MANAGING GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATIONS
Hosted by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) in Paris, 6-7 October 2022
* By invitation only. For further information about the DevCom network, please visit our website or write to Dev.Com@oecd.org.
So much has happened since our last in-person Annual Meeting in 2019! A global pandemic. Russia’s war on Ukraine. An intensifying climate crisis. How have these events affected our lives as development communicators? What have we learned and what new approaches do we need?
In October, we will (re-)connect with peers from around the world. We will consider how to adapt our communication strategies to the new policy priorities of our organisations. We will share very practical ideas on how to manage communications in a time of content overload, complex internal and external relationships, and growing pressure to demonstrate impact. Ahead of the COP-27 Summit, we will also explore ways to campaign together for green action.
AGENDA
Session I: Development in a new geopolitical landscape – What has changed for communicators?
The pandemic, Russia’s war on Ukraine and the intensifying climate crisis are causing immense human suffering and preventing us from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. How are development organisations responding, and what do their new priorities mean for communicators?
Session II: “Speed-dating” sessions – What are our greatest challenges? What are our greatest assets?
In this session, we will get to know our fellow development communicators. What challenges do communicators face in different countries? What assets and experiences do different members and partners of the network have to share?
Practical peer-learning workshops: managing complexity in development communications
Managing development communications can be overwhelming. We have to deal with vast amounts of content, collaborate with a complex set of partners, and are under pressure to show that our communications work achieves results for our organisations. In these small-group workshops, led by members, we will share practical experiences and ideas on a range of specific challenges.
| Managing Resources | Managing Relationships |
| A. Increasing impact: how to shift from project-level communications to higher-impact campaigns? | D. Internal communications: how to help colleagues become our best ambassadors? |
| B. Managing content overload & tracking its performance: how to filter and prioritise content? | E. Media partnerships: what kinds of relationships do we need to get our messages into the news? |
| C. Securing a communications budget: how to demonstrate value and advocate for communications? | F. Private actors: How to collaborate with civil society organisations & businesses? |
Session IV: Campaign Corner – Promoting green action together & preparing COP-27
The COP-27 Summit in November will be held in Egypt. The Summit will once again highlight the urgent need for climate action. However, it will also draw attention to the links and tensions between protecting the planet and providing economic opportunities.
How should development organisations communicate on climate issues? How can we collaborate to improve and amplify big global campaigns ahead of COP-27? How can we engage young audiences, drawing on digital trends that have emerged since the pandemic?
The SDG Communicator 