[Imc-africa] Invitation to Conference on Formal Consensus and Nonviolent Social Change

[sphinx]

Hello Friends. In the backdrop of the on going grassroots political
transformations taking place in Africa, especially with the World Social Forum
coming to Kenya next year;
Some Volunteers from Food Not Bombs and indymedia are organizing; The 2006
African Conference on Formal Consensus and Nonviolent Social ?Change.
 ??Lagos, Nigeria September 24 - October 1, 2006.
As of now we are getting down to the discussions and I? m hereby inviting to
participate in the discussions as well as prepare at least a three-person
delegation to send to the Conference. We?ll be trying our hands on
fundraising to cover transportation cost for especially African delegates whose
organizations cannot pay their transportation cost.

You can join the discussions on the list at:
http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/africanconsensus

Here is the draft presently being discussed:
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The 2006 African Conference on Formal Consensus and Nonviolent
Social Change.
Lagos, Nigeria September 24 - October 1, 2006


Some Volunteers with Food Not Bombs and Indymedia will host the 2006
African Conference on Formal Consensus and Nonviolent Social Change.

Community activists from all across Africa are invited to Lagos, Nigeria to
study the democratic decision making process of Formal Consensus and share
strategies and techniques for nonviolent solutions to Africa?s social
problems.  Africa is on the verge of an exciting new era of social
transformation. Nonviolent horizontal structures of grassroots community
development have caught the attention of Africans of every social class.
The conference will have workshops on many subjects like Formal Consensus,
women?s empowerment, vegetarian cooking, FM radio broadcasting and web-based
community organizing. The week long conference has the support of many African
organizations and prominent people including the National Association of
Nigerian Students, The Nigerian Network of NGOs, the Association For Women?s
Rights in Development, Alesa Eleme?s Elder Igwe Ejireyi, the musician
Charly Boy, Nigerian Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe and The Special Assistant to the
President On Food Security Mrs. M. Oluwatoyin Adtunji. Food Not Bombs
co?founders C.T. Lawrence Butler and Keith McHenry will be among the
facilitators at the conference.  Mr. Butler will teach a comprehensive
workshop on Formal Consensus based on his book ?On Conflict and Consensus.? 
Food Not Bombs chapters from Ibadan, Owerri, Jos, Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt,
and Calabar are eager to help coordinate the logistics for food, housing and
West African outreach.


On Nigerian Independence Day there will be a large
concert celebrating the power of Africans to build a better future.  West
African musician Charly Boy and many other local artists will perform live at
one of the large stadiums in Lagos to close the conference.  After that
Keith McHenry will join local activist on a tour of West Africa visiting
local Food Not Bombs chapters and assisting those starting
Indymedia collectives.
This conference was proposed in March 2006 by Food Not Bombs organizers in
Nigeria and some Indymedia activists from Africa and the US.
 West Africans are on the threshold of an exciting new era and your
support of this ground breaking event can make a difference.  The 2006
African Conference on Formal Consensus and Nonviolent Social Change will set
a solid foundation for this bright future for Africa


To find out more
join our list africanconsensus at lists.riseup.net.
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Spread the word.

Peace
Sphinx