PGA Asia Meeting 29/09/04 Kathmandu, Nepal

1.. Yudhvir gave a brief report back on the PGA European conference, informing the group that the conference had accepted the venue of Kathmandu; would hold a preparatory meeting in November in Europe to discuss the Global Conference; and were planning a samba caravan to from Europe to Kathamndu to arrive for the conference.
2.. The group discussed security issues, given the current Maoist insurgency in Nepal. Prem thought that there would be no security problem in the city of Kathmandu, or for delegates arriving by flight. He would keep PGA informed as to developments in Nepal.
3.. The group discussed conference preparation issues:
(a) Funding: ANPA would attempt to provide the funding for accommodation and food for the conference. While in Kathmandu, members of the group would hold an exploratory meeting with members of Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific (who organised the Food caravan) as to the possibility of such organisations providing sponsorship for individuals (from grassroots movements) to attend the PGA conference. Members of PGA Asia who attend the People's Food Convention in Dhaka (in November 2004) would also approach members of Asia Pacific Research Network on the same issue. Lek (support group) would look into other sources of funding from her extensive contacts in SE Asia.

(b) Conference Theme: PGA Asia suggests a conference theme in order to secure possible funding. Such a theme would not limit the global conference agenda in any way. This had worked quite well for the PGA Asia Regional and Gender Conference held in Dhaka, 2004. The theme sug gested was 'Food Sovereignty and Gender'.

(c) Translation: The problems of language translation at PGA conferences were discussed. The advantages and limitations of translation machines and hiring professional translators were also discussed. The meeting accepted that greater numbers of translators were needed, and that it should be the responsibil ity of movements attending the global conference to bring sufficient translators to enable all delegates from that movement to be able to follow conference proceedings. It was suggested that movements might be able to obtain translation support from friends/supporters of the movements who have language skills.

(d) Recruitment: The meeting agreed on the need to identify movements from the Asia region to invite to the conference. Those present would contact other movements at future conferences, gatherings etc that they attended between now and the global conference. In addition, gi ven the Asian location of the conference, it was felt that this was a good opportunity to bring many Asian movements into the PGA process, and that this would also help to empower movement mobilization in their own realities.

(e) Conference Day of Action: The group agreed on the need for a day of action/mobilization following the end of the global conference. ANPA will suggest possible actions.

(f) Pre-conference preparation: the meeting suggested that this responsibility should not only be for ANPA and the PGA support groups. Rather, it was felt that participant movements should send representatives before the global conference to help in conference preparation.


Additional note: This time in the Global Conference also the gender balance should be maintained.