Mexico City
May 28-29, 2024
Trust, accountability and inclusion for locally-led social transformation
Dear Participants
Welcome to Mexico City for TAI Learning Days 2024! We are thrilled to have you join us for an inspiring journey focused on fostering trust, accountability, and inclusion in our efforts toward locally-led social transformation and through reforming and defending democratic governance systems.
Over the next few days, we will delve into meaningful discussions, engage in collaboration, and share innovative ideas that will empower our communities. Your presence and participation are crucial in shaping a future where every voice is heard and every action counts.
Please take a good look at this welcoming package that includes useful information to make your stay productive and enjoyable.
Warm regards,
The TAI Team
About Trust Accountability and Inclusion Collaborative
The Trust, Accountability and Inclusion Collaborative (TAI), Funders for Participatory Governance, is a network of funders working towards a world where power and resources are distributed more equitably, communities are informed and empowered, and governments and the corporate sector act with integrity for the good of people and planet. We do this at the intersection of democracy, climate justice, economic justice, and a healthy information ecosystem.
TAI is a space for funders to exchange, learn, strategize and bridge with other fields (it is not a pooled fund). TAI members include the following foundations: Chandler, Ford, Hewlett, Luminate, MacArthur, Open Society Foundation, and Packard. USAID and FCDO are observer partners. TAI delivers its actions through its secretariat that includes five full time staff, one part time admin and two advisors.
Arrival in Mexico City
TAI has coordinated the airport-hotel-airport transfer service for sponsored participants.
Taxis line up immediately outside the arrivals exit 24 hours a day, but we advise you to locate the stands of Taxi Seguro available at the airport. As part of the ground services, the Mexico City International Airport offers boarding spaces or areas for the use of authorized taxis, which are accredited by the Ministry of Communications and Transportation (SCT). These taxis meet safety, comfort, and quality standards.
Uber services are widely available and locals consider it safe and fast. Uber fares tend to be slightly lower than regular taxis.
Weather
During our stay in Mexico City we can expect warm weather, with temperatures up to 32°C (89.6°F) at daytime, and 16° (60.8°F) at night.
Dress Code
Casual outfit is encouraged, but feel free to dress as best suits your personality - whether you prefer casual comfort, chic elegance, or anything in between.
Miscellaneous
We suggest you take reasonable precautions as in any other big city in Latin America. We strongly recommend that you avoid carrying your passport and big amounts of cash.
Mexico City's high altitude, at over 7,000 feet (2,240 meters) above sea level, intensifies solar radiation, making sunscreen essential for protection against the intense sunlight. If you are not accustomed to physical activity and/or high altitude above sea level, you should be aware of the effects of high altitude such as shortness of breath or dizziness. It's advisable to take it easy and stay hydrated.
As is customary in many Latin American cultural contexts, when greeting someone in Mexico, it's typical to shake hands with both men and women upon initial introduction. Alternatively, women may greet others, regardless of gender, and men will greet women with a kiss on the cheek as a sign of familiarity and warmth.
Typically, it's customary to tip waiters, hotel personnel, and bellhops (around US$1 per bag), also tourist guides and valet parking attendants. In restaurants, leaving a tip of 10% to 15% of the bill is customary. Taxi drivers generally do not expect tips.
The national currency of Mexico is called Mexican Peso (MXN$). US$1 equals approx. MXN$16.69.
Electrical outlets in Mexico are Type A and Type B, so be sure to bring appropriate adapters if needed.
DinNers and events
Welcome Dinner May 27
We will be offering an informal and optional dinner on May 27 at 19:00 in Asador Libanés (it is within walking distance from the hotel).
Address: C. Kansas 19, Nápoles, Benito Juárez, 03810 Ciudad de México, CDMX, México
Closing Dinner May 29
After our event on May 29, we will head south to the Restaurant Los Danzantes Coyoacan, where we will have a cocktail, music, and some delicious dinner (all dietary restrictions and preferences considered) for our participants.
We will go there by bus so we ask you all to please be at 7:00 PM in front of the Hotel.
Leisure: Places to eat and drink
Sightseeing: To explore in Mexico City
Museo Nacional de Antropología
(overview, location), 6.9km distance from Elements by Marquis.
World-renowned museum dedicated to the archaeological and ethnographic record of Mexican cultural heritage. It houses an extensive collection of artifacts, including the famous Aztec Calendar Stone and the colossal Olmec heads.
Zócalo
(location), ca. 10km distance from Elements by Marquis.
This is one of the largest public squares in the world, an important hub of cultural and social activity. It's a great place to people-watch, enjoy street performances, and soak in Mexico’s urban atmosphere.
Floating gardens in Xochimilco
(location), ca. 28km distance from Elements by Marquis.
Ride along the charmful canals in a trajinera (traditional boat) through vibrant gardens full of history, mariachi bands and food vendors.
