[Imc-africa] WSF 2007 convergence Independent Media Center and radio project

Thu Sep 7 22:31:49 PDT 2006

Fabian,

> >
> > For the IMCs stand towards the WSF, I think we need
> > to discuss this a
> > bit more profundly. This will also help us to start
> > working on a
> > program/content for the convergence. Some
> > questions/ideas :
> > To what degree to we understand ourselves as part of
> > the WSF and to
> > what degree to we understand as a independent media,
> > remaining in a
> > critical distance to the WSF? This is about the role
> > of the IMC
> > convergence at the WSF. This also relates to the
> > potential aim and
> > outcome of the convergence.  I think we all agree on
> > the need to ensure
> > that the stopover of the WSF circus has a local
> > impact in the region.
> > How can Indymedia in its pariticipation help that
> > this is the case? How
> > can we include more people in Kenia and around in
> > East-Africa in to the
> > process of independent media activism, reaching
> > beyond the scope of
> > already connected activists? Where should workshops
> > take place, inside
> > or outside the WSF? Where is the radio and the IMC
> > to be located, so
> > people fell easy to walk inside and take part? What
> > would be other
> > means of outreach? for example, should we try to go
> > down different
> > software routes in regards to open-publishing ( for
> > example with
> > blogs)?
> >

These are all such wonderful questions!  Most of my experience with 
organizing convergence-based IMCs has taken place at events like World 
Bank-IMF protests, at which clearly we were on the outside.  I did go to 
the WSF in Porto Alegre a couple years ago.  The IMC space was located in 
the "youth camp," which was outside the official convention area.  I don't 
think most of the WSF participants knew we were there.  That did give us a 
nice sense of independence, though, and we did a lot of coverage of events 
that questioned the WSF, and even some protests that went against it, 
though on the other hand we had very few resources and could have 
benefitted from being more public.

All your questions go right to the question of the goals of this IMC.  Is 
our primary goal to provide coverage of the actual WSF or are we going to 
mainly focus on workshops, trainings, etc, for WSF participants to empower 
them to make independent media?  We can certainly do both, and perhaps 
equally, as long as there are enough people willing to participate, so 
that's an option too.  While the WSF itself may not make for the most 
exciting coverage -- lots and lots and lots of panel discussions -- 
certianly there are going to be a lot of great ideas to discuss and 
wonderful people to interview.  We can have people "learn by doing," 
teaching people how to interview, especially using cheap audio equipment, 
or learn how to write articles and post them on the internet.  (Which leads 
to another question -- which site will we use to post information?  If the 
imc-kenya group is up for it, maybe we should support imc-kenya's last 
steps through the new-imc process and have them debut their site at that 
time?  Or should we try to set up a wsfnairobi.indymedia.org site?)

I guess I'm just throwing out more questions to add to your questions.  The 
important thing is, these seem to be absolutely the right questions to be 
asking ourselves at this point.
Jay

> >
> > Thanks a lot for the discussion,
> >   hope to hear from you all soon...
> >
> > Fabian
> >
> >
> > Am 30.08.2006 um 08:38 schrieb sphinx:
> >
> > > This far much of the activity going on is
> > information gathering and we
> > > really
> > > need speed-up preparation if we are to get a
> > successful event in
> > > January which
> > > is just five few months away. Prometheus radio is
> > putting together a
> > > list for
> > > material we hope to buy locally and use in the
> > construction of the
> > > radio
> > > station.
> > > I tried to put up a wiki page today for the event,
> > so we could started
> > > gathering
> > > all these fantastic ideas that are coming up in
> > the mailing list to
> > > one place to
> > > avoid us losing them  to the list archive. But
> > unfortunately the
> > > indymedia
> > > documentation wiki site is down and as soon as the
> > tech folks get it
> > > up and
> > > running I'll try to do just that.
> > >
> > > POINTS THAT CAN BE dealt WITH IMMEDIATELY:
> > > Very salient points were raised in the list that
> > need be dealt with
> > > right away.
> > >
> > > 1-Fabian proposed that we start the meeting
> > earlier may be a week
> > > before the
> > > forum.  Since the forum will go from January 20 to
> > 25, 2007. The
> > > Convergence
> > > media Center in Nairobi Kenya for the  7th World
> > Social Forum (WSF)
> > > should go
> > > operational from January 13th 2007.
> > > Is there any objection to this ?.
> > >
> > > 2-The Mali collective has indicated their desire
> > to send 3 delegates
> > > to the
> > > event. They have further
> > > indicated that they will take time of to research:
> > - necessary visa
> > > formality
> > > travel and -ticket cost which I think all others
> > should do as well.
> > > On the question on general information about
> > things like cost of
> > > leaving  in
> > > Kenya and general traveling information, I think
> > the World Social
> > > Forum folks
> > > did a great job under the topics : Getting to
> > Nairobi, Where to stay,
> > > Getting
> > > around, meeting place and Communication on their
> > website at
> > > http://socialforum.or.ke/
> > >
> > > Thus all are encourages to research ticket cost
> > from their area of
> > > location.
> > > In this respect since it is absolutely important
> > for us to get the
> > > ticket cost
> > > for delegates who will be coming from various
> > countries I wish to make
> > > the
> > > following proposal.
> > > 1-That in the next (2-3) days we make an appeal
> > for activists from
> > > across the
> > > network who will like to go to the WSF forum to
> > indicate and do so
> > > within the
> > > next 14 so that we can start planning and fund
> > raising especially for
> > > people
> > > like Fabian who are interest in fund raising for
> > tickets.
> > > -The list of preference as to how we fund
> > delegates will be based on
> > > the funds
> > > we get.
> > > But it will start with African delegates who leave
> > in an environment
> > > where fund
> > > raising is very difficult. Then volunteers who
> > will like to help run
> > > workshops,
> > > then any other person along that line. Again this
> > is a proposal and
> > > your input
> > > is needed before we word it to a final proposal
> > for distribution
> > > across the
> > > indymedia-network.
> > > The information on those hoping to come will give
> > us a better idea on
> > > the space
> > > we may need organize for logging and all other
> > cost needed for the
> > > full period
> > > of the Conference.
> > >
> > > AS OF NOW:
> >
>=== message truncated ===
>
>
>
>Glenda Loebell-Ryan
>Am Wasser 57
>CH-8049 Zürich
>SWITZERLAND
>
>Tel. ++41  1  341  94 22
>glloebell at yahoo.com
>
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