This year, the largest event for people dedicated to social work took place. It was a joint world conference under the title "Social work and social development: activity and result" (http://www.swsd-stockholm-2012.org). Two years ago, this event was held in Hong Kong. That's when activity from the global social agenda began. In 2014, distant Melbourne, Australia will take over the baton. It is a pity that Slovakia's participation in Stockholm was both passively and actively undersized. The trip to Australia will probably be more financially demanding.

It is unthinkable to evaluate or tell about what the world conference for social work and society in general brought. Around 2,500 delegates from more than 200 countries and self-governing territorial units took part in it, i.e. more than member countries in the UN. The program included 5 conference days, 13 symposia and 170 workshops. For example 27 different work seminars were held in parallel. The collection of abstracts from the conference has 448 pages. In addition, there were pre-conference events, post-conference events, field visits, film screenings, poster/poster exhibitions, consultations, meetings, etc. The conference was organized by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and the International Council for Social Development (ICSW). It follows that the event was visited primarily by social workers - people from practice, representatives from schools of social work - educators, pedagogues and non-governmental organizations - ordinary people dedicated to social work and social development on a civic basis. The event created a vibrant global social network of people dedicated to social work and social development and people who are not indifferent to social justice.

A number of side events took place during the conference, and many organizations used the opportunity to be together to hold their regular meetings, general meetings, elections, etc. For example during the proceedings of the ICSW (its European organization) general assembly, I handed over the letter of the Permanent Conference III. sector of the Slovak Republic and I reported on the state of Slovak society (abandonment, poverty, unemployment, social differences). In the discussion on the state of society, a number of countries have recognized that they have similar problems, although not as severe. At the ICSW (Europe) meeting, steps were also agreed upon in the implementation of the Global Social Agenda, how to proceed with the recommendation of the International Labor Organization on the social minimum. On June 15, 2012, a revolutionary change took place in Geneva at the meeting of the International Labor Conference. The possibility of granting the social minimum is becoming a right. It has a fundamental impact on the need for a social safety net if a claim to the social minimum arises. This meeting was held in the building of the Swedish academic union Akademikerforbundet SSR. Basically, it is a trade union and professional organization for graduates of social work and social sciences with around 62,000 members.

The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) has prepared a joint event for its members and friends (individual members). Unfortunately, Slovakia does not have full membership here. A similar event was held by the European Association of Schools of Social Work (EASSW), of which some Slovak schools are also members. Its president, Sue Lawrence, recently visited Slovakia. The Eastern European Association of Schools of Social Work (EEASSW), led by the active Darja Zaviršek, also had its coordination and information meetings.

In addition to the already mentioned and apparently new paradigm about changing the possibility of entitlement to social security, some other knowledge can be mentioned. Above all, it is a link to remind again the understanding of social work as a profession of human rights. This has been approved and researched several times. I would like to recall only for memory the manual for schools of social work and the profession of social work "Human Rights and Social Work: a Manual for Schools Social Work and Social Work Profession" (UN, 1994) and the standards of the profession of social work in relation to human rights "Standards in Social Work Practice Meeting Human Rights (IFSW, 2012), the standards of the profession of social work in relation to economic, social and cultural rights "Standards in Social Work Practice Meeting Economic, Social and Cultural Rights' (IFSW-Europe, 2009) or the definition of social work adopted in Copenhagen on 27 June 2001 by the organizations of social workers (IFSW) and schools of social work (IASSW). During the pre-conference seminar on teaching social work, it was established the necessity to teach human rights to future social workers. In the field of application of human rights, the question of universal application and cultural relativism persists. The question of "Western" individualism and "Eastern" relatively higher importance of collective and community remains. For us, the standard (3.6.6.9) of social work in relation to human rights, which provides equal remuneration to social workers comparable to other professions, can be stimulating.

