The Iran Association of Social Workers commenced a conference this morning titled, Social Work, Social Observation and Social Solidarity. Hassan Mousavi, President of IASW said, “This conference focuses on building the relationships between communities, NGOs, social services and government departments so that they work together in identifying current and future vulnerability within communities and that all parties collectively take action to find social solutions”.
The Conference was opened by IFSW Secretary-General Rory Truell who cited a number of powerful examples of social work practice coming from Iran. He noted the consistency between their approach and the World Social Work Day theme ‘Ubuntu – I Am Because We Are’. He highlighted how community cultures of care are the fundamental basis of social protection and that the role of social work is to support and facilitate relationships within and between communities as well as with supporting social services to realize their role in social transformation and preventing vulnerability.
Speakers from across the world provided examples of working in partnership with communities and service-users as a form of social observation and social action. To follow the conference, click on the link here. The Iranian news agency has reported on the conference here (in Persian).