[Imc-africa] Workshop idea: Effective Indymedia in Africa

[Jay]

Hi everyone,

Now that we're talking more directly about workshops, I want to 
repeat an idea I've tossed around a bit and see if anyone would like 
to work on this.

I'd love to see us use the opportunity of so many people coming 
together in Nairobi, especially delegates from African IMCs and from 
countries around the world where access to technology is not the 
norm, to have some honest and far-reaching discussions about how 
Indymedia can be most effective in places where people don't 
generally have computer access.  I don't envision this kind of 
discussion being as much of a "workshop" as a series of sessions 
during which people have difficult conversations about the utilty, or 
lack thereof, of the Indymedia network, in their countries, and come 
up with ways to make the useful parts most useful in their local 
areas.  People who have already done IMC organizing in Africa and 
beyond could talk about their exepriences and ideas of course, but 
the more important thing is that everyone would brainstorm 
*practical* ways for local IMCs to make their work relevant to the 
widest possible audience.

Possibly this kind of discussion could form the heart and soul of the 
WSF IMC convergence.  Yes, we'll be successful if we build a radio 
station and share some media-making skills, but ultimately not 
everyone will go home and be able to build a radio station or have 
access to equipment to use to make video or post to the 
internet.  The deeper, and ultimately more relevant question seems to 
be how people throughout Africa and beyond can most effectively 
connect to each other and to the greater world using independent media.

So, I propose this not as a "workshop" but as one of the primary 
orientations of the convergence.

Since I'm 90% sure I'm not going to be there, I'd love to see if 
anyone who will be in Nairobi, especially an African IMC delegate, 
may be interested in fleshing out some of the concepts with me and 
working together to make it happen.

Thinking deep thoughts,
Jay