From 3 to 6 June 2026, Douala will host the second edition of the International Meeting on Popular and Solidarity-based Education (RIEPS). Organised by CRID and Terrafrik Cameroon, this conference will bring together around 150 practitioners of popular and solidarity-based education from over 30 countries.
Why have a RIEPS?
In 2024, in Abidjan and Grand-Bassam (Ivory Coast), 130 people from 22 countries came together for the first time in a unique setting: an international gathering entirely dedicated to popular and solidarity-based education, born out of the international momentum of the Festival of Solidarity. Four days of workshops, plenary sessions, field visits and cultural events left a tangible legacy — two networks were established, joint projects were launched, and friendships were forged across the globe.
Two years on, the movement continues. And this time, it is Douala that is opening its doors.
What brings us together
The crises we are facing are neither abstract nor distant. Climate change, economic inequality, the shrinking of civic space, tensions surrounding migration… In the face of these realities, popular education is not a luxury — it is an essential political and educational tool for strengthening our collective capacity for analysis and action.
RIEPS 2026 is the space where these convictions come together, are put to the test and are transformed into shared practices.
What’s on — 4 days to build together
The event will be spread over four days:
- Day 1 – Partnership Day: plenary discussions on the involvement of institutions in popular and solidarity-based education, discussion workshops
- Days 2 & 3: plenary sessions, workshops on sharing best practice, networking lunches, and socially engaged cultural and artistic activities
- Day 4 – Festival of Solidarity Day: Festisol plenary session, spotlight on local stakeholders, 10th-anniversary gala of the Festival of Solidarity in Cameroon — presentation of the Alimenterre and Festisol Cameroon awards
A programme designed to allow time for socialising, for the unexpected, and for what develops between sessions.
Douala and Terrafrik Cameroon to host RIEPS 2026
A long-standing partner of CRID, Terrafrik Cameroon has been coordinating the Festival of Solidarity in Cameroon for the past ten years. RIEPS 2026 will also provide an opportunity to celebrate this tenth anniversary and to highlight the richness of Cameroon’s voluntary sector.
A stop on the way to Cotonou
RIEPS 2026 marks a decisive step in our collective preparations for the World Social Forum in Cotonou (Benin, August 2026). It is an opportunity to refine our analyses, strengthen our alliances and work together to develop the positions our network will put forward there.
📅 3–6 June 2026 📍 Douala, Cameroon 🔗 Registration and further information: https://rieps.org/
📣 Follow the event live on social media using #RIEPS2026
RIEPS 2026 is organised by CRID and Terrafrik Cameroon, with the support of the French Development Agency, the Fondation de France and numerous partners.
