Creative Exchange Inaugural Round Table 1997
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Culture is ordinary: every human society has its own shape, its own purposes, its own meanings. Every human society expresses these, in institutions, and in arts and learning. The making of a society is the finding of common meanings and directions, and its growth is an active debate and amendment under the pressures of experience, contact, and discovery, writing themselves into the land.
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| Delegates at our inaugural Round Table in May 1997 overwhelmingly supported the launch of our new international forum. Our first event was hosted by the UK National Campaign for the Arts. It brought together more than a dozen international development agencies - including Save The Children, Oxfam, Action Aid and Christian Aid - and practitioners using a wide range of creative activities for development. Keynote addresses were given by Yudishthir Raj Isar, Director of UNESCO´s Culture and Development Coordination Office, and David Watson, former Director of Governance for the British Council. Three practitioners, Geeta Dharmarajan (Katha, India), Lebogang Ramafoko (Soul City, South Africa) and Ann Shrosbree (Small World Theatre, Wales) gave presentations on development projects. The Round Table endorsed the forum´s aims and objectives and its core values. 97 per cent of delegates supported these proposals. Great commitment was expressed by all the delegates to contribute as equal partners to the forum. Interim Committee A 15-member Interim Committee was appointed at the Round Table 1997 to develop the forum´s work over 12 months. A quarter of this group are based in southern hemisphere countries. It re-stated the commitment to achieve balanced representation and participation between north and south. Creative Exchange is applying for charitable status and is preparing a programme of activity from 1998 to include training and research and the expansion of its Internet and information services. The Forum plans to hold regular Round Table seminars and international events as a means of bringing partners together for crucial face-to-face negotiations and debate. Please note that Creative Exchange has achieved great success so far without revenue funding and with a great amount of goodwill. We are now seeking funding for our 1998 - 2000 programme. We would welcome assistance from donors or commercial sponsors which observe an ethical business policy. You can also help us by joining Creative Exchange as a partner organisation, an individual partner or as a founder partner. Interim Committee 1997-98 Deborah Allen (Save The Children Fund, UK), Juma Bakari (Bagamoyo College of Arts, Tanzania), Helen Denniston (independent consultant, UK), Geeta Dharmarajan (Katha, India), Dr Frances Harding (School of Oriental and African Studies, UK), Colin Hicks (Québec Government Office, London), Nestor Horphilla (Kaliwat, Philippines, co-opted July 1997), Bob Harari (Institute for Refugee Health Care), Barbara Lowe (Returning Aid Workers, UK), Alex Mavrocordatos/Dave Pammenter (King Alfred´s University College, Winchester, UK), Julia Rose (British Council, UK), Lebo Ramafoko (Soul City, South Africa), Jonathan Smith (Christian Aid, UK), Katherine Salahi (Bellagio Publishing Network, UK/Africa), Gwen Vaughan (Living Earth Foundation, UK), Carole Winter (Charity Projects, UK, Resigned 12/97). |
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