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The blog "Polit-Sichten" by Helvetas gives monthly insights into development cooperation politics. In January, readers can learn more about Switzerland's progress in implementing the Agenda 2030, about Switzerland's work in the UN Security Council, and about the progress and the challenges in fighting against statelessness.

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Switzerland has worked towards the implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda for a a long time. Yet, in times of gender backlash, there is still a long way to go. Switzerland needs to continuously work on this issue during its time in the UN Security Council. In this episode of the KOFF-Tonträger, Talia Wohl (FDFA), Lisa Bissegger (Frieda), and Helena Nyberg (WILPF) discuss Switzerland's successes and challenges in working for the WPS Agenda in the UN Security Council, as well as what a feminist security understanding means.

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Wednesday, 13. December | 5:15 - 6:45h (CET) | Lindenbachstrasse 21, 8006 Zurich or Zoom | English

For the theater project Converting Eviction – a collaboration between Sello Pesa/Ntsoana (Johannesburg) and Tim Zulauf/KMUProduktionen (Zurich) – the participants looked at global and Swiss involvement in the South African apartheid era. How can the consequences of the apartheid and the current struggles for reparations, debt relief and displacement be explored from an artistic point of view? And what could be a format, that does not simply perpetuate existing disparities?

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For its time in the UN Security Council Switzerland has set out four priorities. One of them is addressing climates security. In the latest episode of the KOFF-Tonträger, Dorothea Schiewer discusses the interconnection between climate & security and its relevance for the international policy level with Stefan Salzmann, Fastenaktion, and Yvan Keckeis & Ariadna Pop, FDFA. What priorities are important? What challenges does Switzerland face? And what has Switzerland already achieved?

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Monday, 11 December 2023 | 6:30 pm | Stadtkino Basel

Together with the Stadtkino Basel, KOFF has organized a film screening of “Persepolis” with a film discussion afterwards. The award-winning film tells the coming-of-age story of Marjane, who grew up in Teheran during the Iranian Revolution. The film discussion with Behruz Rafati (Network Free Iran), and Anna Antonakis (KOFF/swisspeace) will build a bridge to the current situation of civil society in Iran and engage with topics like the role of art as expression for dealing with the trauma of displacement and war.

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Since January 2023, Switzerland has a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council. KOFF engages in a podcast series with this new Swiss role on the international policy level. In this first episode of the KOFF-Tonträger, Dorothea Schiewer (KOFF/swisspeace) speaks with Esther Neuhaus (FDFA), Maria-Isabelle Wieser (GSUN) and Anna Leissing (KOFF/swisspeace) about priorities, opportunities, challenges, and civil society expectations for the Swiss seat in the UN Security Council.

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11 December 2023 | 6:00 - 9:00 pm | Kulturpunkt im PROGR, Speichergasse 4, 3011 Bern | English

A conversation with two members of PWAG's international board - Sima Samar, Afghanistan, and Margo Okazawa-Rey, USA - about how patriarchal ideas shape our understanding of security, the contrast between military and human security, and feminist visions for peace.

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With "Polit-Sichten" Helvetas provides monthly insights to a topic relevant for in development politics. In this edition the focus is on Western Africa where the world's biggest metropolis is created at the Gulf of Guinea. Moreover, an article illustrates why the proposal by the Federal Council for the support of Ukraine has gained little support within the parties. But prior to this, Polit-Sichten looks to Dubai where the climate conference is taking place, showing why a solution for "damages and losses" is essential for the success of COP28.

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29 November | 6:00 – 8:00 pm | Salon Soutter of the RTS (Geneva)

Some fifteen journalists specializing in the coverage of transitional justice around the world invite you to discuss and debate the major current issues with them. With the exceptional presence of Justice Info correspondents from Colombia, Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gambia, Germany, Tunisia, the Netherlands, the Central African Republic, Uganda, Mali and Benin, and the heads of the Justice Info editorial team.

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The latest medico Bulletin gives a space to voices from Israel and Palestine - voices from the left-winged movement, from human rights and peace activists. They are voices against war, voices for empathy and solidarity. Additionally, the bulletin gives insights to a museum in the cooperative Nuevo Horizonte where the Maya community puts their history in context and points out the continuous humanitarian crisis in Rojava.

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