Hello
(Spanish synthesis: presento las ideas centrales de la propuesta de
estrategia
de comunicacion para la Alianza -docs completos en el sitio web--, como
contribucion para la discusion en el EIO).
I believe one of the issues we will have to deal with in the International
Orientation Team of the Alliance is in relation to Communication. At the
Bertioga Assembly there was a group that discussed this, and a working team
continued to work on this issue during most of 1998. At the end of the
year we
prepared a short document with what we thought was a communication strategy
for
the alliance, and identified a number of priority areas. These documents are
available on the Alliance web site in all three languages (in reply to Moema's
note, we have discussed the languages issue as well and have decided that for
now the Alliance operates in English, French and Spanish; this does not
mean in
the future other languages can be considered, but for now it is complex enough
as it is with just these three, all of which share at least a common alphabet,
and for which we start to be able to use machine translation to help out).
I copy some fragments:
The success of the Alliance depends not only on the enthusiasm and commitment
of its allies undertaking relevant activities together, but on the
existence of
communication ties that ensure a strong, fluid and well structured flow of
information. In order better understand the challenges of strengthening
communication tools and practices in the Alliance, we suggest a map with four
different kinds of approaches and activities. They are all inter-related, and
we separate them only for conceptual clarity. As any conceptual framework it
is imperfect and incomplete, but it helps us understand the challenges ahead.
(there is a picture in the original document to illustrate the following:)
A. Reference Crossroads: these are the concrete instruments allies use
for
information and communication, through a variety of media. These tools and
instruments constitute the crossroads of information and communication
exchange
between allies. They include publications, electronic forums & their
archives,
web site, machine translation, fax relays, databases, and other forms of
information to allies. Technological convergence makes it increasingly
possible for some to access and use most of these activities electronically,
and they can all me managed and maintained with Internet tools; but we need to
provide different supports (paper, print) to meet all needs and possibilities.
B. Interactions between Allies: These are the relationships and
interactions by which allies share, exchange and use each other’s experiences
and knowledge for collective action. Most notably, these relationships take
place through meetings and remote discussions. These interactions between
allies frequently use the tools described as Reference Crossroads, and their
results are generally reflected in one or more of these tools (from a note
in a
database or a forum to a final publication).
C. Decentralization and training: Expanding and strengthening the
Alliance
means decentralizing activities and tools (to regional poles or working teams
in different regions), providing human and technical support to facilitate
participation in the Alliance, introducing new allies to the collective memory
of the network, etc.
D. Reaching beyond Allies: we are aware at this point there is no clear
inside/outside distinction in the alliance, so the notion of ‘external
communication’ we have been using since Bertioga may not be appropriate for
now. But we need to address communication practices that will help us go
beyond ‘preaching to the converted’. Here we refer to communication
activities
and human interactions intended to reach out to potential new allies and
partners, to influence decision- and policy-makers, and to reach the public
opinion at large (possibly seeking to use mass media directly or indirectly).
These four axes synthesize what we see are the main challenges in the
communication needs of the Alliance in the years to come. They represent a
set
of tools and a set of relationships or practices.
Communication Processes
In our view, based on the above understanding, the Alliance needs to
strengthen
three different communication processes: building its collective memory,
documenting its achievements and progress in a data bank, and stimulating
collective discussion and action. Each of these processes would help to
strengthen communication in the alliance in different and inter-related ways,
even if emphasizing one aspect over others. In other words, these processes
would help to strengthen in different ways the Reference Crossroads and the
Interactions Between Allies, as well as the Decentralization and Training and
the Reach beyond Allies. The order in which they are presented is
irrelevant.
( Collective discussion and action: The Alliance is brought alive by its
allies working together to reflect and act about the future of the planet.
Debates and exchanges of experiences, both face to face and remote, are
organized around a shared agenda that maximizes their reach and scope.
( Documenting progress and achievements: Consolidating the collection
and
circulation of information resources produced by and for allies in the form of
books, reports and other documents. These form a decentralized web of
resources that can be linked together by an open-architecture database,
maintained by decentralized poles and openly accessible (possibly with
different layers of access to create, modify or read different sections
depending on the user).
( Building the collective memory of the alliance: This includes
revising,
updating and disseminating the founding texts of the Alliance and other
important landmarks in its process of development. Also, collective memory is
sustained with active access to a dynamic, decentralized and updated
database of
allies.
Strengthening Communication Tools
In order to strengthen these communication processes, the Alliance has been
using different tools, instruments or activities. Some of them need extra
attention and dedication make them more relevant and effective for
communication in the alliance. After closer analysis, and taking into
consideration present and future needs, we identified which tools and
activities are on a higher immediate priority for the Alliance’s advance:
1. Databases:
2. Forums:
3. Web Site:
4. Print Publications:
5. Meetings:
+++
This should be useful background to think about the communication needs and
challenges facing the alliance. The Citizens Assembly proposed for 2001, and
which I, toghether with other allies, suggest be moved to 2005, is one of the
major activities ahead, but it will be successful only if we do all the work
surrounding it. A lot of this peripheral work deals with communication.
The soul of the Alliance is the enthusiasm of the Allies. The nervous system
is the tools and processes we use to communicate between ourselves and with
the
others.
Cheers
Ricardo
---Ricardo Gomez Ottawa
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