ESSGLOBAL – Inter-connecting social solidarity economy (SSE)

The ESSglobal is an initiative of some members of the RIPESS network.

ESSglobal_logoInteraction among single initiatives using ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) to map Solidarity Economy initiatives have been taking place at least since the third World Social Forum in Porto Alegre (2005).
During the 4th RIPESS assembly in Luxembourg (LUX 09), a workshop (Workshop #10) was held on Communication and Information Systems. As a result of this workshop, a working group on “mapping” was formed in the RIPESS framework in order to:
– Facilitate international visibility of activities and products of the solidarity economy
– Pool methods and tools for existing and planned mappings (to be made available in the form of a resource center for existing partner sites and for new networks that wish to join)
– Develop cross-functional projects of human and economic cooperation between partners of the working group
– Cooperate with other initiatives to track Solidarity Economy actors and existing or
planned networks.

The Working Group initiated an international mapping project involving several RIPESS members that had already developed or were in the process of developing ICTs: Germany, Austria, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Brasil and Canada (Quebec).

At the same time, an analysis of the state of the art on the existing ICT tools and online collaboration (internet platforms) in Europe has brought together players in the SSE. In the framework of RIPESS Europe, a Working Group was created with the aim of conducting a methodological study of European SSE mapping projects. This European Working Group also aimed to contribute to the international mapping initiative by submitting a project to the European Commission and to the private foundation FPH. The project was approved by FPH and has been in development since March 2011.

Download the ESSglobal interoperability guidelines (pdf).

Advancements on the development with open linked data and the first version of the ESS Global RDF Vocabulary can be found here.