Federal Coordination of Internationalism

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The Federal Coordination of Internationalism ( BUKO ) (formerly: Federal Congress of Development Action Groups ) is an independent umbrella organization to which over 120 one-world groups, development organizations, international and transnationalist initiatives, solidarity groups, shops, campaigns and magazine projects and currently almost 100 individuals belong .

Goals and organizational structure

The Federal Coordination of Internationalism stands for emancipatory politics, radical criticism of social conditions and an internationalist movement. It sees itself as a loose network for left-wing debates and actions that result from criticism of capitalism and globalization . It was founded in 1977, making it one of the oldest basic networks in Germany. The origin of the BUKO lay in the solidarity movements with the liberation struggles in the south, whereby it seeks open dialogue with other movements and NGOs in order to create a world without degrading living and working conditions, poverty, sexism, racism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, and the destruction of livelihoods and other forms of structural violence.

In addition to the so-called BUKO campaigns specializing in topics such as agriculture , biopiracy , arms exports (until 2008) and drugs , the two main areas of work “World Economy” and “Alternative Trade” were formed, but they are no longer active. In addition, there are (as of April 2011) the following main areas of work at BUKO: the AS Education and Emancipation (AS BiEm), the AS Societal Nature Relations (GesNat) and the AS StadtRaum (ASSR). The umbrella organization has its seat in Hamburg .

history

In the 1970s, many independently working solidarity movements, one-world shops and left-wing political action groups emerged in Germany . Then as now, they covered a relatively broad political spectrum that included both church groups and extra-parliamentary left groups ( APO , peace movement ... ). Particular attention was paid to the political and economic (disparities) in Vietnam , South Africa , Chile , Nicaragua and El Salvador .

In 1977 an umbrella organization was founded, which was initially nothing more than a congress and called itself BUKO - Federal Congress of Development Action Groups . Here the common interests should be worked out and concerted and effective actions should be initiated. The merger came about through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development , which was looking for a contact person for the solidarity movement, which was becoming politically important, but difficult to keep track of.

When the influence of other firmly structured NGOs such as B. Greenpeace increased attac in the 1980s or later, the BUKO got into a crisis as part of the social movements. Many activists migrated, some joined the Greens . BUKO did not gain public awareness again until 1987 during the demonstrations before and during the IMF / World Bank conference in Berlin .

Annual congresses with 500 to 800 participants have been held since 1977, to which international guests are also invited. At the congress in 2002, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary, the BUKO was realigned in terms of content and structure, which led to the renaming of the Federal Congress of Development Action Groups to Federal Coordination of Internationalism . In addition to the congress, BUKO offers seminars and events on various topics, including a. on commons , right to the city, climate change and post-colonialism .

Publications

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Jan van Aken [edit.]: The NGO manual: non-governmental organizations. Greenpeace Media, Hamburg 2007, ISBN 978-3-9811689-0-7 , p. 241.