce different kinds of results. This was necessary to show institutions in the field of international cooperation that this approach actually provided an al-ternative way forward, with its own space and its own raison d’être.

The third point that stands out is participation in processes that involve

Participation in the 2nd public he-aring in the Portu-guese parliament on Cooperation, as the represen-tative of NGDO

Joint organisation of the Jornadas da Sociedade Civil (Civil Society Days),in Bissau, in tandem with the CPLP summit

“Cocoa Mother – Timor”, a project involving illustrated reports, two years after independence, with the support of the CGD and IPAD

Start of an investi-gation into the Portu-guese companies’ social responsibility in their relationship with developing countries

Creation of the ACEP website, with the e-version of the “Cantos do Sul” bulletin

Starting online publication of the annual reports, wi-th the accounts and external auditors’ report

[F] PNV. “Construir o paraíso aqui” (Building paradise here). Guinea-Bissau. 2009

1st meeting of community radios in the CPLP, Bissau, with AD and RENARC (Community Radio Network)

Research into NGO human resources in Guinea-Bissau, with PLACON-GB

Research into decentra-lised cooperation in Ca-pe Verde and Guinea-Bissau, with CEsA and Aveiro University

Participation in the conference on community radio in Angola, organised by ADRA, Luanda

“Indivisible Sharing” – exhibition and book on development in Ca-pe Verde, with photographers, journalists and writers, and sup-port from Portuguese and Cape Verdean institutions

strengthening Portuguese civil society, in particular where the main work of ACEP was to be found – the NGDO. In a small organisation, this option stems from a substantial pressure on human resources. However, it can be seen as part of its mission, as an expression of citizenship. Nonetheless, this can only work jointly with others if the objectives are or become similar.

This is not a straightforward process. On the contrary, it involves major conditioning factors, deriving spe-cifically from the fact that what is in progress is the development of a democratic culture, involving dialo-gue and participation. This goes for all Portuguese institutions, whether public or private.

ACEP chaired the Portuguese pla-tform for NGO, for six years during the decade, and was responsible for launching “AidWatch” process in

Portugal. This had implications within the organisation and for its relations with some other institutions, including those where funding was concerned. There were moments when the or-

ganisation was the “face”, persona-lised, of opposition to governmental positions in non-negotiable areas for NGO. It was the “mouthpiece” that was demanding respect for

[F] FP. “Rega gota a gota” (Drop by drop irrigation). Santiago. Cape Verde. 2008

Starting work in partnership with RA - Rede Aju-da, in Quínara region, Guinea--Bissau

Documentary “Building paradise here”, on de-centralised cooperation in Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (awarded at Agro-film International Festival in Nitra, Slovakia)

“Borders of Europe – Europe in the World” – a cycle of debates with uni-versities, Portuguese municipalities and African partners

“Governance, fragile states and the role of cooperation”, debate in Aveiro University with ADRA (Angola), and LGDH (Guinea-Bissau)

Coordina-tion of the “AidWatch” task force on the NGDO platform

Starting work in partnership with Ami Paúl and OADISA, platforms associated with Santo Antão, Cape Verde

the nature of these organisations and for their role in a democratic society, including the definition and monitoring of public policies. In spite of the wear and tear caused in the short term, these processes and the results obtained by the NGDO came to stand for a new threshold in the recognition of their coherence and legitimacy, which is a gain for the longer term.

At the end of the decade, ACEP set about an internal debate about the new frameworks and challenges, using as a starting point the search for innovation. Among the internal exigencies were a refusal to go in for feelings of self-satisfaction and an awareness of the routines risks setting in, but they also reflected the expectations of partners, individuals and institutions with a relationship wi-th ACEP. The 2009 Activities Report sums up the pivotal elements in the

[F] FP. “Vozes de Nós” (Our Voices). Sao Tome and Príncipe. 2009

“Our Voices” – start of the program-me with support from the CPLP in Angola/Okutiuka, Guinea-Bissau / AMIC and Sao Tome and Príncipe / Fundação Novo Futuro, focusing on self-esteem in children in vulnerable situations, with artistic expressions

“E-Glodev”: distan-ce training project for the third sector, with European NGO and research centres

Starting cooperation with the Federação das ONGs in São Tomé e Príncipe, with support from IPAD

ACEP joins CIVI-CUS, a global alliance for citizen and civil society partici-pation

following way: redesigning the thrust of the organisation’s actions, with an approach that involved “rights’ rea-lization”, in all its facets, while also providing a practical application of the concept of democratic governan-ce and the bolstering of institutions; the construction of a global vision with integrated work, without blinke-red beliefs in immutable areas and territories, in a process that would be common to the progressively trans-versal application of advocacy in the various themes and fields where work was undertaken, the aim being to “win the battle” of human rights’ realization; to have an influence on “the way the world is learning” (Pau-lo Freire), continuing to row against the stream, involving more and more people in opportunities to create “good practices”; and to expand collaboration networks for mutual enhancement and for a multiplier effect, in a process that includes par-

tnerships based on the identification of common aims and alliances where differences are recognised.