Read and listen about Mexico:
- The podcast “Mexico: violence and democracy”, a conversation with the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy (AHCD) researchers Laura Bullon-Cassis and Yanina Welp speak and Sandra Ley, political scientist, head of the Security Program at México Evalúa, and Javier Aparicio, economist, and professor at the CIDE.
- Mexico Country Outlook 2024 - by the Baker Institute
- Mexico’s election guide 2024 - by the Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute
And if you are into literature, these are some novels that will help you to understand Mexico:
- Fernanda Melchor: Temporada de huracanes / Hurricane Season
- Cristina Rivera Garza: Liliana's invincible summer: A sister's search for Justice (Pullitzer prize winner)
- Jorge Ibargüengoitia: Dos crímenes / Two crimes
- Denise Dresser: Manifiesto mexicano: cómo perdimos el rumbo y cómo recuperarlo Claudio Lomnitz: La nación desdibujada
OVERVIEW OF THE LEARNING DAYS
TAI hosts annual learning days, and this year will be about building on the learnings and outcomes of the 2023 Learning Days in Lisbon.
You can read the outcome document HERE.
This year, TAI members, other funders, activists, and experts from the field will gather to reflect, discuss, and learn from each other about the political and practical implications of funding trust, accountability, and inclusion-related programming at local level.
Facilitation:
Colectivo META: Guadalupe Mendoza, Manuela Garza, María MacGregor
Key objectives
Participants create new connections that last beyond the learning days
Explore evidence and insights on supporting greater societal trust, accountability, and inclusion for good governance outcomes (based on concrete experiences)
Share experiences about ways in which trust, accountability and inclusion approaches can be implemented on the ground within closing civic space
Discuss how donors can evolve their grantmaking strategies for more significant local impact and at the intersection of rights struggles (democracy, climate, social and economic justice, gender, information)
Identify concrete tools, approaches, and structures that funders can use, fund more locally-led initiatives to address inequalities in partnerships and to support a more harmonized civil society ecosystem
Share knowledge, experiences, best practices, and challenges related to funding local organizations through intermediaries
AGENDA
Day One - May 28th, 2024
Understanding what building trust, accountability, and inclusion looks like at local level.
Time | Session | Details |
9:00-9:30 | Arrival at the venue where coffee, tea, and refreshments will be available. Name tags will be available for participants to write how they would like to be called and their organization. Participants sign a release form allowing (or not) photos being taken/published of them. | |
9:30- 10:30 | Welcome and Learning Days’ objectives | Welcome from TAI, Ford Foundation and the Facilitators Getting to know each other |
10:30-11:30 | Sharing our initial insights on Trust, Accountability, and Inclusion for our work | Objective: participants begin to share initial insights and examples of strengthening trust, accountability, and inclusion at the local level Intro: Journaling and plenary Part 1: Individual work through journaling Part 2: Plenary sharing |
11:30-12:00 | COFFEE/TEA BREAK | |
12:00-13:15 | Featuring examples of TAI in programming: What are we doing? What have we learned? | Objective: Practitioners will share their experiences and have space for discussion with funders and peers. Part 1: Talk Show MODERATOR: Amina Salihu - MacArthur Foundation, Nigeria
Speakers:
Part 2: Engaging plenary |
13:15-14:15 | LUNCH BREAK | |
14:15-15:15 | Initial conversation around intersecting different thematic agendas and what value it adds | Objective: Participants begin to reflect upon how to work regarding the intersection between different thematic agendas. Part 1: Plenary Part 2: Plenary showcasing of concrete examples of working with intersections of thematic agendas MODERATOR: Sarah Iqbal, Hewlett Foundation Speakers:
Part 3: Individual reflections/journaling |
15:15-15:30 | COFFEE/TEA BREAK | |
15:30-16:30 | Deep dive into the intersecting thematic agendas work | Objective: participants can deep dive into the lessons and good practices of working at intersections. Intro: Reflect on previous session individual reflections Part 1: Group work Part 2: plenary sharing |
16:30-17:15 | Closing session | Objective: to identify key lessons of the day and ideas that emergedDynamics: plenary |
17:30-19:30 | MEXICO SESSION with cocktail party We will have additional guests: Mexico based civil society leaders | Objective: to gain perspectives on the current Mexican context and to network with Mexico City based activists and CSO leaders working on TAI thematic areas. MODERATOR: Guadalupe Mendoza Speakers:
|
Day Two - May 29th, 2024
Evolving grantmaking practices to support local trust-building, accountability and inclusion.
