AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INTROSPECTION, SHARING, STRATEGISING AND CELEBRATION Through the Conference, we explored as a global statelessness field and community, how we can better: Organise ourselves Produce, consume and disseminate knowledge Volker Turk UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Identify, understand and play our different Create space so we may challenge and learn from each other Build solidarity and trust among each other Resource our work and make our field more sustainable Take care of ourselves and each other Better coordinate efforts and strengthen cooperation Raise awareness and strengthen messaging on our issue Build partnerships with key stakeholders These learnings will enable us to ultimately be more effective in achieving real world change in advancing equal nationality rights for all, protecting the rights of stateless people and pursuing justice on their behalf. Key to these conversations was creating the space for meaningful engagement between those of us involved in different global, regional and national initiatives, that must relentlessly seek ways to improve dialogue, coordination and collaboration. These conversations happened both during conference sessions, but also in the margins, during breaks, over meals and informally. The conference provided the space for this community building, by creating an open and welcoming atmosphere, and encouraging participants to make time for each other. We will no doubt continue to find out the many ways in which the connections sparked during the conference bear fruit over the coming years. “ AT THE CENTRE OF THIS VITAL MOVEMENT ARE PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCES OF STATELESSNESS. IT’S YOUR EXPERIENCES, YOUR GOALS, THAT MUST SHAPE OUR COLLECTIVE AGENDA FOR ACTION. THIS CONFERENCE WITH ITS ETHOS OF INCLUSIVITY, IS A MUCH-NEEDED PLATFORM FOR LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER. ITS THEMES OF SOLIDARITY, KNOWLEDGE, CHANGE ARE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE IMMENSE POWER WE EACH DERIVE FROM THE SHARING OF EXPERIENCES AND INSIGHTS, AND FROM BROADENING OUR CONNECTIONS. AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN ADDRESSING STATELESSNESS WE MUST GO BEYOND UNDERSTANDING AND STRENGTHENING WHAT IS ALREADY WORKING, TO DEVELOPING NEW INVENTED ROOTS FOR DELIVERING CHANGE. Recognise and address inequalities, injustices and inefficiencies within our Centre stateless people and their communities, be led by them and accountable to them The personal is political within the statelessness sector too. How do we build an inclusive statelessness movement, when our most important members are structurally excluded by our societies? How do we centre stateless people when they are denied the resources to engage on equal terms? How do we build solidarity when we sometimes don’t fully trust each other’s intentions…? How do we organise a global conference, when so many of us cannot travel across borders? How do we create a space for belonging, when we don’t share a common language and may have different ideas and perspectives on what belonging means? From “The Personal and Political” A Message from the Conference Co-Organisers