Alumni meeting
SKOV seminar - Global development cooperation issues - Don't look away
SKOV organises a seminar in cooperation with Ipso-Facto on global development cooperation issues.
On 27 November 2024 at 16.30 pm SKOV, in cooperation with study association Ipso-Facto, will organise a seminar on Wageningen Campus entiteled Don’t look away, which future for international cooperation?
The occasion for the seminar is the book 'Kijk niet weg' (Don’t look away) written by Ellen Mangnus. This book is a result of many conversations she had with former Minister Jan Pronk. During the seminar there will be reflections on this book and on the future for International Cooperation.
Programme
| 16:30 h | Arrival, coffee, tea, water | |
| 16:45 h | Opening | Cor de Jong, president SKOV |
| 16:50 h | Interviews | Maarten Voors interviews Jan Pronk and Ellen Mangnus |
| Time for interactions | ||
| 18.00 h | Drinks and snacks | Time for informal exchange |
| 18.30 h | Closure |
Spreakers
Dr. Maarten Voors is Associate Professor in Development Economics at WUR. He completed the Master's degree in International Development Studies in Wageningen in 2006 and then received his PhD from WUR in 2011.
This seminar Maarten took on the role of chairman.
Dr. Ellen Mangnus is a journalist and researcher. She completed the master's degree in International Development Studies in Wageningen in 2007, and then received her PhD from WUR in 2015. Ellen was a lecturer at WUR and has written about power and inequality in food, agriculture and trade for Vice Versa, Vork and Filosofie Magazine.
Prof. dr. Jan Pronk was in 1973 the first Dutch Minister who stated that development cooperation was not primarily about 'helping' or 'giving something', he considered the redistribution of power and wealth worldwide as key issue. During his first period as Minister the Netherlands became in 1975 one of the first countries to meet the UN standard for development cooperation, i.e. 1.5% of the Net National Income. It was also during this period as minister that several national liberation movements in Africa started receiving support; 'self-reliance' was a central theme for Pronk.
In 1990, during his second term as Minister of Development Cooperation, Pronk published the memorandum "A World of Difference". In this memorandum the emphasis is on sustainable development and sustainability of poverty reduction. The 1993 paper "A World in Dispute" focusses on the North-South relations which radically changed since 1989. During all three periods as Minister of Development Cooperation, Pronk was very committed to defending human rights and women’s development.
As Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment, he set up the first Dutch national climate policy and at the international level he contributed to the implementation of the Kyoto treaty.
Jan Pronk has also worked as a special envoy for the UN on a peace agreement in Sudan and has taught for many years as a professor in the field of development cooperation at various universities. The book "Don't Look Away" describes a politician and policymaker who is driven to fight injustice, does not shy away from problems and who chooses strategically how to tackle the key causes of poverty, conflict and pollution. At the same time, he recognises that right now many problems and conflicts are still there and have increased in seriousness. We should not ignore this, not look away; we have to carry on looking for solutions.
