[Imc-africa] Request for Solidarity Fund for 2007 WSF in Nairobi

[fabian]

Dear Sirs,
on behalf of the Indymedia network prepartion team for the Indymedia 
Centre in Nairobis WSF 2007 I would like to put forward to you the 
following request for support from the solidarity fund for travel 
expenses of WSF participants. Thank you kindly regarding it.
Please don't hestitate to get back to me with any questions.
In good expectations of the 2007 WSF Nairobi I remain with my highest 
regards
Sincerely
Fabian Frenzel


Request for the Solidarity Fund of the WSF 2007, Nairobi.

Abstract
We are requesting the WSF for Solidarity Funds to allow 7 delegates to 
travel to Nairobi and participate in the Independent Media Centre (IMC) 
at the WSF 2007, costing a total of 8.000 Dollar.
For a list of delegates and their role in the IMC see beneath. The IMC 
has already secured funding for delegates travel from different 
sources, yet these funds were limited. The participation of the 7 
delegates is highly important for the project. We don’t see other 
possibilities for funding than from the WSF solidarity fund.

Key Organizers of IMC and requesting group
* Kenya-Indymedia Centre, still pending approval as a formal part of 
the Indymedia Network (www.indymedia.org), has been in existence since 
2004, after sending two representatives to the African Indymedia 
conference in Dakar, Senegal

* IMC_in_Africa, a working group of Media Activists from Africa and the 
rest of the world, engaged since 2003 in the promotion of independent 
media in Africa. Projects of IMC Africa involved a conference in Dakar, 
Senegal to the theme of media in Africa, the promotion and assistance 
of various African IMCs and earlier this year the preparation of an 
Independent Media Centre at the WSF in Bamako, Mali. 
(http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/imc-africa/)

* Prometheus Radio Project (http://www.prometheusradio.org), an 
organization that supports and builds low-power-radio stations around 
the world, and will provide technical advice and assistance for the low 
power radio station that will be operated from the "Convergence IMC 
Centre" to be built in Nairobi for the duration of the WSF (with 
equipment to remain in Kenya for use by future low power radio 
initiatives)

* Students and faculty members from Maseno University in Kenya, who 
will participate in ongoing independent media projects after the WSF is 
over.

Vision of IMC
Organizers in Kenya, throughout Africa and around the world will work 
together, both on-line and in face-to-face meetings, to build a 
temporary independent media centre (IMC) in Nairobi, Kenya, to provide 
communication during the January '07 World Social Forum. This 
"convergence-based" IMC will provide text-based, audio, and 
(potentially) video coverage of the World Social Forum, both on-line 
and through a local low-power radio station, enabling independent media 
coverage of the WSF during the forum itself as well as access through 
the world wide web to the WSF by an international audience.

The IMC will also be a hub for trainings and hands-on media-making 
workshops throughout the World Social Forum. The IMC plans to be open 
from January 13 to January 25. The WSF itself takes place from January 
20-25 2007.

Background

Historically Indymedia has had a close relationship with the WSF, as 
the Indymedia network of volunteer-run Independent Media Centres grew 
out of the same movement against neo-liberalism and for humanity that 
led to the World Social Forum. The Indymedia network has helped spread 
the world from the WSF from 2002 onwards, ensuring that an Independent 
Media Centre is available at each WSF to allow diverse voices from the 
Forum to be heard. Indymedia always understood the NGO based process of 
Social Forums in need of critical interventions to ensure its 
connectivity to grass roots activism and information autonomy of local 
communities and basis groups.

As for Independent Media Africa continues to be a challenge. While 
large parts of the populations in Africa still do not have access to 
democratic and independent media, they are lacking specifically access 
to more interactive media like the internet that enable not only to 
receive news but also to produce news globally. Local, private and 
pirate radio stations and even small-scale newspapers form a strong 
force of independent media in many African countries. Devoted media 
activists maintain them. The WSF gives a great opportunity to continue 
networking between these local activists as much as discuss chances and 
possibilities to increase the use of the internet for networking and 
eventually producing more African news for within and beyond Africa.

It was with this background in mind that we developed an Independent 
Media Centre at the Bamako WSF in January 2006. This IMC was a very 
enriching experience with a very positive outcome.

Project Plan
For the WSF in Nairobi, we would like to continue this work by setting 
up again an Independent Media Centre within the WSF. In order to 
facilitate this, Media activists from IMCs in Africa, Europe and 
America will travel to Nairobi to document the WSF there using the 
written word, digital photography, video and audio recording. 
Additionally we hope to create an atmosphere of creativity and critical 
discussions around the issues at stake for Independent Media in Africa 
and globally. Our programme of activities will include:

1) Travel to Nairobi and set up an convergence based Independent Media 
Centre where activists can get together, network, mutually learn and 
produce and publish their stories from the WSF.

2) The creation of a local radio station to cover the WSF.

3) Provide daily coverage of the WSF using an Indymedia website as a 
portal to upload stories, photographs and audio programming from the 
WSF.

4) Publish two Indymedia Print editions during the WSF to reach out to 
WSF delegates and Nairobi population

5) Host workshops on horizontal decision-making processes

6) Host workshops to discuss the relevance of Indymedia and independent 
media in general with African and other (media) activists.

7) Host workshops on the practical use of open publishing of news and 
stories within the framework of Indymedia.

8) Host workshops to teach the construction and the practical use of a 
radio station that should run throughout the WSF and hopefully beyond.

9) Host a series of film showings.

10) Create the spirit and enthusiasm among local activists in Nairobi 
and Kenya to resume and energize the formation of a permanent IMC in 
Kenya.

Delegates List
Solidarity Travel Funds are requested for the following group of 
delegates.

1) Soodhakur Ramlallah, Mauritius, Journalists and Activist, sharing 
knowledge about situation in Mauritius

2) Student from Cameroon, Student Movement in Ambazonia, sharing 
knowledge and information regarding situation in Cameroon

3) Student from Cameroon, Student Movement in Ambazonia, sharing 
knowledge and information regarding situation in Cameroon

4) Angela, Brazil, Radio activist, working with IMC Brazil, sharing 
experience in Indymedia Radio and Internet work.

5) Rafael, Brazil, Radio activists working with IMC Brazil, sharing 
experience in Indymedia Radio and Internet work.

6) Valentine Eben, Indymedia activist from Cameroon, Ambazonia, sharing 
experience in all kinds of Indymedia knowledge

7) Sebastian Alzerreca, France, Independent Media Activist, sharing 
knowledge of technical background to media, reporting from Social Forum 
in Niger and Benin___
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