The Shared Societies Project is a Club of Madrid global initiative that provides leaders with greater understanding of the benefits of social cohesion and the incentives and means to act to advance it.
The project supports democratic development through leadership for dialogue, diversity and social cohesion.
The program is designed in the belief that societies are most likely to be peaceful, democratic and prosperous when leaders and citizens recognize the value of diversity and actively build a shared society.
Within the global program regional, thematic and country-specific projects focus on issues central to the questions of dialogue, diversity, and social inclusion and participation. These include democratic values and freedom of association in the Middle East/North Africa; women's political participation; and religion, political leadership and intercultural dialogue.
Through these projects and a series of case-study visits and research, Club of Madrid members, assisted by international experts, will work with leaders to identify existing experiences that have been effective in creating and sustaining social cohesion through dialogue, leadership, and policy and institutional mechanisms. Together, they will design effective leadership strategies for use in situations where securing social cohesion and shared citizenship remains a challenge.
The project will produce a portfolio of practical realistic strategies from which leaders can seek inspiration, analyse alternatives and design, communicate and implement policies and strategies for social cohesion and shared societies in their nations and cities.
What is a Shared Society?
A "Shared Society" is a socially cohesive society. It is stable, safe. It respects everyone's human rights while providing every individual with equal opportunity. It is tolerant. It respects diversity. It requires strong political leadership to construct and nurture such a society.
Why a Shared Societies Project?
The Shared Societies Project is a global initiative of the Club of Madrid designed in responde to a direct call from leaders worldwide for tools, options and action plans to adress a challenge they all face: that of effectively and constructively managing ethnic, cultural, religious and other identity differences, while preserving human dignity to facilitate coexistance.
Why Shared Societies?
Diversity is a fact of life. Indeed, ninety percent of the world’s countries have at least a ten percent minority population. As communities become ever more intertwined and intercultural, leaders face the challenge of building and maintaining shared societies in their communities and countries.
Some leaders embrace and celebrate diversity, seeing potential in the differences, and recognizing the economic, social and political opportunities.
By working to promote dialogue, deepen understanding and create opportunity, these leaders are reducing the hate, hurt and huimiliation that undermine human dignity.
Others, however, hold on to power by exploiting fears and prejudice among their constituents of those who are ‘different.’ They call for divisive policies such as compulsory assimilation secured borders, deportations, or worse.
And yet, it remains a fact that societies are most likely to be peaceful, democratic and prosperous when leaders and citizens recognize and celebrate the
value of diversity and seek to actively build a shared society safe for difference.
How does the project work?
Building partnerships - with international and civil society organizations to promote awareness amongst community and national leaders of the benefits of social cohesion in society and to provide them with the incentives and means to act to advance it.
Leveraging the convening power of the Club of Madrid - an organization of 72 former Presidents and Prime Ministers from 51 countries who together possess more than two millennia of collective political experience.
Strengthening leaders through Peer-to-Peer consultation and support - Because Club of Madrid Members “have been in power” too, they can support their peers in power with utmost discretion, experience, trust.
Leading case-study country-visits and research missions - Club of Madrid Members and international experts work in-country with leaders to identify practical and actionable strategies, tools, policies and best practices that have proen effective in reducing identity-based conflict and division. The result: a Tool-
kit For Leadership on Social Cohesion.
The Club of Madrid is an independent organization dedicated to strengthening democratic leadership around the world to meet political challenges at the local, national, regional and global levels.
Drawing one of the unique experience and resources of its Members - 71 democratic former presidents and prime ministers from 51 countries with more than two millennia of political experience, and in partnership with governments, organizations and individuals that share its goals, the Club of Madrid provides peer-to-peer counsel, strategic support and technical advice to leaders and institutions working to further democratic development.
Over the past two years, the Club of Madrid has been promoting the concept of "Shared Societies" around the world.
This global initiative provides leaders with greater understanding of the benefits of social cohesion and the incentives and means to act to advance it.
"In my own country, we realized that our problems could not be solved without people and leaders working together to create a shared society (...) I congratulate the Club of Madrid for taking a lead on this important matter, and wish you the best as we move forward together to build shared societies and a world made safe for difference..."
Nelson Mandela
Call to Action
The Global Forum on Leadership for Shared Societies concluded in a Call to Action that was distributed to world leaders and international organizations asking them to realize there is no other option - no plan B - if we are to avoid a world continually wracked by identity-based tensions, to redouble efforts towards building understanding and tolerance, to show by example that full inclusion of minority groups is for the betterment of all, to reject attempts to build homogeneous societies, and to recognize and cherish the following basic principles on wich true social cohesion and shared societies can be created: Respect for the Dignity of Every Individual, Respect for Human Rights, Respect for the Rule of Law, Equality & Fairness.
The Shared Societies Project is a multi-year initiative that has been made possible thanks to generous underwriting from the following institutions: City of Rotterdam, Comunidad de Madrid, Alan B. Slifka Foundation, European Commission, United Nations Democracy Fund, Government of Norway, Canadian International Development Agency, Dr. Scholl Foundation,
The project supports democratic development through leadership for dialogue, diversity and social cohesion.
