INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT WEEK 2015!

The University of Ottawa’s International Development Students Association is in the midst of organizing International Development Week (IDW), to take place from January 26-31, 2015, in support of the national IDW run by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development (DFATD). IDW is an annual event that aims to unite undergraduate and graduate students, faculty members, development practitioners, and members of the general public to share knowledge and fresh ideas pertaining to international development. The week consists of different activities to encourage critical thinking and dialogue concerning international development, followed by a conference. Pre-conference activities will include a movie, clubs promoting and discussing different development initiatives, a volunteer and work fair, and networking opportunities. The conference component will include workshops, presentations, and interactive

networking events, such as a wine and cheese and banquet dinner, focused on engaging, informing, and students in international development, promoting global citizenship, and increasing cultural awareness and understanding.

IDW at the University of Ottawa is an entirely student-run conference and is one of the few conferences of its kind. It is actively promoted to students and faculty of the University of Ottawa and several other universities in Quebec and Ontario. Our goal is to allow students to engage themselves in a powerful, meaningful, and inspiring experience that will allow them to think critically in the field of international development. We aim to make IDW informative and interactive, and hope that participants leave with both an enriching and motivating experience, and have a greater sense of being a responsible global citizen.

A NEW ERA: CHANGING THE WORLD OF DEVELOPMENT

This year’s theme, “A New Era: Changing the World of Development,” was chosen in conjunction with the upcoming release of a post-2015 development agenda. While the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have been an influential framework in shaping global discourse and driving the allocation of resources towards key international development priorities and improving policy monitoring, they have been criticized for presenting an agenda rather than a strategy. The discussion on the future of development is thriving, and many ideas have surfaced regarding sustainable and long term practices, participatory discourse, and innovative measurement practices. 

IDW 2015 seeks to discuss the failures and successes of the MDGs, how development is practiced today, and most importantly, focus on the best ways to approach development post-2015 in order to see a world without poverty, inequality, and injustice. It seeks to discuss the changes occurring around us, and how these changes will affect the practice of development. It seeks to answer questions that will contribute to the future of how we approach development. It seeks to bring together individuals with a drive for change and a willingness to learn. The theme of IDW 2015 acknowledges the changes needed in order for development to be successful, and how these changes can become a reality.