Yesterday in Belém, Brazil, the People’s BRICS Summit wrapped up after four lively days, marking a fresh chapter for civil society in the bloc. Building on the Kazan Declaration’s move to formally include a Civic Council, delegates from five member states plus invitees dove into new ways to elevate community voices across the Global South. 🌍
What’s the Civic Council? Think of it as a bridge between grassroots groups and policymakers. It brings together NGOs, youth leaders, and social innovators to the table—so that decisions reflect real needs on the ground, from urban slums in Mumbai to rural co-ops in East Timor.
Highlights included:
- Digital empowerment sessions: Participants explored mobile-first platforms that help youth activists in Bangladesh and Vietnam share stories, organize campaigns, and fund local projects.
- Climate justice workshops: Shared case studies—from sea-level rise adaptation in the Maldives to sustainable farming in Sri Lanka—sparked ideas for cross-border collaboration.
- Start-up spotlight: Tech entrepreneurs pitched social-impact solutions, like AI-driven health apps in Malaysia and solar microgrids in Nepal, aiming to scale across BRICS nations.
For young pros in South and Southeast Asia, this summit signals bigger chances to plug into global networks—whether you’re building a green app in Ho Chi Minh City or running a social-media campaign for clean water in Karachi. Keep an eye out for Civic Council calls for proposals early next year. Your voice could be the next big spark for change! 💡
As the world looks to more inclusive growth, the BRICS bloc is betting that stronger civil-society ties will turbocharge sustainable development and shared prosperity. Stay tuned: 2026 might be the year your project goes global. 🚀
Reference(s):
BRICS Summit expands civil society role after Kazan declaration
cgtn.com