The program is designed in the belief that societies are most likely to be peaceful, democratic and prosperous when leaders and citizens recognize the value of diversity and actively build a shared society.
Within the global program regional, thematic and country-specific projects focus on issues central to the questions of dialogue, diversity, and social inclusion and participation. These include democratic values and freedom of association in the Middle East/North Africa; women's political participation; and religion, political leadership and intercultural dialogue.
Through these projects and a series of case-study visits and research, Club of Madrid members, assisted by international experts, will work with leaders to identify existing experiences that have been effective in creating and sustaining social cohesion through dialogue, leadership, and policy and institutional mechanisms. Together, they will design effective leadership strategies for use in situations where securing social cohesion and shared citizenship remains a challenge.
The project will produce a portfolio of practical realistic strategies from which leaders can seek inspiration, analyse alternatives and design, communicate and implement policies and strategies for social cohesion and shared societies in their nations and cities.
What is a Shared Society?
A "Shared Society" is a socially cohesive society. It is stable, safe. It respects everyone's human rights while providing every individual with equal opportunity. It is tolerant. It respects diversity. It requires strong political leadership to construct and nurture such a society.
Why a Shared Societies Project?
The Shared Societies Project is a global initiative of the Club of Madrid designed in responde to a direct call from leaders worldwide for tools, options and action plans to adress a challenge they all face: that of effectively and constructively managing ethnic, cultural, religious and other identity differences, while preserving human dignity to facilitate coexistance.
Why Shared Societies?
Diversity is a fact of life. Indeed, ninety percent of the world’s countries have at least a ten percent minority population. As communities become ever more intertwined and intercultural, leaders face the challenge of building and maintaining shared societies in their communities and countries.
Some leaders embrace and celebrate diversity, seeing potential in the differences, and recognizing the economic, social and political opportunities.
By working to promote dialogue, deepen understanding and create opportunity, these leaders are reducing the hate, hurt and huimiliation that undermine human dignity.
Others, however, hold on to power by exploiting fears and prejudice among their constituents of those who are ‘different.’ They call for divisive policies such as compulsory assimilation secured borders, deportations, or worse.
And yet, it remains a fact that societies are most likely to be peaceful, democratic and prosperous when leaders and citizens recognize and celebrate the
value of diversity and seek to actively build a shared society safe for difference.
How does the project work?
Building partnerships - with international and civil society organizations to promote awareness amongst community and national leaders of the benefits of social cohesion in society and to provide them with the incentives and means to act to advance it.
Leveraging the convening power of the Club of Madrid - an organization of 72 former Presidents and Prime Ministers from 51 countries who together possess more than two millennia of collective political experience.
Strengthening leaders through Peer-to-Peer consultation and support - Because Club of Madrid Members “have been in power” too, they can support their peers in power with utmost discretion, experience, trust.
Leading case-study country-visits and research missions - Club of Madrid Members and international experts work in-country with leaders to identify practical and actionable strategies, tools, policies and best practices that have proen effective in reducing identity-based conflict and division. The result: a Tool-
kit For Leadership on Social Cohesion.
The Club of Madrid is an independent organization dedicated to strengthening democratic leadership around the world to meet political challenges at the local, national, regional and global levels.
Drawing one of the unique experience and resources of its Members - 71 democratic former presidents and prime ministers from 51 countries with more than two millennia of political experience, and in partnership with governments, organizations and individuals that share its goals, the Club of Madrid provides peer-to-peer counsel, strategic support and technical advice to leaders and institutions working to further democratic development.
Over the past two years, the Club of Madrid has been promoting the concept of "Shared Societies" around the world.
This global initiative provides leaders with greater understanding of the benefits of social cohesion and the incentives and means to act to advance it.
"In my own country, we realized that our problems could not be solved without people and leaders working together to create a shared society (...) I congratulate the Club of Madrid for taking a lead on this important matter, and wish you the best as we move forward together to build shared societies and a world made safe for difference..."
Nelson Mandela
Call to Action
The Global Forum on Leadership for Shared Societies concluded in a Call to Action that was distributed to world leaders and international organizations asking them to realize there is no other option - no plan B - if we are to avoid a world continually wracked by identity-based tensions, to redouble efforts towards building understanding and tolerance, to show by example that full inclusion of minority groups is for the betterment of all, to reject attempts to build homogeneous societies, and to recognize and cherish the following basic principles on wich true social cohesion and shared societies can be created: Respect for the Dignity of Every Individual, Respect for Human Rights, Respect for the Rule of Law, Equality & Fairness.
The Shared Societies Project is a multi-year initiative that has been made possible thanks to generous underwriting from the following institutions: City of Rotterdam, Comunidad de Madrid, Alan B. Slifka Foundation, European Commission, United Nations Democracy Fund, Government of Norway, Canadian International Development Agency, Dr. Scholl Foundation,
