About the Green Social Summit
At the Green Social Summit we will gather 300 leaders from across Europe to discuss how to build a stronger European Union based on social and ecological justice, and centred on human dignity.
Ahead of the European Parliament elections in June 2024, the Green Social Summit will be a key moment for defining our shared vision of a European Union that protects all people from crises, defends our fundamental rights and prioritises our well-being and our common future.
In the face of multiple crises, we have to stick together and create strong, resilient communities. We must stand united to make our societies fairer, our working hours more satisfying and our families happier and healthier. We know how to build a circular economy that fulfills people's basic needs while respecting our planetary boundaries. Europe is the richest continent on Earth but money is accumulated in fewer and fewer hands, while workers and natural resources are exploited.
Humanity has the tools and the knowledge to sort this out. Now we just need to gather the political will - and the weight - to deliver it. As the far-right attempts to distract us from social and ecological injustice with their hate-campaigns, we must rally together to put people and planet at the centre of all future policies.
The Green Social Summit is co-organised by the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament together with the European Green Party, and in partnership with the green parties of SUMAR. Participants will range from green politicians to high-level representatives of trade unions and civil society organisations, from all over the EU.
For example, we will hear from Esther Lynch, Secretary General of ETUC, Leilani Farha, Former OHCHR Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing, Ada Colau, former Mayor of Barcelona from Catalunya en Comú, the Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium, Petra de Sutter, the German Minister for Family, Lisa Paus and Spanish Vice-president and Minister for Labour Yolanda Diaz.
Due to the limited budget and number of spaces, the event is by invitation only. Please write to copresidents@greens-efa.eu if you would like to join us in Madrid. The organisers cover transport and accommodation costs (up to a certain amount, depending on where you travel from).
The event will take place on Friday 29 September and Saturday 30 September in Espacio Larra, Madrid, Spain, with a networking cocktail on Thursday 28 September featuring an photo exposition by refugees.
During the Summit, besides the plenary sessions and the workshops, there will be quite a few moments for potential networking and informal sharing among the summit’s participants. We strongly believe this is an opportunity to deepen the possibilities for collaboration in our work and activism around concrete common interests. This is why a team of facilitators will support us in taking the best out of the time we have for this, by offering a few facilitated processes to create the proper conditions, considering the profiles of the participants, for sharing and networking.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please reach out!