European Development Days

European Development Days (EDD) are Europe’s foremost platform for discussion and exchange on global challenges in all key areas – governance, climate change, international finance, trade, food security, water, energy, the role of the media and human and social rights. Previous editions have seen the participation of Heads of State and Government, Ministers and world-renowned leaders such as Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Richard Branson, Wangari Maathai and Aminata Traore.

POLICY MAKING

This year’s EDD, in Stockholm (22-24 October), falls one month after the G-20 Leaders meeting in Pittsburgh, two weeks after the IMF-World Bank meeting in Istanbul and six weeks before the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Against this backdrop, the 2009 edition will focus on the global response to the economic downturn and climate change, as well as on the challenges of democracy and development.

Speakers this year include Fredrik Reinfeldt, Swedish Prime Minister; José-Manuel Barroso, European Commission President; IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn and leaders of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and African Development Bank. Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the League of Arab States will also be speaking, along with UNDP administrator Hellen Clark, the Presidents of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Maldives, Burkina Faso and Micronesia and the Prime Ministers of Bangladesh, Kenya and Zimbabwe. The new European Parliament president, Jerzy Buzek, and members of EP committees will also be there. Representatives from NGOs Transparency International, ActionAid International and Oxfam International will be giving the view from civil society.

CARBON NEUTRAL

Hosting a large-scale event attracting people from the four corners of the world creates its share of CO₂. It would be irresponsible to address the world’s development challenges at an international gathering without considering its impact on the environment – especially as global warming could push millions back into the poverty trap. However, these CO₂ emissions can be offset through a range of schemes investing in energy efficiency anywhere in the world. Thus, exhibitors and parallel event organisers are asked to help offset the EDD carbon footprint by contributing to a carbon-offset scheme of their choice.

EDD’s KEY FACTS AND FIGURES

• 5,000 participants from 125 countries
• 3 days of meetings, exchange and debate
• 200 speakers
• 5 plenary sessions and 25 parallel events
• 150 exhibition stands in the Development Village including a joint stand with the MFA and LUXDEV representing Luxembourg.

INCLUSIVE AND PARTICIPATORY

Discussion panels are carefully gender balanced and geographically representative. Its openness allows it to be inclusive and blend a great diversity of political leaders and parliamentarians, international institutions, local authorities, NGOs, business leaders, academics, researchers, media representatives and the young. Any stakeholder can propose speakers, events, network meetings or exhibitions. Its participatory approach results in an agenda, which includes over 30 events, half of which are stakeholder-driven.

This event is organised by the European Commission in co-ordination with the Swedish Presidency of the EU. For more information visit www.eudevdays.eu