[Qui-deu-a-qui] Comissió CONTINGUTS i dates - Setmana del deute

[gemma.tarafa en odg.cat]

Hola a tothom...

El proper dimarts tenim la segona reunió preparatòria de la Setmana del
Deute. A la primera vam començar a definir els continguts i els espais. En
principi es van crear quatre comissions; finances, continguts, difusió i
logística (espais).

La idea era posar-se "manos a la obra" per portar feina feta la setmana
que ve; la gent de difusió havia de contactar amb organitzacions i
persones que ja van participar l'any passat per sumar-se al procés, els de
continguts havíem de definir una mica millor els eixos, temàtiques, els de
logística havien de començar a sondejar els espais que vam
prioritzar...etc.

Volia fer una crida a la comissió de CONTINGUTS; com ho acabem de
treballar?...via mail?, ens trobem una mica abans el dimarts?...Ja direu.

Us recordo que en aquesta comissió estàvem; Sergi, Platera, Nina,
Griselda, Eulàlia i Gemma. ALGÚ MÉS S'APUNTA?...

Aprofito el mail per enviar-vos un correu que ens han fet arribar sobre
les dates a nivell internacional de la Setmana del Deute. En podem parlar
també el proper dimarts.

Un petonas i ànims, Gemma


Assumpte: Dates global debt week
Data: Thu, 14 May 2009 12:18:32 -0300
De: Beverly Keene <beverly en jubileesouth.org>

I have been sorely remiss - had decided to wait until the G20 flurry was
over, but time keeps marching/sailing by¡! But to get on with things
now...:

1)  Steering/Convenors Group - As my notes from Quito go (september '08),
it was JS, JDC and ODG indicated willingness to take on initial
responsibility for pushing the Debt Week process forward. So first
suggestion is that we formally constitute ourselves as the initial core of
the DebtWeek convening team, and begin to move out from there.

2) There is an existing list-serve - <debtweek en yahoogroups.com> - which we
could fairly easily update and begin to use for more specific discussions,
beyond the illegitimate debt campaign news list.  I just took a quick look
at the membership, it is from 2007, an even then I think incomplete.  But
we can work on pulling together the addresses from both 2007 and 2008
processes, for an initial mailing

3) DATES - Most urgent task for sure.  In the midst of discussions and
"global agenda setting" in Belem, in January, I consulted with the
relevant groups on hand at the critical moment - in the midst of the
WSF-Intntl Council meeting, and attached the OCTOBER 7 - 15 date to the
Week - because it was clear at the time that if the Week did not have a
date, it would not be included in the global action calendars being
set/accomodated/and most importantly, disseminated.  It was initially
listed as "to be confirmed", but that tentativeness quickly got lost.  I
do apologize for what was no attempt to hijack any more participatory
process - but now the task is to move on.

As was mentioned in Quito, the dates of the week in the best of cases are
"damned if you do, damned if you don't".  There are some oft repeated
caveats/criteria:
 - avoid Ramadan (Aug 22 to Sept 21, 2009)
 - situate near (preferabely before) IMF-WB annual meetings (Turkey,
October 6 and 7, 2009)

 - don´t make the Week dependent on the IMF and the WB, we need our "own"
dates (obviously not too compatible with the previous sentiments)

 - "great" to include other days like 16 and 17 October - becuz it helps
to make connections with food and agricultures, and poverty issues, GCAP
+/- permanently on board, etc

 - "horrid" to superimpose with dates like 16 and 17, becuz those groups
feel like we are encroaching on them ( not overly compatible with the
previous criteria etiher)

 - October 15th, date of Thomas Sankara´s assassination, is a good "debt"
date, but it rings very few bells in the outside world

 - Ocober 12th, big date for mobilizing indigenous peoples in Latin
America and Caribbean, is a good date to include altho shares some of the
concerns of 16 and 17 Oct.

So it was with all those considerations in mind, and taking also into
consideration that from Belem, indigenous peoples agreed to launch the
call for a global day of mobilization/action in defense of mother earth
for October 12th, that we proposed the 7- 15 OCTOBER dates; a nine-day
week to be sure, not helping much in the buildup to the IMF-WB annual
meetings, but more or less bridging some gaps.  BUT NOW, WHAT TO DO? 
CONFIRM OR JUMP SHIP? result of various conversations among diverse
actors, North and South, has led thus far to the following three options:

- Fix the dates OCTOBER 7 TO 17 as DAYS OF GLOBAL ACTION ON DEBT AND IFIs,
 including at least the final day of IMF/WB meets and including all the
related and relevant dates 12, 15,16, 17...  JS is prepared to live with
that, Jubilee USA and Eurodad also seemed to have indicated (we discussed
some recelty in Malaysia), with considerable interest on the part of some
to include the 17th.  If we choose to go this route, we lose the "brand
identification" of WEEK OF GLOBAL ACTION..., don´t really include the
build-up to the IMF/WB meets and, while we are at it, should probably
stretch through the 18th to take advantage of the full weekend¿?  making
it OCTOBER 7 TO 18.  Such a long period would obviously stretch our
capacity to build momentum, but maybe be offset by all the other
considerations.

- Preserve the notion of "WEEK" of global action, and recognize the
particular importance this year of targetting the revitalized IMF/WB
dupla, in crisis response and climate saviours mode, and settle on OCTOBER
1 TO 7 as a week that is not so cluttered with other focuses, and helps us
all concentrate on DEBT AND IFIS.

- Preserve also the notion of "WEEK", but set the dates for OCTOBER 12 -
18, privileging the possibilities of interacting with the mobilization of
other critical sectors/concerns - and building momentum through those
alliances.

I don´t think it is too wise - given that it is already mid-May, to open
the flood-gates and ask everyone´s opinion - but it could be done if we
have max three options, a firm calendar (max one week) and clear process
for closure (JS, JDC, ODG? will take a decision based on inputs
received... and the rest will live with it, for example).

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?  The other possibility is that we reach some
consensus among these three options (or something else...), run it quickly
by J-USA and Eurodad) and fire it out as the confirmed dates.

4) SPECIAL THEMES/FOCUS  This is perhaps less slightly less complicated
than the dates, but also important.  Suggestion would be that we go with
the obvious, CRISES/DEBT/IFIs, picking up at least the food and climate
pieces and pointing toward the illegitimacy of lending to the South to
redress problems/crises provoked in the North... Other suggestions? 
Volunteer to take first stab at the initial CALL?

5)  WEBSITE  - Music to our ears that JDC is willing to help with the
website, which we all agree needs a lot of help.  We also need a quick
decision on the domain name, which I just learned is due to expire on June
23 (It is now registered through "Network solutions" - and at least as I
understand, we either have to come up with some money to re-register it
shortly there, or let it expire and wait for the domain name to be
freed-up or come up with a new one.  Suggestions?).

There was agreeemnt in Quito, to incorporate the DebtWeek site into the
Illegitimate Debt site - but that might be a more ambitous and thus not as
easily doable task.  Our only "condition" as JS, is that the new site
(DEBT WEEK and/or ILLEGITIMATE DEBT) be at least trilingual
(ENG-FREN-SPAN) - a huge challenge for sure, but absolutely vital for
outreach and inclusion of mobilization in many may parts.  Keep it simple
to use and maintain would seem another caveat.

Hopefully this is  too much for now - I look forward to your suggestions
so we can proceed with as little further delay as possible ¡!

ABrazos
beverly