It can be generally concluded that the conference had three main topics and a number of secondary topics:

  1. Human rights and social equality, which is the basis for social workers all over the world in their work with clients or patients. 1.1. Active and dignified aging 1.2. Disability and inclusion efforts 1.3. Perspectives of children at risk 1.4. Youth and problems, current challenges 1.5. Respect for spiritual rights and faith 1.6. Violence against women 1.7. Fulfilling LGBT rights 1.8. The right to health and social equality

  2. Environmental changes and sustainable development because the ongoing changes in the environment cause more and more social problems. 2.1. Management of natural disasters. Perspectives of social work and social development 2.2. Changes in the environment of the indigenous population and its social consequences 2.3. Integrating economic, environmental and social perspectives 2.4. Social action for drinking water 2.5. Social economy and sustainable development: local experiences and global challenges 2.6. Sustainable Social Development: Research, Education and Practice

  3. Global social transformation and social work. 3.1. The fight against poverty and the development of social security 3.2. Social work in the context of political and military conflicts 3.3. Migration: challenges and opportunities 3.4. A family in transformation 3.5. International NGOs in transnational social activity 3.6. Social media and their impact on social development 3.7. Transformation organization for creativity

According to the well-known definition of the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) from 2001, social work helps social change, helps solve problems in interpersonal relationships, empowers and frees people to achieve a good life. In solidarity with marginalized groups, social work as a profession must promote social inclusion.

During the plenary session, Michael Marmot, Chairman of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health of the World Health Organization and Professor of Epidemiology stated that health differences result from social differences. Therefore, health is also a problem for social work. If the state does not pay adequate attention to this issue, the health and satisfaction of citizens decreases. He also gave the example of Slovakia, as a country with insufficient attention to the social sphere, which subsequently causes high mortality. Slovakia is one of the weaker countries on the European scale also when it comes to the chance of children not being discriminated against in the material sphere, in education and in health care. Apparently, there are problems with real solidarity in Slovakia.

Michael Marmot also addressed unemployment and its social impact. According to his knowledge, an increase in unemployment by 1% will cause an increase in the number of suicides by 0.8% and also by 0.8% in murders. The claims of some members of the government about unemployment as a necessary evil in order to maintain economic results therefore sound really antisocial in this light. Slovakia has long-term high unemployment and generally the highest rate of long-term unemployment. The essence of the Slovak economy built on "cheap" labor and a weak social sphere therefore has its toll in morbidity, the shortest length of healthy old age, dissatisfaction with life in Slovakia and shorter life expectancy. Many developing countries have overtaken us recently. As stated by M. Marmot, problems and differences in health are not inevitable and unsolvable. A fair society is needed for us and for our children.

Malcolm Payne (professor of social work, activist, writer, also known in Slovakia) presented some supporting ideas where he stated that social work is work with people as if they were our brothers and sisters. Social work is about human relationships, even when working in communities and groups. A commitment to social justice is not enough, it is necessary to achieve social solidarity.

Hans Rosling (Professor of International Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm) pointed out the limits to the growth and aging of the world's population. All countries are approaching their equilibrium. Demographic change is taking place everywhere, or already passed in the number of children (around 2 children per mother). Many so-called developing countries are already behaving as rich states in people's minds. A clear decrease in the number of children and, as a rule, associated with an increase in GDP per capita and a decrease in child mortality. It is a global change that has not been reversed by the diversity of cultures and religions. The world's population will reach 9 billion in 2050 with no subsequent increase in numbers. In his presentation, he also demonstrated the difference between the population of Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Walter Lorenz, (Rector of the Free University, Bozen-Bolzano, Italy) warned against privatization and warned against the choice of deciding who deserves help and who doesn't. The current crisis has created a threat to social work. The crisis in many countries, and especially in the EU, justifies the reduction of spending on health and the social sphere. According to him, the privatization of the public sphere was justified by the fact that the welfare state reduced social solidarity by promoting dependency. The difference between the rich and the poor is growing, and not only between states. The current social situation reminds us of the times when social work was created.

At the end of this information, I can give a rationale for going to such events. It is an opportunity to conduct an open dialogue and discuss in a positive sense of the word. People are often worried about their different opinion compared to the one printed in the media. There is an opportunity to disagree, to discuss common ideas. You have the possibility of discovery and the possibility of putting aside the daily routine. It is possible to meet people from different countries, regions, organizations, whom you would not have met, you would not have gained knowledge due to the lack of time to be in a joint international community. Last but not least is the possibility of confronting one's work and finding out that we are not so bad in knowledge.