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On February 7, 2026, the First Members' Assembly of CISP Sviluppo dei Popoli, a Participatory Foundation, was held in Rome. This was the organization's first major event since its transformation into a Participatory Foundation.
It was an intense day of discussion, decision-making, and strategic vision, bringing together founding and promoting members to address the challenges of international cooperation in a global context marked by conflict, inequality, and the crisis of the multilateral system.
The morning began with a short review of CISP's history—established in the 1980s in a context lacking structured legislation on international cooperation—and its founding values of international solidarity, combating poverty, and inequality, with reference to how it has evolved over the years into an organization present in over thirty countries.
The transition to a Foundation, approved in 2025, was reaffirmed as an organizational and strategic choice, combining the preservation of its founding values with the need for organizational strengthening. This decision was designed to ensure stability, transparency, and openness to new generations and skills. During the meeting, the Assembly of Promoting Members was officially established.
A participatory presentation session then provided space for the personal and professional stories of those present, establishing a connection between the long-standing members and the new group, emphasizing the value of relationships and the collective dimension that has always characterized CISP. An important moment of the day was the discussion of the contexts in which CISP operates today. The debate strongly highlighted the crisis of the multilateral system, the reduction in public development aid, and the growing pressure towards models based on economic interests and security. Alongside these critical issues, civil society's responsibility to keep alive the values of solidarity, justice, and rights was reaffirmed, including through a cultural and political role capable of guiding public debate.
CISP remains strongly aware of the need to maintain its core values while equipping itself with tools and alliances that allow it to operate effectively in an increasingly competitive and unpredictable environment.
Last but not least, the 2025–2029 Programming Document was presented and approved. The plan identifies three major priorities: strengthening CISP's contribution to building peace as a human right, increasing the impact and effectiveness of interventions against poverty and inequality, and preparing the organization for the challenges of the near future through internal strength, innovation, training, and resource diversification. Peace, justice, and rights, which also emerged from a participatory survey in the room, thus become the cornerstone of the future vision.
A number of experiences were then shared, illustrating how cooperation can concretely build peace: from global citizenship education in Europe to working with communities and civil society in the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe; from long-term roots in Africa, in countries like Niger, to actions in Latin America on rights, resilience, and social cohesion.
Different experiences, united by a common approach based on partnership, inclusion, and working with local communities.
The day concluded with a spirit of strong participation and sharing. In a time marked by uncertainty and crisis, the Assembly confirmed CISP's commitment to remain a credible and coherent player in international cooperation, capable of renewing itself without losing its soul.
