Oikosnet is presently facing one of the biggest financial challenges in its history. In March 2010, EED made the decision to end its long relationship of over 20 years with Oikosnet. On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of participants around the world who benefit from our programs, we invite EED to re-examine their decision to end this rela-tionship.
Oikosnet is the global ecumenical network of lay centers and movements of social concern, which brings together about 300 different organizations across five continents. The Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (EED) and its predecessors had a long and positive relationship with Oikosnet because EED understood the broad vision of the work. EED nurtured and supported the development of this worldwide network for more than 20 years. In recent years, in partnership, Oikosnet and EED created a mutually agreed upon list of improvements in the structure and programming and content of the common work. Oikosnet responded to the concerns of EED by creating a new legal body, establishing new headquarters in Latin America, and organizing additional global courses for lay leaders. Despite our positive changes, in March 2010 Oikosnet received a short letter from EED stating that 2009 was the final funding year!
Oikosnet is distressed and disappointed by this drastic decision. Our global centers are committed to con-tinue to provide hundreds of thousands of people around the world with services, training for advocacy-work, safe spaces for programming, empowerment of grass root movements and more.
In recent years, our centers accomplished critical work:
Initiated and improved the Muslim-Christian dialogue in Pakistan and Egypt.
Improved the communication between centers in different parts of Africa, both through appropri-ate training and capacity building (together with funders other than EED).
Developed a very successful conflict management tool, Dialogue for Peaceful Change. This tool is being applied in more than 30 countries. Oikosnet provided the new pool of trainers and coaches. We have now more than 450 facilitators, 25 trainers, and 5 coaches.
Trained individuals to work within empowerment and capacity-building organizations involved in many grass-roots movements (poverty, HIV/Aids, justice, etc.).
Supported the lobby and advocacy of peace and justice issues (position of women, policies on trade, role of religion) at local, national, and international levels.
Oikosnet will continue to support a structure that enables regions to become more sustainable financially. This restructure takes time and is extremely difficult in the present economic environment. The sudden cut in funds places the continuation of the work of Oikosnet at great risk.
We ask EED to continue their investment in this partnership.
We invite EED to reopen channels of communication with Oikosnet in order to continue the common task of establishing cross-cultural relationship and creating significant social change in our world.
Munich May 12, 2010,
Serop Megerditchian, president Oikosnet, Oikosnet Middle East
German Zijlstra, coordinator Oikosnet, Oikosnet Latin America
Kofi Amfo Akonnor, Oikosnet Africa
John Zechariah, Oikosnet Asia
Jean Richardson, Oikosnet North America
Wolfgang Lenz, Oikosnet Europe
Nuha Khoury, Oikosnet Middle East
Sally Simmel, Oikosnet North America
Mehboob Sada, Oikosnet Asia
Jaap van der Sar, Oikosnet Europe
For further information, please contact the coordinator: German Zijlstra german.zijlstra@oikosnet.org
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