Dear Wilna- Thank you for your hard work for OM! I will not be able to join this year, I am very sorry to say! Just wanted to let you know I held up ourmedia conference organizing as an example of 'what can be done' in a message to IAMCR, an academic organization I'm involved with (and who are doing a particularily poor job this year at organizing their own conference)! http://iamcr.org/pipermail/announcements_iamcr.org/2008-April/000803.html I hope you can give us an update soon on this list about the organizing progress. As I will not be able to join this year, this list is especially important for me! Looking forward to it. Best, G On 2/18/08 6:09 PM, "Wilna Quarmyne" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Greetings, All, once more from the OM7 Ghana Co-ordinating Committee. > > The OM7 e-mail address - [log in to unmask] - received a quick > response to our last e-mail, indicating that it would be useful to re-send the > CfP, which includes the proposal form. > > Here it is - both as an attachment and a paste-on. > > We shall send the Spanish, French and Portuguese versions in separate > transmissions. > > PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY. > > Thanks. > > > > OURMedia 7: Identity, Inclusion, Innovation 〝 > Alternative Communication in a Globalized World > 11-15 August 2008, Accra, Ghana > > CALL FOR PROPOSALS > > > OURMedia 7: Identity, Inclusion, Innovation 〝 > Alternative Communication in a Globalized World > will be held in Accra, the capital of Ghana, from 11-15 August 2008. > > > > What OURMedia is about > > Founded in 2001, OURMedia/NUESTROSMedios is a global network with the goal of > facilitating a long-term dialogue between academics, activists, practitioners > and policy experts around citizens' media initiatives. [www. ourmedia’..] > > OURMedia is about building an alternative world, rooted in local knowledge, > anchored in strong identities but also connected to global networks, open to > &otherness*, diversity and inclusion. > > Alternative communication for an alternative world > > OURMedia 7 is built on the assumption that alternative communication 〝 a > diversity of actors, voices, themes and discourses - needs to flourish and > take hold to create alternative worlds. It sees equity, community and > cultural identity as the hallmarks of an alternative world. > > Our Media 7 - In Africa, and in the world > > OURMedia is coming to Africa for the first time through OM7. The previous six > conferences (OM1-OM6) were held in Washington, D.C., USA; Barcelona, Spain; > Barranquilla, Colombia; Porto Alegre, Brazil; Bangalore, India; and Sydney, > Australia. > > Like the other conferences, OM7 will be shaped by the living experience of its > host country and region. For Ghana and much of Africa, that experience has > tended to be portrayed by the world media in terms of deprivation and > destruction, or as curiosities. Yet, this vast, diverse and vibrant continent > nourishes many of the values, traditions and practices that can enrich > communication in an alternative world. > > Like previous OURMedia conferences, OM7 is an opportunity to dialogue and > strengthen initiatives around common causes with the rest of the world. In > the case of OM7, the conference is also an invitation to better understand the > complex and dynamic reality of Africa that informs and potentially deepens > such dialogue and initiatives. > > > AKWAABA (Welcome), OURMedia, > to Ghana and through Ghana, to Africa and the world!!! > > > > > The 3 Sub-themes of OURMedia 7 > > OM7 has selected three sub-themes 〝 Identity, Inclusion and Innovation - that > are key dimensions of alternative communication in, for and towards an > alternative world. These may be regarded as different faces of marginalization > in a world where expression is becoming increasingly uniform, majorities are > being excluded (and even exploited), and certain kinds of knowledge and > experience are presented as having more value than others. At the same time, > the assertion of identity, inclusion and innovation are the very sources of > strength to overcome homogenization, exclusion and relegation. > > Identity If identity is rooted in culture, the confluence of shared > understanding, practice and communication, how can and does cultural diversity > 〝 and a multiplicity of media - contribute to an alternative world? This > sub-theme speaks to the multiplicity of world-views - imaginaries - waiting to > be spoken out loud. In Africa in particular, but also worldwide, the > knowledge and experience embedded in oral tradition and held by indigenous > peoples remain powerful yet relatively unexplored and underutilized in global > and national mainstream media. Whether in the global North or South, > displacements of various kinds have left many grappling with, and grasping > for, their sense of themselves and their values. > > Inclusion How can and does communication contribute to the development of an > alternative world that is inclusive, provides "platforms of equality" and > connects and bridges different cultural and communication societies. In > today's world, exclusion rather than inclusion is often the dominant > experience. There are many faces to exclusion. Some of the most familiar are > given generic names - poverty, gender, youth, indigenous people, minorities. > Whatever the form it may take or the level at which it occurs, exclusion > always reflects an imbalance in relationships. The imbalance is often > maintained with force, whether overt (ranging from legislation to physical > violence or armed conflict) or less immediately palpable (including, for > example, traditional attitudes and beliefs). Not incidentally, fundamental to > exclusion are the strictures on the Right to Communicate itself 〝 ranging from > forms of expression to the content of discourse