In terms of partnerships, the decade is marked by diversification, as re-gards the specific organisations with whom we work, but also as regards the nature of such organisations – ranging from NGDO to CSO, and from research centres to municipa-lities. All of this confirms the recog-

nition given to ACEP in many fields, where it does in fact have a role as prime mover. Where financing is concerned, if diversification is also a common thread, this decade con-firmed that the point of equilibrium is the balance between a financial dimension that provides scale for our work , and what is needed to be able to control the risks of growth and preserve autonomy.

[F] TS. Community radio. Cape Verde. 2008

“From Paris to Accra – the routes towards development effective-ness”, an international conference in partner-ship with Objectivo 2015 and PNUD support

The “Arquipélago” collection

“Islands of Fire”, Pedro Rosa Mendes and Alain Corbel “Cocoa Mother – Timor), Pedro Rosa Men-des and Alain Corbel “Indivisible Sharing– the Millennium Goals in Cape Verde”, Antonio Valente, Leão Lopes and others News from Quelele, a neighbourhood in Bissau), Alain Corbel (coord.)

“Estudos e Pesquisas” (Studies and Research) Collection

“Medicinal plants in Guinea-Bissau”, Elsa Teixeira Gomes and others, ed. with AD “Cohesion, coherence and citizenship in the enlarged EU”, Fátima Proença, Tânia Santos and Rosana Albuquerque (coord.)

“Human Resources Guide in the Guinea-Bissau NGO”, Braima Dabo and Catarina Schwarz “Waves of citizenship – CPLP community radio festival”, Paula Borges (coord.) “Guide for social responsibility in Portu-guese companies in developing countries”, Fátima Proença and Tânia Santos, with RSE Portugal “Borders of Europe – Europe in the World”, Ana Sofia Pinheiro and Maria João Pinto (coord.)

“Decentralised Cooperation: rebalancing powers between north and south, reinforcing solidarity, fostering changes”, Ana Filipa Oliveira and Ana Sofia Pinheiro (coord.)

Multimedia format

“Building paradise here”, Paulo Nuno Vicente (director)

Sites

“acep.pt”

[I] AC. “Ilhas de Fogo” (Islands of Fire). São Domingos. Guinea-Bissau. 2001

“European Consensus on Development”

Approval of “A Strategic Vision for Portuguese Cooperation”

IPAD starts policy of co-financing for projects in Education for Develop-ment

First Meeting of NGO pla-tforms in Portuguese-spe-aking countries, Lisbon

Creation of the Afri-can Court for Human and People’s Rights

“Charter for African cultural renaissance” approved by the AU

Europe/Africa Forum on Civil Society and the second Europe/Africa summit, Lisbon

Start of the European “AidWatch” process, with Portuguese participation coordinated by ACEP

First report on the NGDO’s monitoring of the State Budget for Cooperation

First edition of “Development Days”, a SENEC initiative

Approval of the “African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance”

Ranking of Cape Verde as a Middle Income Country

“I accuse” platform, a social advocacy process for monito-ring Europe/Africa commitments

Adoption of the National Strategy for Development Education

Launch of IATI – International Aid Transparency Initiative, signed by a number of countries, international or-ganisations and CSO, in Accra

Protocol for Cooperation between the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Portuguese NGDO Platform

EU Resolution “Development educa-tion and awareness raising among the European public in favour of cooperation for development”

Creation of FONG-STP, the NGO Fe-deration in Sao Tome and Príncipe

Creation of PLACON-GB, NGO Platform in Guinea-Bissau

Creation of NEPAD, The New Part-nership for Africa’s Development

Peace agreement between MPLA and UNITA in Angola, after 27 years of civil war

Independence of East Timor

Setting up of the campaign Publish What You Pay, for the prevention of and fight against corruption

Creation of EITI – Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative

The “Monterrey Consensus” on Financing for Development, defining a 0,7% target of national income for aid

