Workshop Summary: Outside The Beltway - Building Statewide Collaboration on Development

Want to build a strong statewide coalition of nonprofits, businesses, academic institutions and governmental agencies focused on global development?  If so, talk to Bookda Ghesir, executive director of Global Washington, and Carol Welch, senior program manager for Policy and Advocacy at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Operating under the pillars of convening, strengthening and advocating, Global Washington has not only become a hub for those organizations in Washington State who work on development issues around the world they have also created the space for the Washington development community to speak with a unified voice. Over the last three years Global Washington has conducted capacity building trainings, held global socials, carried out special initiatives, formed and managed working groups, and held two annual conferences.  Through this work Global Washington has been able to provide its members with ways to leverage resources, increase their visibility, and share best practices. 

Ghesir noted while the growing pains continue, Global Washington has been successful in bringing together a previously un-united community, as well as bringing home the importance of global development to the people of Washington State. Ghesir went on to say, "They are making the global local, and people are really excited to be a part of this.”

By Tawana Jacobs, associate director of public relations at InterAction