to access to the organization > of technological media. Thus, people creating their own media is core to > inclusion. Often, the process requires the development of vibrant, > rights-aware communities and people-centred policies and regulation. > > Innovation How can and does communication enable innovation and the renewal of > the diversity of human experience that is vital to an alternative world? > Innovation happens everyday everywhere, as people try to make sense of and > relate to their world. Whether identified with day-to-day or modern > technology, the creative impulse is key in transforming the processes and > institutions needed to create an alternative world. Transformation can only > happen if communication itself - those who speak or otherwise express, those > who process and the ways and platforms in which this happens - is transformed. > For example, where do the new communication technologies and practices lie: > will they simply be about new-ness or will they be innovative in a social > sense, both promoting and embodying genuine transformation? > > > Exploring alternative dimensions and challenging dominant patterns > > Against the backdrop of the three sub-themes of Identity, Inclusion and > Innovation, OM7 will seek to articulate dimensions of alternative > communication that privilege diversity and equity, while challenging and > critiquing dominant communication patterns based on hegemonies and > hierarchies. Below are some dimensions of alternative communication and > dominant patterns of communication. Of particular interest to OM7 are the > relationships 〝 or more precisely, the imbalances in the relationships 〝 > between them. OM7 also recognizes that the seeds of one are often in the > other. For example, communication may be alternative in form but hegemonic in > content. On the other hand, apparently oppressive systems of communication > may be subverted by creative interventions. > > Dimensions of alternative communication ^ oral, aural, pictorial, visual > and other symbolic communication (e.g. the language of symbols) 〝 traditional > and contemporary ^ diversity of languages and other forms of expression > ^ experience-based knowledge-generation and technologies ^ > marginalized voices, people-centred discourse and social relationships in > negotiation ^ communal values, resources, systems and media of > communication and interaction ^ ascendance of civil society and social > networks and movements of communication and engagement Current dominant > patterns of communication 身 primacy accorded to the written word and a > few languages 身 corporate systems of production and transmission 身 > technology bias in development and application of new information and > communication technologies 身 media-centric conventions, representation > and ethics 身 commodification, appropriation and corporate ownership of > communication and other key resources 身 dominant policy discourses and > institutions that embed hierarchical communication > > 6 Emerging Focal Areas > > Based on the sub-themes, OM7 proposes to develop six focal areas: > ^ oral and symbolic communication > ^ diversity of expression > ^ knowledge-generation-and-transmission > ^ marginalized voices, groups and cultures > ^ communal systems of communication > ^ social communication networks. > > Globally critical challenges > > Given the urgency, pervasiveness and persistence of the challenges they pose, > it is expected that OM7 will offer new perspectives and highlight effective > experiences with respect to Communication in relation to Development, > Education, Human Rights, and Peace-building and Conflict-resolution. Many of > these perspectives and experiences are expected to be in the Focal Areas. > > > > > Continuing the OURMedia thread > > Through its sub-themes, by exploring the relationship between the dimensions > of alternative communication and dominant patterns of communication, and by > sharpening its focal areas, OM7 will build on the wealth of experience shared > and knowledge generated in previous OURMedia conferences. In particular, the > Call for Proposals wishes to recall the topics addressed in OM6 under the > following headings: Community Media Research; Participation and Social > Change, > Community Media and Policy; Media Activism, Civil Society and Social > Movements; > Local Culture and Media Diversity; New Technologies and Media Convergence; > Community and Public Access Broadcasting; Indigenous Media; and Young People > and Grass-Roots Communication. [For a full list of the topics, see the > OURMedia website.] > > The design of OURMedia 7 > > OM7 will have three main parts: the "Conference proper", a Community Radio > Symposium, and a Festival. > > The Conference will include plenary sessions featuring a keynote speaker and a > keynote performance on each of the sub-themes - Identity, Inclusion, > Innovation - followed by thematic panels and parallel sessions across various > media and issues. > > Coinciding with the 10th year on-air of Radio Ada, a pioneer Community Radio > station in Ghana, OM7 will integrate a Community Radio Symposium that will > reflect on, critique and celebrate the role of Community Radio worldwide in > relation to identity, inclusion and innovation. > > The Festival will feature exhibitions that express the OURMedia 7 themes > through various media and experiences. Open to the public, the Festival will > be a means of connecting OURMedia 7 with the outside world and ensuring that > it re-invigorates the theme and leaves an imprint among people outside of and > beyond the Conference. > > The organizing committee > > The event in Ghana is being organized by the Ghana Coordinating Committee > (GCC), a group that has gathered around OURMedia 7 and that brings together > community radio practitioners, academicians, artists and civil