‘Comparte’ Network and HEST working together

From May 15 to 17th, delegations from nine Latin American countries and from different Spanish collaborating organizations gathered in the Basque Country at the 4th meeting of the COMPARTE network with the motto "Encounter, exchange and collaboration for the construction of alternative economies.”

The COMPARTE network of CPAL (Conference of Provincials of the Society of Jesus in Latin America) is a learning and action community that promotes alternative development. Fifteen Latin American organizations together with ALBOAN and several universities of Latin America and Spain are the members of the network.

The organizations of COMPARTE accompany impoverished people in their social and political articulation so that they regain control over their local economy and improve their living conditions. They support initiatives in rural areas to produce coffee, cocoa, bananas, honey, dairy products and oleaginous products, among others. Some also promote textile, footwear, handicraft, etc.

The network is aimed at generating sustainable initiatives, what entails great challenges both at local and global levels.

During the three days meeting, which was held at the Sanctuary of Loyola, the delegates representing the different institutions involved, together with some hosts (the HEST coordinator, José Carlos Romero, was one of them) analysed the present and the future of the Network.

The role of universities and how they can cooperate with social centres to improve the quality and sustainability of the local initiatives promoted by the network, was a key debate during the meeting. In this sense, the CEP presented its HEST program, that proposes a practical cooperation among Higher Education Institutions and Social Centres in a common research project aimed at a real social transformation. Good synergies and possibilities for future cooperation between ‘Comparte’ and HEST came up during the debate.

As ALBOAN, the organizer of the meeting, pointed out: each context is different, but the urgency - and hope - are the same. We hope this shared dream of moving towards alternative economies becomes true in their Latin Americas societies but also in ours.