Looking back to move forward into 2022 with Sphere’s global network

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic brought complications and challenges, the Sphere network hosted over 100 learning events during the year, including training programmes in Brazil, Chile, Mozambique, Syria and elsewhere. The new Sphere in Practice eCourse was released and Sphere’s first Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) was attended by over 900 people.We shared your stories which spoke of the importance of humanitarian standards, including articles from Cesar Alvarez Sanchez, Jonas Habimana, Anne Radday and Nola Jenkins, Dr Unni Krishnan, and four graduates of the 2020 Burkina Faso Training of Trainers programme.

Collaborating with many of you, we released new guidance, new case studies, a new strategy and new learning resources.
After reviewing our membership model earlier in the year, we recently elected a new governing board which reflects our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

We welcomed five new organisational members, ten new individual members, four new focal points (KUNO, GOAL, Red Esfera Guatemala and FIHM) and four new listed trainers (Samia, Yvan, Zeynep and Mohammad).

Our online offerings remained popular. The Interactive Handbook received over 60,000 visitors from all over the world. The Sphere website received over 165,000 visitors who made some 76,000 downloads. Over 6,600 people registered on Sphere’s learning platform.
The 2018 edition of the Sphere Handbook was released in European Portuguese, Turkish and Bahasa Indonesia. The Humanitarian Standards Partnership welcomed two new members (CHS Alliance and the CCCM Cluster) and a new set of Camp Management standards.
And these are just a few highlights. Please continue to share your Sphere achievements with us and look out for our 2021 annual report early in the new year.

The Sphere team wishes you a pleasant end to 2021 and all the best for 2022 when we look forward to continuing our work and collaboration with you.