Approval of the African Union “Maputo Proto-col”, on the women’s rights in Africa

Second public hearing on Cooperation, at the behest of the Portugue-se parliament

SENEC and the Execu-tive Management of IPAD changed their relationship with NGDO in terms of providing services, followed by NGDO public campaign

Exoneration of SENEC from the Executive Management of IPAD, repeal of the legislation contested by the NGDO

“A study on Portuguese public opinion regarding cooperation”, NGDO platform of Aveiro Uni-versity

Creation of the AU – African Union

First Europe/Africa summit for heads of state, held in Cairo

Mozambique jour-nalist Carlos Cardo-so assassinated in Maputo, during an investigation into corruption

We have chosen three projects from the beginning of the 2010s, that sum up some of the quality features in cooperation for development, allied to awareness-raising and social advocacy, political influence and communication: “Vozes de Nós” (Our Voices), which is a project to boost self-esteem among children and adolescents in vulnerable situations, and is based on artistic expressions, with a network com-ponent bringing together organisa-tions from the eight countries where Portuguese is the official language; the “Casa dos Direitos” (House of Rights), defined as a space for networking, resource creation and initiatives for the construction of a culture of peace and promotion of human rights in Guinea-Bissau, on the ruins of the oldest prison in the

historical centre of Bissau; and the production of an illustrated book/agenda “52 histórias” (52 stories), on human rights, a look at a wider world, a set of fragments that recall the drawings of a Persian carpet, as mentioned by Kapuściński - a pictu-re delicate, diverse and complex.

These examples act as a reference to a broader range of qualities which we are looking for, among them innovation, the capacity to take risks, solidarity, persistence, rapports, the construction of useful knowledge, broadening horizons, creation of spaces allowing for mutual enrichment, communication that is both ethical and aesthetic, procedures and results, constructive institutional dialogue, good mana-gement and the use of resources to their full potential.

The production of an illustrated book/agenda “52 stories” on human rights in the world, with pro bono work done by do-zens of journalists, photogra-phers and illustrators

“Portugal and Africa: Better Cooperation, Better Development” - the start of an ad-vocacy project, with support from IPAD

“Media, citizenship and develo-pment: an international debate with journalists and researchers” and the “Imperfect Triangles” documentary, in the 3rd edition of the Development Days

A new phase in the involvement of ACEP and RA in Quínara region, Guinea-Bissau, with support from the FCG

Starting regular information about ACEP on Facebook

“e-stories of equality”, a project on gender stere-otypes in communication, proposed to ACEP and undertaken with profes-sionals in the field, with support from POPH

“Our Voices” extended to Cape Verde (ACRI-DES), Mozambique (Meninos de Moçam-bique) and East Timor (the Communication and Youth Forum)

“Sabores d´Nha Terra”, a new phase in the work with Santo Antão organisations and support from IPAD

“Development Alphabet”, an initiative with CEsA, the Asso-ciação In Loco and journalists, photographers and researchers, leading to a book, a blog and an exhibition, supported by IPAD and FPA

4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness – Contributions for Busan: debate with parliamen-tarians, researchers, senior figures from IPAD and CPLP

[I] A. “Vozes de Nós” (Our Voices). Dili. East Timor. 2012 [T] Jorge Silva Melo, in “Público”

Communica-tion “Between entertainment and aid), in the Observatory of Africa, organised by the FCG

The FONG-STP headquar-ters was officially opened in Sao Tome

Conversations in Context: Africas, Journalisms and Citi-zenships) in Develop-ment Days, with CSO and Portuguese and African journalists

ACEP returns to the executive board of the Portuguese NGDO Platform

Journalist from Público offers herwork for the Volun-teer’s Year and wrote a book on the women’s rights in Guinea-Bissau

“House of Rights”, an initiative of ACEP, AD, AMIC, CES, CIDAC,LGDH, SINI MIRA NASSIQUE,TINIGUENA and UICN, opens the gates of the oldest pri-son in Bissau for civic intervention, with support from IPAD and FCG

