News

As we begin to settle into this festive season, I’d like to begin by extending my warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. At the end of an incredibly difficult year for many of us, professionally and personally, it is OK if you’re entering this holiday period with mixed emotions.

However, whether this year has been a welcomed rest or an absolute nightmare, I hope you can join me in taking comfort in the small milestones and successes that we have had along the way.

At Social Platform, we have adapted well to our new way of working and, alongside our Members, continued to make an impact. Whether it was publishing our position paper on an EU Framework Directive on Adequate Minimum Income or hosting several insightful study visits with civil society organisations and European Commission representatives – we have demonstrated the value of our work and how it is contributing towards a socially just and equal society for all.

Our Extraordinary General Assembly and our virtual event on the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan were also attended by many of our Members, civil society organisations, Members of the European Parliament and EU representatives. This year has continued to act as a reminder that our work and collective action is invaluable.

Indeed, it is through our combined voices that we have been an integral part of pushing our EU institutions into taking action on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. The COVID-19 pandemic has created in its path a whole new set of social inequalities and exclusions and it is vital moving forward into 2021 that we continue to ensure that EU leaders progress with a comprehensive and ambitious action plan.

This year has also brought us closer to some of the incredible work of our Members and their own networks – all working hard to achieve a socially and economically fair and just Europe for all. Our Made in Social Europe Exhibition 2020 is a collection of 19 of these inspiring practices from projects across 20 countries. With this exhibition, we want to highlight this work, learn together and ultimately bring the EU closer to its citizens whilst preparing for the future of Europe at local, regional and national level.

We are also ending this year by saying a farewell to our Director, Kélig Puyet. Over the past few years, Kélig has worked tirelessly in driving forward the work of Social Platform and ensuring that our network realises its potential.

As Kélig moves across the Atlantic to embark on a new adventure, we are truly thankful for all of her hard work and enthusiasm which has propelled Social Platform towards its collective vision.

This is only a taste of our many achievements this year. Regardless of milestone events or key organisational objectives being met, we all have something to be proud of as we approach the end of 2020 – and that is our collective resilience and our belief, even in this incredibly challenging time, that a socially just and equal Europe for all is achievable.

So friends, let’s leave this year behind us and move forward into 2021 with renewed optimism. I wish you all a very restful and joyful festive period and look forward to working with you all in the New Year.

Yours,

Piotr