Global society leaders convene in Tarifa to advance new frameworks for global cooperation

Global society leaders convene in Tarifa to advance new frameworks for global cooperation - View from Tarifa to Morocco, where Europe meets Africa

From 12 to 18 January 2026, civil society leaders from multiple world regions met at the Global Society Institute Tarifa (GSI Tarifa), Spain, for a focused gathering aimed at strengthening cooperation within the globalized civil society. The meeting occurred amid escalating geopolitical tensions, rising polarization, and growing pressure on civic actors in many parts of the world.

The gathering brought together individuals selected for their regional experience and their ability to contribute contextual knowledge from Africa, Europe, North America, the Middle East, Latin America, and South Asia. Participants joined not as formal institutional representatives, but as trusted contributors tasked with bringing regional perspectives into a shared global conversation.

Purpose and context

The central aim of the Tarifa gathering was to build greater coherence among leaders operating within the global civil society and to set shared foundations for future collaboration. Discussions were guided by the understanding that civil society worldwide is becoming more fragmented, while simultaneously confronting converging challenges including shrinking civic space, declining trust in institutions, political polarization, and ongoing social and environmental pressures.

Participants agreed that existing institutional mechanisms are often insufficient for addressing the complexity of today’s global challenges. The meeting therefore centered on developing cooperative approaches that can be adapted across diverse cultural and political contexts.

Understanding the global society

A key reference point in the discussions was the concept of the global society. The global society is not a group, organization, or network. Rather, it describes the already-existing, globalized civil society: individuals, initiatives, and communities worldwide that act from similar values and orientations, often without direct coordination.

Participants worked to refine shared language and principles to make this global alignment more visible and more actionable in practice.

Key discussions

Throughout the gathering, leaders engaged in structured exchanges across several core themes:

·       Establishing a shared global consent and long-term orientation for cooperation.

·       Balancing regional differences with global alignment.

·       Identifying recurring challenges faced by civil society across regions.

·       Strengthening trust and recognition among leaders working in different contexts.

·       Developing innovative, non-hierarchical forms of coordination that can scale organically.

Regional contributions emphasized both distinct local conditions and recurring global patterns, underscoring the need for approaches that combine contextual sensitivity with shared direction.

Outcomes

By the end of the Tarifa meeting, participants had:

·       Agreed on foundational principles to guide future cooperation within the global society.

·       Strengthened working relationships and mutual understanding across regions.

·       Identified priority areas where coordinated action and knowledge exchange are needed.

·       Established a common basis for engaging additional leaders in different regions.

Panel Discussion with local youth; from left to right: Mario Schejtman (Middle East), Manuela Thiele (Europe), Edwin Ochola (Africa), Shenali Rajaratnam (North America), Christoph Geisler (Meeting Chair), Rea Fraser (Director GSI Tarifa)

Rather than launching a formal initiative, participants stressed the importance of translating the shared foundations developed in Tarifa into regional contexts. The agreed next step is for participants to continue the work locally by engaging additional leaders, embedding the shared language and principles in practice, and connecting emerging regional efforts through ongoing exchange.

Community engagement

The gathering also featured a panel discussion with local youth in Tarifa, enabling direct dialogue between participants and younger community members. The session addressed the outcomes, youth mobilisation for engagement, and the importance of grounding global cooperation in local realities and intergenerational dialogue.

Looking ahead

The Tarifa gathering marked a consolidation phase in the evolution of the global civil society. It contributed to clearer global alignment among civil society leaders and laid practical groundwork for continued cooperation across regions.

As participants return to their respective contexts, the outcomes of the gathering are expected to inform regional initiatives and support the gradual emergence of stronger and more coherent collaboration within the globalized civil society.