This decade, however, is also impacted by violent and turbulent signs of a crisis which starts, see-mingly, as financial, both national and international, but then clearly goes beyond this – and leaves us facing issues in areas such as values, models for society, the basis of relations between countries and peoples, standards of governance, the limits of the models based on economic growth, over and against the decrease in natural resources and an unstoppable worsening of inequalities. Against this backdrop, Cooperation, as a component in the development processes, sees the public policy to which it is associa-ted wiped “discretely” off the map, on the basis of a simplistic reaso-ning process justifying the position by reference to circumstances. In tandem, we watch its value blotted out, as it is reduced to being an

instrument for national interests linked to internationalisation – of the Portuguese language or Portu-guese companies. In this context, it becomes more and more relevant for organisations in civil society to intensify the debate on identity, mission and domestic governance. If not, they will be forced into a

defensive position where their sur-vival is concerned or lofty positions where they are fighting for their “market” at any cost. We are not underestimating the risks that come from less funding available in a country such as Portugal. In 2012, the funds available for Portuguese development cooperation had de-

[F] LA. “Sociedade Civil pelo Desenvolvimento” (Civil Society for Development). Sao Tome and Príncipe. 2013

Coordi-nation of the GT Ai-dWatch on the NGDO Platform

ACEP s Director coor-dinates the Obser-vatory for Africa, on Africa in the media, in the FCG programme Próximo Futuro (Near Future)

Interview on the RTP-Áfri-ca channel on the same subject

“Irregular migration in East Timor”, a study commissioned by the ACP Migration Ob-servatory, with work coordinated by Tânia Santos

Impunity, injustice and insecurity are the themes of the LGDH project, in collabora-tion with ACEP and funding from the EU

“Observatory of Rights”, from Guinea-Bissau, an initiative from LGDH,ACEP and CEsA, financed by the EU and the CICL

creased over 60 % through NGDO. At the same time there was an increase in the conditions for access through the requirement to show, a priori, that co-financing had been found. These cuts in the official development aid (already among the lowest in Europe), along with the institutional configuration now ap-plied, led to a substantial reversal in this field where the skills that had been acquired were being recogni-sed and commitments taken on.

Within this framework, ACEP has been attempting to reinforce what has been its strategy since the ear-ly days: very close control of struc-tural costs, emphasis on the quality aspects which give its initiatives an added value and a diversifi-cation in the funding sources. This last point serves also as a way to maintain its independence – by di-versifying its areas of dependence.

What needs to be highlighted here is the steadily greater contribution from EU funds (in spite of the fierce competition ever more associated with this source) and from private

foundations, above all the Fun-dação Calouste Gulbenkian, as a counter to the considerable fall in funds from the Portuguese State. At the intervention level, – both in

[F] AFO. “Casa dos Direitos” (House of Rights). Bissau. Guinea-Bissau. 2014

Food security, health and nutrition - a new phase of work with RA in Quinara region, with the collaboration of ATA and support from EU and FCG

“Civil society for development – communication, capacity-building and advocacy”, with FONG-STP, support from the EU and CICL

Represen-tative for NGDO in the Civil Society Europe/Africa process

“NGDO Effectiveness in every field and latitude”, a study made by ACEP’s director for the NGDO Platform

Organisations from the 8 CPLP countries present a project on children’s rights and debate the future of this network, in Lisbon

“A month of projects for a life with rights” - a campaign for the EU Delegation in Guinea-Bissau, with the Casa dos Direitos and the community tv TVKlélé

Portugal and abroad – ACEP has been focusing more on guidelines such as multidimensionality and cross-cutting dimension of human rights. They are an essential com-ponent in the structure, not a mere rhetorical reference. Another focus has been the reinforcement of advocacy and political influence, greater emphasis on cooperation with various organisations and institutions, and this includes colla-boration with State institutions we-akened by current circumstances. In this context, ACEP had decided to make itself available again to take part in the executive mana-gement of the Portuguese NGDO Platform and in the coordination of the AidWatch working group. Its work here involved initiatives such as the creation of a digital maga-zine, debates between different CSO on the post-2015 situation,

[F] LA. “Di nôs i mindjor”. Buba. Guinea-Bissau. 2010

“Our Voices” starts on a 3rd phase, focusing on children’s rights; exhi-bition presented in the Portuguese parliament, and starting a tour in Sao Tome and Príncipe

“Media and Develop-ment”, a new project in partnership with CEsA, CEIS20 and the Coolpolitics Asso-ciation, with support from CICL and FCG

Participation in the European initiative to contest the Transa-tlantic Treaty being discussed by EU and the USA, demanding a public debate

“House of Rights” with a new project, focusing on participation in drawing up policies on human rights, co-ordinated by ACEP, AMIC, LGDH and TINIGUENA, with funding from the EU

“Creative futures”, initiati-ve on creative economy, with FONG-STP, Cape Verdean NGO Platform and TINIGUENA, sup-ported by CICL and FPA, in the 3 countries

working on documents crucial for ODAmonitoring, or coordinating civil society’s watching brief on the Europe / Africa joint strategy.

