With a people-centred vision, the Argentine G20 presidency has promoted several projects to bring the forum to classrooms across the country. Throughout the year, it has organized 10 Model G20 exercises and sought to promote the talent of local producers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and artists.
Organized by Argentina’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, and Argentina’s National Institute of Youth, the Model G20 encouraged students to stimulate major G20 debates and prepared them for decision making and building consensus.
Around 1,000 students and 100 teachers took part in the 10 editions of the Model G20 in 9 cities across the country, including Buenos Aires, La Plata, Posadas, San Salvador de Jujuy, Gualeguaychú and Viedma. During each exercise, students studied the dynamics of the G20 and worked on their presentations for several weeks. Acting as sherpas, finance ministers or leaders, they discussed the future of work, one of the priorities of the G20 this year.
The Argentine G20 presidency made available a thematic guide on the future of work, with recommended classroom activities and a step-by-step teacher’s guide for teachers and students to replicate the Model G20 at any school in Argentina and around the world. These open educational resources are available in Spanish and English at the website of Argentina’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Technology.
The role of cooperatives and social enterprises
With a focus on equality and sustainability, the Argentine presidency hired over 15 social enterprises and cooperatives as suppliers at the 80 plus working meetings held before the Leaders’ Summit.
At the First Sherpa Meeting, for example, leaders’ representatives received an alpaca shawl made by Animaná, a social enterprise of female weavers from Catamarca and other Andean communities.
The kits given to delegates at G20 working group meetings included a notebook made by Movimiento Darte and Cooperativa La Juanita. For every notebook given to a delegate, the two organizations donated another to a child in need of school materials.
Zafrán, a social enterprise that works with children with Down Syndrome, prepared breakfast cereal bars, while La Rañatela, a sheltered workshop that employs 50 people with disabilities in Mendoza, manufactured 3,000 eco-bags for the Summit.
Finance and central bank deputies from G20 member countries received chocolates prepared by Albricias, a social enterprise that supports the San José children’s home. Located in José C. Paz, in the province of Buenos Aires, Albricias provides food, education and support to 250 children from low income families.
Finally, each leader will receive an alpaca shawl manufactured by the Belén Association of Female Weavers. The shawls (200 cm x 60 cm) were woven with a traditional Argentine loom.
