The presidential working group ‘From poverty to well-being through productive work’ is organising the ‘Innovate & Sustain’ symposium on 1 and 2 December 2026.
The symposium will take place at Roeli’s Event Venue and is being organised in collaboration with the Business Administration programme of the Anton de Kom Universiteit van Suriname (AdeKUS). According to working group chair Donaghy Malone, the aim is not only to stimulate public discussion on poverty reduction, but above all to reach implementable agreements.
“The symposium is really intended to get that public discussion going,” Malone said on Tuesday, 10 November, during an interview with the Communicatie Dienst Suriname (CDS, Suriname’s government communications service).
More attention for economic independence
According to Malone, there are various population groups in Suriname and the Caribbean that need work, income and development opportunities, but do not sufficiently know which support programmes are available.
Over the past eleven months, the presidential working group has held talks with various organisations to map existing opportunities and promote cooperation.
The ministries of Landbouw, Veeteelt en Visserij (LVV), Jeugdontwikkeling en Sport (JOS), Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Arbeid (VWA) and Economische Zaken, Ondernemerschap en Technologische Innovatie (EZOTI) are among those involved in this process.
The Stichting Arbeidsmobilisatie en Ontwikkeling (SAO), which offers vocational training, and the Stichting Productieve Werk Eenheden (SPWE), which promotes entrepreneurship, are also contributing.
One of the initiatives is the Suriname Labor Intelligence Platform (SLIP), where interested persons can register online.
Districts to be actively involved
The organisers want to prevent the discussion on poverty reduction from taking place exclusively in Paramaribo. Therefore, in cooperation with e-Government and the district commissioner’s offices, work is being done on options to allow residents of other districts to participate digitally.
Through multifunctional centres and other available locations, communities can follow the symposium live and share their ideas and proposals.
“Suriname is not only Paramaribo. We want to involve every district,” Malone stressed.
During the symposium, topics such as entrepreneurship, employment, financial inclusion and sustainable economic development will be discussed. Existing projects by companies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will also receive attention. People with specific support needs must also be involved in the discussions.
From discussion to concrete agreements
The working group wants the symposium to deliver more than just an exchange of ideas. Participating organisations must, where possible, commit themselves to concrete initiatives that contribute to employment, economic independence and reducing poverty.
The results of the discussions and working group sessions will be incorporated into a report containing recommendations and agreements. This document is intended to guide further cooperation among the organisations involved.
According to Malone, the decision to organise the symposium after about a year of preparations and assessments was deliberate. The working group believes the time is ripe to involve more civil society organisations, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in the approach.
Participation free, number of places limited
Participation in ‘Innovate & Sustain’ is free of charge. According to the organisation, the venue can accommodate approximately 200 to 300 visitors. Interested persons can register through the Suriname Labor Intelligence Platform.
More information is available through the Facebook page of the presidential working group ‘From poverty to well-being through productive work’. The working group’s secretariat is located at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal.
With the symposium, the working group hopes to lay a foundation for a joint and long-term approach in which productive work and entrepreneurship play a greater role in combating poverty in Suriname.