ACEP has now completed 25 years of work, and it is ever more cle-

arly the result of holding together values, a mission, collaborations, joint efforts, risks and know-how. Its hand can be seen at work in many situations where civil society groups have progressed, along with citizenship awareness, in

particular in Portuguese-speaking countries. It refuses to accept the determinism of retrograde ideas; it will never condone excuses that point fatalistically to surrounding circumstances. And ACEP will con-tinue along this path.

[F] PP. “52 Histórias” (52 Stories). Arquivo Fotográfico (Photographic Archives). Lisbon. Portugal. 2012

The “Arquipélago” collection

“52 stories – a book/perpetual agenda”, Adelino Gomes and others

“Alphabet of Development”, Adelino Gomes and others

“Vozes de Nós – Bissau, Huambo, Sao Tome”, Alain Corbel (coord.)

“Vozes de Nós – Díli, Maputo, Praia”, Alain Corbel (coord.)

“e-stories of equality”, Liliana Azevedo (coord.)

“Studies and Research” Collection

“Decentralised cooperation and the dy-namics of change in African countries – the cases of Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau”, Carlos Sangreman (coord.), ed. with CEsA

“Santo Antão’s Craftsmen”, Manuel Fortes

“Media, Citizenship and Development”, Ana Filipa Oliveira (coord.)

“Diagnosis of Sao Tome and Príncipe NGO”, C. Cravo, L. Londaitzbehere, O. Diogo and S. Sousa

“Portugal and Africa: Better Cooperation, Better Development”, various

“Civil society and public policies in Sao Tome and Príncipe”, various (ed. with FONG-STP)

“Civil society, communication and advo-cacy in Sao Tome and Príncipe”, Pedro Rosa Mendes (coord.)

Extra collections

“Publication Initiatives” – ACEP catalogue

“Guinea-Bissau – 40 years of impunity”, Pedro Rosa Mendes (coord.)

“Challenges - Women’s Rights in Guinea- -Bissau”, Ana Cristina Pereira, with LGDH

“Challenges - Children’s Rights in Guinea-Bissau”, Alain Corbel and others, with LGDH

“Challenges – a history of rights”, Fatima Proença (coord.), with LGDH

Multimedia format

“Imperfect Triangles”, Paulo Nuno Vicente (direction)

“4 stories of Guinean women”, TVKlélé (production)

“e-stories of equality”, André Sá and Javier Martinez (direction)

In digital format

“Socio-economic study of Tite and Fula-cunda (Guinea-Bissau)”, Tânia Santos and Danilo Altair

“Street know-how: models of how to engage with children and youngsters in vulnerable situations in CPLP countries”, Orlando Garcia (coord.)

“Children’s Rights Handbook in Guinea- -Bissau”, Laudolino Medina (coord.)

“Contributions towards communicating on equality”, various

Blogs, Sites

“52 stories”

“Alphabet of Development”

“e-stories of equality”

“Better Cooperation, Better Development”

“Our Voices”

[I] LG e KL. “Casa dos Direitos” (House of Rights). Illustration workshop. Bissau. Guinea-Bissau. 2013

“Proposals from NGDO for the Future of Por-tuguese Cooperation” and “One year of (un)governance in Portuguese cooperation”, documents of the NGDO platform

“Europe/Africa Civil Socie-ty Forum”, in Brussels

“Integrating Human Rights into Development”, OECD and World Bank

“Planeta Futuro” (Future Planet), an editorial dedicated to development in the Spanish daily El País

CPLP approves a resolution on the promotion and protection of Human Rights

Constitutional norms agreed in Guinea-Bissau

Adoption of the “Strategic Concept for Portuguese Cooperation, 2014-2020”

AidWatch – debate in the Portuguese parliament on the state of Portuguese cooperation

The CSO Networks Forum publishs the Declaration on Post-2015 Commitments 2012

“Charter of Lampedusa” calls for a radical chan-ge in the way migration is treated and sends an alert on violations of human rights stemming from the EU’s policy on immigration

A public hearing on hu-man rights in Equatorial Guinea and a meeting in Lisbon with a human rights’s activist in that country

A CPLP summit in Dili (East Timor) approves acceptance of the applica-tion by Equatorial Guinea to join it

Europe-Africa Summit in Brussels

TTIP, known as the Tran-satlantic Treaty, is under negotiation between EU and USA