Time | Session | Details |
9:00-9:30 | Arrival at the venue where coffee, tea, and refreshments will be available. | |
9:30-10:00 | Welcome and objectives of the day | Objective: Connect and revise the agenda for the day |
10:00-11:30 | Funding and supporting organizations and movements in the context of closing civic space: experiences, lessons learned and questions to continue learning | Objective: to encourage participants to reflect on the challenges and risks faced by local groups that push for trust, accountability, and inclusion in their societies. Participants will share practical experiences that have enabled them to overcome and navigate closing civic space challenges, translate TAI values into grantmaking, and reach local organizations. Part 1: Talk-Show Panel MODERATOR: Valentina Zendejas, Fundación Avina Speakers:
Part 2: Q&A session that includes participants sharing their perspectives, experiences, and lessons learned. |
11:30-12:00 | COFFEE/TEA BREAK | |
12:00 - 13:00 | Coaching sessions- deep diving into issues we are wrestling with to find potential solutions | Objective: participants will have an opportunity for peer-to-peer coaching and learning through counseling sessions. Participants will bring one key predicament, struggle, or question related to the themes discussed during the meeting to share and discuss with peers with whom they can start identifying potential solutions. Dynamics: Group work |
13:15-14:15 | LUNCH BREAK | |
14:00-14:45 | Financing through Intermediaries vis a vis TAI: lessons from the ground. | Objective: Presenting key findings and lessons from current intermediary mappings. This presentation will help frame the upcoming discussions. Dynamics: Talk show - plenary session MODERATOR: Liliane Loya, INNO Speakers:
COMMENTATOR: Monica Tapia, Ruta Civica, Mexico |
14:45-15:45 | Deep dive on intermediaries as a route to funding considering TAI values, local partners, and closing civic space | Objective: Participants will share their experiences and lessons from working with intermediaries. This session will also allow those who are looking into intermediaries for the first time to ask burning questions to their peers. Part 1: Group discussion by thematic tables Part 2: Plenary session for conclusions |
15:15-15:30 | COFFEE/TEA BREAK | |
16:15-16:45 | Closing and next steps | Objective: to share key takeaway and new ideas that might have resulted from collective reflection these two days and next steps |
19:00 - | FAREWELL DINNER AND SHOWCASE | We will leave from the Hotel at 19:00 for our farewell dinner |
List of participants
Alejandra Ibarra Chaoul | Defensores de la Democracia |
Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika | Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism |
Alejandro Peña | TAI |
Alexandra Garita | PROSPERA |
Alvin Mosioma | Open Society Foundations |
Amara Nwankpa | Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Foundation |
Amina Salihu | MacArthur Foundation |
Annalee Erickson | Chandler Foundation |
Aram Barra LAC | Open Society Foundations |
Artemisa Castro Félix | FASOL |
Áurea Carolina | NOSSAS |
Bryan Sims | Humanity United |
Cesangari Lopez Martinez | Global Fund for Women |
Chenai Mukumba | Tax Justice Network Africa |
Cristina Ordoñez | TAI |
Crystal Simeoni | NAWI, the Afrifem Macroeconomics Collective |
Erin Sines | MacArthur Foundation |
Eszter Filippinyi | TAI |
Fernanda Hopenhaym | PODER |
Fernanda Zistecatl | Luminate Foundation |
Fiorella Wernicke | Asuntos del Sur |
Greta Rios | People Powered |
Guadalupe Mendoza | Colectivo META |
Helena Hofbauer | Ford Foundation |
Imani Fairweather-Morrison | Oak Foundation |
Jamaica Maxwell | Packard Foundation |
Kecia Bertermann | Luminate Foundation |
Kole Shettima | MacArthur Foundation |
Laura Budzyna | TAI |
Leah Eryenyu | TAI |
Leslie Tsai | Chandler Foundation |
Liliane Loya | INNO |
Lina Torres | Movilizatorio |
Lucila Serrano | USAID |
Maleine Amadou Niang | IBP Senegal |
Mallika Dutt | Hewlett Foundation |
Manuela Garza | Colectivo META |
María Mac Gregor Aja | Colectivo META |
Mario Arraigada, LAC | Open Society Foundations |
Matt Clausen | Inter-American Foundation |
Michael Jarvis | TAI |
Misun Woo | Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development |
Moky Makura | Africa No Filter |
Mónica Tapia Álvarez | Ruta Cívica |
Oscar Hernandez | Open Contracting Partnership |
Ousseynou Ngom | Hewlett Foundation |
Robin Varghese | Open Society Foundations |
Sarah Iqbal | Hewlett Foundation |
Tony Bebbington | Ford Foundation |
Valentina Zendejas | Fundación Avina |
Yery Menendez | TAI |
More on the Learning Days themes:
We collected a few resources (articles, publications) on the topics of the Learning Days that you might find of interest. You can access them HERE.
We prepared a Local Initiatives Advancing Trust, Accountability and Inclusion mapping. To better understand the range of exciting actions being taken around the globe, we invited groups to submit examples via a survey in April 2024. Please note that this list is just a sample to give a taste of rich variety of local initiatives aiming to advance participatory governance through trust, accountability and inclusion. While some featured projects may be funded by a TAI member that was not a requirement. We hope to make this a living resource. If you want to add more examples to this map, please contact ymgarcia@taicollaborative.org
