Values statement for Welsh international engagement

This creation of this statement facilitated by the Welsh Centre for International Affairs. 

The purpose of this statement is to underpin our engagement with International events, engagement and activities within the principles of the Well-being of Future Generations Act and the ambition to be a globally responsible nation.

Context

The Well-being of Future Generations Act includes a goal for Wales to be a globally responsible nation. This is also a key thread running through Wales’ International Strategy. A part of being globally responsible is engaging internationally with people, communities, organisations and governments around the world. 

International engagement is an opportunity for Wales to share and champion its values, aspirations and stories on a global stage, to platform our global partners, to make new connections and to learn from others and to make the most of opportunities for Wales. It’s also an opportunity for people in Wales to engage with people and cultures from around the world, potentially creating lasting relationships that promote peace and solidarity. Without international engagement, cooperation on the myriad of challenges we collectively face is impossible. 

However, international engagement, particularly where travel is involved, can raise some challenges:

  • Carbon footprint associated with travel, especially if travel is perceived as unnecessary
  • Practices in different countries that can harm people and planet, including human rights abuses perpetrated by governments

This values statement seeks to give some guidelines to support globally responsible international engagement. 

Wales is itself still on a journey to being a sustainable, globally responsible and inclusive nation, so the purpose of sharing values and stories is both to inspire others but also to learn from them.

Values

  • In all our international engagements, we will embody our commitments in international agreements, standards and principles such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Paris Climate Agreement 2015. These will act as a benchmark for our own conduct and expectations of the conduct of others. 
  • We will have a clear purpose and set objectives for our international engagement and be transparent about these, acknowledging complexity and trade-offs. International engagements will be practical and action-focused. 
  • Wales aims to be inclusive – an anti-racist, and a LGBTQ+ friendly and feminist society that champions disability rights and is inclusive of religions and beliefs. We’ll share stories of our work on gender equality and inclusivity, making sure to platform diverse voices from across rural and urban Wales during international engagement whether overseas or in Wales, with a particular focus on sharing voices that are often under-represented. . 
  • We will take opportunities to raise our voice with partners from around the world, with a particular focus on those who have fewer opportunities to have their voices heard on the international stage (e.g. Indigenous Peoples, global majority partners)
  • We will use international engagement opportunities to build global solidarity, to make links with countries around the world to share and learn – involving artists, education and grassroots organisations. Learning from other cultures and understanding their values is just as important as talking about our values and we recognise the mutual benefit of these relationships. International engagement is an opportunity to develop lasting friendships and partnerships but also to show solidarity on shared challenges we face such as inequality, climate justice and poverty.
  • We’ll share the story and aspirations of the Well-being of Future Generations Act.
  • Wales aspires to be a welcoming nation, and is unique in terms of its ambitions to be a nation of sanctuary. At a time of significant challenges in the world such as conflict and the climate emergency, offering a warm welcome to all who come to and interact with Wales is key to our national identity and a positive story to share.
  • We will distinguish between people and governments, taking care not to apply stereotypes or assumptions relating to people.
  • We’re proudly bilingual and will celebrate this, and will also celebrate the broader diverse languages and cultures within Wales making sure these are represented through our publicity and interactions. We will enhance Welsh as a national language of Wales and celebrate and learn from other indigenous languages around the world
  • We will minimise our carbon footprint in international engagement. Where travel is required (i.e. if objectives cannot be achieved by other means), we will be transparent about the footprint and how we are managing our footprint overall. Where travel is required, we will recognise the harm this causes. We may make a donation to a climate or social justice charity as part of this recognition. We will value cross-sector engagement in international activities, recognising the value of arts, cultural, sporting, economic, educational and third sector 
  • We recognise we are privileged to engage and travel internationally. As such, we will make sure all staff and volunteers that engage internationally will represent these values, receiving appropriate pre-departure inputs and debriefings, ensuring safety of staff, volunteers and those we engage with around the world is ensured