“The Tunis Consensus”, supported by ADB and NEPAD, on a vision of developing Africa

Partnerships in the centre of the Africa progress report, in the Africa Progress Panel

“Boomerang aid” benefits the donor countries, according to the second EURODAD report “How to spend it”

Open letter from the NG-DO Platform on the future of cooperation

High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, held in Busan, South Korea

“Human Rights and Demo-cracy at the centre of EU ex-ternal action”, the European Council and Parliament

Portugal among 16 of the EU member-states criticised in the report of Access Info Europe on transparency standards

“Structured dialogue on aid effectiveness”, EC

Portuguese Cooperation ceases to have its own insti-tution and becomes part of the organisation for external promotion of the Portuguese language

Reduction of nearly 60% in the funds from Portuguese Cooperation for the NGDOs

“AidWatch Report”, on 10 years of Portuguese coope-ration, coordinated by Ana Filipa Oliveira, ACEP

Creation of a magazine for the NGDO Platform, coordinated by Liliana Azevedo, ACEP

Coup d’état in Guinea-Bissau

“Por uma comunidade de valores” (For a community of values) – civil society in CPLP countries contests plans to allow Equatorial Guinea to join the CPLP

“Agenda 2063” approved at the AU summit, “for an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dy-namic force in the global arena”

Creation of the Cooperation Forum, a SENEC initiative

Government cuts out PO5, the Bud-get Programme for Cooperation, hampering the budget monito-ring process

Approval of the “Istanbul Princi-ples” on the CSO effectiveness

supp

ort

Antena 1 . Lisbon City Archives . BPI Bank . Caixa Geral de Depósitos . Lisbon City Council . Commission

on Citizenship and Gender Equality . Catholic Committee against hunger for Development . Community of Portuguese

Speaking Countries . French Cooperation . Portuguese Cooperation . Alta Mane Foundation . Calouste Gulbenkian

Foundation . Portuguese-American Foundation for Development . Foundation for Science and Technology . Portugal-Africa

Foundation . European Social Fund . Government of the Guinea-Bissau Republic . Montepio Banking Group . Inapa Portugal

. EU EQUAL Community Initiative . Cape Verde Book and Library Institute . Portuguese Institute for Consumer Protection .

Inter Pares . Ministry for Decentralisation, Habitation and Land Use, Cape Verde . Ministry of Education . Ministry of Labour

and Solidarity. Fishermen’s Mutual Association . Novib – Oxfam Netherlands . United Nations Programme for Development

. Leonardo Da Vinci Programme . Operational Programme for Science and Innovation 2010 . Operational Programme for

Human Potential . QREN – National Strategic Reference Framework . RDP Africa, Portuguese Radio Station. RNTrans . Silva!

designers . SWISSAID . European Union. UNICEF . Aveiro University

text ACEP . photographs Ana Filipa Oliveira . António Valente . Fátima Proença . Liliana Azevedo . Paulo

Nuno Vicente . Pedro Proença . Tânia Santos . illustrations Abrilia . Alain Corbel . Kevin Lima . Lionel Gomes . Ricardo

Rodrigues . Design Ana Grave

Africa ACRIDES . AD . ADRA . AIFA PALOP . ALTERNAG . AMDU . AMI PAÚL . AMIC . AMRU. ATELIER

MAR . CASA DOS DIREITOS . CITI-HABITAT . FNF . FONG-STP . KAFO . LGDH . MDM . OADISA . OKUTIUKA .

OMCV . ORAM . PLATAFORMA ONGS DE CABO VERDE . RA . RENAJ . RENARC . SINIM MIRA NASSIQUÊ . SOLMI

. TINIGUENA . TV KLÉLÉ . UICN . ZATONA-ADIL Europa ASSOCIAÇÃO CABOVERDIANA. ATA . BAGA BAGA

STUDIOS . BUALA . CEsA . CEIS XX . CIDAC . CISS . COE . COOLPOLITICS . FCG . FOCSIV . IEPALA . IN LOCO

. ITECO . RC . FCD . MANITESE . OXFAM NOVIB . PLATAFORMA PORTUGUESA ONGD . PANOS . PROACT . RSE

PORTUGAL . SIW . SOS RACISMO . SWISSAID America ABONG . CRESOL . CRIA . INTER PARES Asia FCJ

Av. Santos Dumont 57, 4º esq. 1050-202 Lisbon, Portugal | tel +351 217950175 | acep@acep.pt | www.acep.pt