Dear GSEF Members, Partners and Friends,
 

Did you all hear the news that this year’s Santa can only arrive on the 9th of January 2021 after 14 days of quarantine? Yes, this is a joke, but this shows very well how the COVID-19 pandemic affects our lives. The year of 2020 is an unforgettable and challenging year to many of us with the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting our daily lives and works. At this critical time, however, the GSEF Secretariat would like to first express our deepest solidarity and compassion to all.

This year GSEF has tried many new things to adapt itself to a completely new environment. We would like to share some of the achievements of the year with you.
Firstly, we are very pleased to have welcomed 18 new members from 13 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin and Central America this year, despite the situation where most of our planned activities were canceled or turned into online events. You can find the most recent membership status in the later part of the December newsletter.
 
Secondly, GSEF, in collaboration with the Local Organizing Committee of GSEF2021 in Mexico, organized 12 sessions as part of a webinar series in three languages (EN/FR/SP), which reached more than 5,700 people from over 50 countries. We, then, hosted the GSEF Global Virtual Forum with the central theme of 'Great Challenges and Greater Solidarity: SSE as path for transformation' for the promotion of SSE globally, which successfully paved the way towards GSEF2021 by attracting more than 15,000 registrations and outreaching 163,000 people through direct participation, website, and social media from over 100 countries. The successful actions and innovations undertaken by national and local governments, social enterprises, and SSE stakeholders in the fight against COVID-19 have reaffirmed our belief in the contribution of Social and Solidarity Economy to the social and economic resilience of our communities.

Last but not least, GSEF was able to support six GSEF members through Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for its 3 month COVID19 Emergency Response Projects for the SSE organizations (Approx. USD 100,000) to maintain their production and service in the communities during this difficult time. In our December newsletter, you can find summaries of  projects funded by KOICA as well as virtual activities conducted this year, which helped break the boundaries, connect us together, and build the momentum towards GSEF2021 in Mexico City.

Any of these achievements would never have been possible without your enthusiastic support and contribution. We send our sincere gratitude for the wonderful solidarity that you have shown us throughout the year. We trust that this will be the driving force for the coming year as we move towards GSEF2021.

We are looking forward to meeting you in our future events and at GSEF2021 in person in Mexico City.

Let our solidarity light up the world!

Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful Holiday, for health, and happiness throughout the coming year.



Laurence Kwark,
Secretary General, Global Social Economy Forum