Ordinary people get free forum
Oct 22, 2007
THE Commonwealth Peoples Space (CPS), an open forum for ordinary people from the 53 Commonwealth countries, will be hosted for free at the Centenary Park near Hotel Africana in Kampala during the week preceding the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
By Alice Emasu
THE Commonwealth Peoples Space (CPS), an open forum for ordinary people from the 53 Commonwealth countries, will be hosted for free at the Centenary Park near Hotel Africana in Kampala during the week preceding the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The Commonwealth Peoples Space aims at offering ordinary people who do not belong to any of the key CHOGM forums like the youth, business and people’s forums an opportunity to participate in activities that are designed to enrich the CHOGM agenda. It is the first time the Commonwealth Peoples Space is being provided free during CHOGM.
Currently, representatives of the civil society organisation worldwide are being encouraged to submit proposals on activities they would wish to highlight during the Commonwealth Peoples Space.
Their content will complement the workshop deliberations of the Commonwealth People’s Forum (CPF) scheduled for November 19–23 at Hotel Africana.
CPF will bring together civil society representatives from all over the world and will also be held in the week preceding CHOGM.
However, while both CPF and the Commonwealth Peoples Space are to ensure that ordinary people’s voices are heard, including the voice of the marginalised, the difference is that the latter is free. All that is required of you is to buy refreshments.
Anne Babinaga, the information and business relations’ officer of British Council, says the People’s Space concept was designed by the British Council, in partnership with the Commonwealth Foundation, the Uganda NGO Forum and the Prince of Wales’s Charities.
“Nobody should fear to come and participate because these activities are free. They are meant to benefit everybody. We expect all the delegates from other Commonwealth countries, including the spouses of the heads-of-the-government of the Commonwealth countries, journalists and artists to participate,†Babinaga adds.
She says the Commonwealth Peoples Space offers opportunities for interactions, learning and sharing of experiences on various development issues like education for transformation, governance and human rights, environment and natural resources, health and culture, creativity and identity.
The Commonwealth Peoples Space is not an exhibition nor is it about lectures. It is a space for voices to be heard. There will be interactive discussions and lively debates, films that generate thought-provoking discussions, counselling sessions, upcoming artistes to receive exposure, visual artists, sculptors and street performers
It is also a space for short, snappy interactive training sessions, listening to poetry, reading literature show-casing the Ugandan way of life, entertainment and posting messages on the Wall of Greatness.
Babinaga says the Commonwealth Peoples Space aims at providing a bold, exciting and inclusive experience for host nations to interact with all Ugandans.
Babinaga says thousands of people will leave the People’s Space with renewed energy to facilitate social change with a clear sense of building the future together.
“It will also attract participants from other CHOGM events including government officials, the youth, and the business community,†she adds.
Although the Commonwealth Peoples Space is organised separated from CPF, it is a key part of the latter.
The spaces will be activated with content that is creative, entertaining and able to generate thought-provoking discussions, providing opportunities for networking and sharing of experiences in order to fulfil the CPF theme of ‘Realising Peoples Potentials’
Some of the smaller forums within the Commonwealth Peoples Space will be provided for to enhance the learning experiences, publicity and skills’-training.
These include; specific corners for specific activities.
THE Commonwealth Peoples Space (CPS), an open forum for ordinary people from the 53 Commonwealth countries, will be hosted for free at the Centenary Park near Hotel Africana in Kampala during the week preceding the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The Commonwealth Peoples Space aims at offering ordinary people who do not belong to any of the key CHOGM forums like the youth, business and people’s forums an opportunity to participate in activities that are designed to enrich the CHOGM agenda. It is the first time the Commonwealth Peoples Space is being provided free during CHOGM.
Currently, representatives of the civil society organisation worldwide are being encouraged to submit proposals on activities they would wish to highlight during the Commonwealth Peoples Space.
Their content will complement the workshop deliberations of the Commonwealth People’s Forum (CPF) scheduled for November 19–23 at Hotel Africana.
CPF will bring together civil society representatives from all over the world and will also be held in the week preceding CHOGM.
However, while both CPF and the Commonwealth Peoples Space are to ensure that ordinary people’s voices are heard, including the voice of the marginalised, the difference is that the latter is free. All that is required of you is to buy refreshments.
Anne Babinaga, the information and business relations’ officer of British Council, says the People’s Space concept was designed by the British Council, in partnership with the Commonwealth Foundation, the Uganda NGO Forum and the Prince of Wales’s Charities.
“Nobody should fear to come and participate because these activities are free. They are meant to benefit everybody. We expect all the delegates from other Commonwealth countries, including the spouses of the heads-of-the-government of the Commonwealth countries, journalists and artists to participate,†Babinaga adds.
She says the Commonwealth Peoples Space offers opportunities for interactions, learning and sharing of experiences on various development issues like education for transformation, governance and human rights, environment and natural resources, health and culture, creativity and identity.
The Commonwealth Peoples Space is not an exhibition nor is it about lectures. It is a space for voices to be heard. There will be interactive discussions and lively debates, films that generate thought-provoking discussions, counselling sessions, upcoming artistes to receive exposure, visual artists, sculptors and street performers
It is also a space for short, snappy interactive training sessions, listening to poetry, reading literature show-casing the Ugandan way of life, entertainment and posting messages on the Wall of Greatness.
Babinaga says the Commonwealth Peoples Space aims at providing a bold, exciting and inclusive experience for host nations to interact with all Ugandans.
Babinaga says thousands of people will leave the People’s Space with renewed energy to facilitate social change with a clear sense of building the future together.
“It will also attract participants from other CHOGM events including government officials, the youth, and the business community,†she adds.
Although the Commonwealth Peoples Space is organised separated from CPF, it is a key part of the latter.
The spaces will be activated with content that is creative, entertaining and able to generate thought-provoking discussions, providing opportunities for networking and sharing of experiences in order to fulfil the CPF theme of ‘Realising Peoples Potentials’
Some of the smaller forums within the Commonwealth Peoples Space will be provided for to enhance the learning experiences, publicity and skills’-training.
These include; specific corners for specific activities.