From Aid to Action: ACIC Symposium 2025

Across the globe, powerful and well-resourced countries are pulling back on their commitments to Overseas Development Assistance (ODA). These decisions create real uncertainty for communities and organizations working to advance global solidarity. At a time when foreign aid remains essential to addressing urgent global challenges, this retreat signals the need for renewed dialogue, collaboration, and action.

As ACIC marks its 50th anniversary, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment. The landscape of international cooperation is shifting rapidly. Political polarization, funding cuts, and changing global power dynamics are testing the foundations of solidarity and development work. These shifts call for new approaches that centre justice, equity, and local leadership.

This year’s Symposium invites us to reflect, reconnect, and reimagine the future of global cooperation. Together, we’ll ask:

• What role does foreign aid continue to play in building more equitable, connected communities?

• How can we sustain and diversify resources in the face of political and economic uncertainty?

• What does it take to build partnerships rooted in long-term, community-led solutions?

• How can we learn from past movements and transitions to navigate today’s challenges with clarity and purpose?

The Symposium will bring together current and past ACIC members—those who have helped build just, equitable communities across the globe—alongside civil society leaders, policymakers, private sector stakeholders, and youth. Together, we will examine how international cooperation has evolved over the decades, and how we can move forward with hope, purpose, and a shared commitment to equity and justice.

Education remains central to this conversation, both as a catalyst for peace and security and as a tool for equipping communities with the knowledge to engage in global development efforts. From grassroots activism to institutional advocacy, from Southern-led partnerships to shifts in donor landscapes, this Symposium will highlight pathways to action, ensuring that hope remains the foundation for international cooperation in the decades ahead.

Together, we reaffirm our commitment to global solidarity and the transformative power of partnership. In times of uncertainty, we look back to move forward—learning from history to build a more just, resilient, and interconnected future.