society and > media advocates. These include, among others, the Ghana Community Radio > Network (GCRN), the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the School of > Communication Studies and the Institute of African Studies at the University > of Ghana, and Participatory Development Associates. This core group is being > expanded with other partners from the African region and elsewhere and works > with the OURMedia 7 International Working Group. > > The GCC see themselves as facilitators and are desirous that the very process > of organizing OURMedia 7 should, in keeping with the theme, be as inclusive as > possible. > > > > > > Invitation to submit proposals > > OM7 invites proposals that develop the exposition of its sub-themes and > emerging focal areas. > > As the proposal form below shows, presentations may take different forms. > > Proposals from groups combining different disciplines, experiences and > creative expressions are encouraged. > > The richness and diversity of the proposals will give final shape to the OM7 > programme. > > Language of submission > > It is regretted that proposals will need to be submitted in English, French, > Portuguese or Spanish. Only translation between these four languages can be > guaranteed at this stage. (English and Spanish are the initial working > languages of OURMedia. French and Portuguese are, in addition to English, the > two main working languages in sub-Saharan Africa.) > > However, the proposal form allows for the possibility that a presentation may > be made in a language other than the four named. Presentations in indigenous > languages are also encouraged, but proponents are kindly asked to prepare to > provide their own translations. > > Deadline for submission > > The deadline for submission is 29 February 2008. > > How to submit your proposal > > Proposals may be submitted in one of two ways: > > ﹞ Online, or > > ﹞ By post to: The Secretariat, OURMedia7, P O Box KA9492, Accra, Ghana. > > In either case, the proposal should have been received by the deadline. > > OURMedia 7 CONFERENCE > 11-15 August 2008, Accra, Ghana, > Theme: Identity, Inclusion, Innovation 〝 > Alternative Communication in a Globalized World > > Name of individual/group/organization making proposal: > > What is the working title of your proposal? > > Which sub-theme/s will your presentation focus on? Please tick as > appropriate. /____/ Identity /____/ Inclusion /____/ > Innovation > > What is the nature of your presentation? Please tick as appropriate. /____/ > Creative writing /____/ Performance /____/ Research paper > /____/ Theoretical paper /____/ Symbolic media (e.g., indigenous symbols) > /____/ Visual or other media presentation (video, film, cartoons, street art, > electronic art, etc) > > Where do you see your proposal featuring at OM7? /____/ Conference > /____/ Community Radio Symposium /____/ Festival > > What format would you prefer to use for your presentation? /____/ Individual > paper or performance /____/ Panel or cohort /____/ Workshop > > In which spoken language do you propose to make or explain your presentation? > /____/ English /____/ French /____/ Portuguese /____/ Spanish > /____/ Other. Please name: _________________________________________ If > Other, how will you provide for translation? > ________________________________________________________________ > > OURMedia 7, 11-15 Aug 2007, Accra, Ghana, 〝 Call for Proposals, p.2 Summary > of proposal Please summarize your proposal in no more than 250 words. Some > of the questions that you may wish to explore are offered below. With > reference to the sub-themes, relationships, emerging focal areas, globally > critical challenges and issues that are of particular interest to OM7: ﹞ > what issues have you been grappling with? ﹞ what is the context > (including, as may be relevant, social, political and economic) in which you > have been carrying out your work? ﹞ what alternative communication > responses have you been developing or proposing? ﹞ what new questions have > arisen in the course of your work which you would wish to be part of the > ongoing dialogue around building an alternative world? > > Name of individual, group or organization making proposal > If proposal is being made by a group, name of contact person > Street address (physical location) > Post office mailing address > E-mail > Telephone > Cellphone > Fax > Nationality of person/s proposed to make presentation at OM7 [important for > visa purposes] > > Please tell us something about yourself/group/organization (maximum 100 > words): > > Date of submission: > > IMPORTANT: Please complete the Note on Funding below. > > > > > NOTE ON FUNDING OURMedia will secure some funding to help defray the expenses > of participants who could not otherwise attend OM7. We encourage all > participants to try to raise at least part of the funds, but if you will > definitely not be able to attend OM7 unless OURMedia provides funding, please > let us know. Apart from travel expenses, which will of course differ > according to the point of origin, we estimate that participation at OM7 will > cost: ﹞ A minimum of USD 300 for registration (including lunch and morning > and afternoon refreshments) ﹞ Lodging, breakfast and dinner at an average of > USD 150 per day. I can raise my own funding to cover my entire participation > in OM7. /____/ Yes /____/ No If you ticked "No", > please continue. I can raise my: Registration cost /____/ Yes > /____/ No Airfare or other transportation cost /____/ Yes > /____/ No Lodging, breakfast and dinner cost /____/ Yes > /____/ No > > > > > > > Sent from Yahoo! > <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mailuk/taglines/isp/control/*http://us.rd.yahoo.com/ev > t=51949/*http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/mail/winter07.html> - a smarter inbox.