[afro-nets] People´s Health Assembly 2

[Claudio Schuftan <claudio@hcmc.netnam.vn>]

People´s Health Assembly 2
--------------------------
18-23 July, 2005
Cuenca, Ecuador

Voices from around the world are calling!
Together, let us build a healthy world.

On behalf of the Organizing Committee of the People's Health As-
sembly 2 which will take place in Cuenca on July 18-23, 2005, we
are pleased to announce the following:

We are working very hard to make the Second Assembly a process
that will encourage all people to participate in the fight for
health for all.

We are working on programming, logistics, and pre-assembly
events. The various themes must be addressed fully without los-
ing sight of their interconnectedness on a global level. At the
same time, we will try to build progressively on the efforts
that have been made at a local level in different places in the
world.

We will not neglect to look at the themes at the heart of our
vision, namely:

- experts will provide objective analyses, using displays and
visual aids as much as possible to provide access to all what-
ever their mother tongue.
- community representatives, health activists, local leaders
will tell the story of the fight for health through stories and
testimonials. They will speak about of the problems surrounding
health issues, how the program came into being, its successes,
lessons learned, and its local and global significance.
- photographic exhibitions, drawings, pictures, crafts, posters,
sessions, rituals, music, drama, documents, books, videos etc.
will also examine the themes.

The themes will form part of the agenda in the plenary sessions
of the PHA 2. They will also be addressed in workshops, forums,
and seminars. Given their importance and depending on the level
of interest, some themes could become topics in their own right
within the framework of the Assembly. Without exception, each
session will be planned with specific objectives in mind to al-
low for follow-up, decision-making, and inclusion in the final
strategic plan. At all times, we will strive to reach consensus
on matters that will have a lasting impact.

We are calling on all organizations and all peoples to unite as
one in this worldwide movement to construct a more viable world,
a world where the health of all is a result of solidarity, lib-
erty, and human development.

Yours in solidarity,

Arturo Quizhpe P
Coordinator, People's Health Assembly 2
mailto:asamblea05@yahoo.com

Who can participate?

Priority will be given to delegates from organisations and com-
mittees that work in the area of health and health-related prob-
lems at the local, national, regional, and world level.

How can people participate in the preparations for the Assembly?

- Contribute to the various campaigns in support of health and
the wellbeing of all people,

- Organize local, national, and regional meetings in coordina-
tion with facilitators of the Movement in their respective coun-
try or region,

- Participate in the fact-finding process, in the compilation of
testimonials, life stories, case studies, and in the preparation
of debate documents,

- Promote unity, resistance to past practices, and coordination
between the various groups working for the health and wellbeing
of all people,

- Motivate communities and individuals to investigate thoroughly
the basic causes of their own health situation so that a process
of assessment, analysis and action can begin.


STORIES AND TESTIMONIES

REGISTRATION FORM

Name of the Story / Case Study

___________________________________________


Brief Description / Key Words

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________


Type:

Written Story

Songs / Folk music

Video/ Film / Documentary

Poetry

Pictorial Story / Collage

Other: ____________________________________

Name of Author:

___________________________________________

Country:

___________________________________________

Organisation / Institution (if applicable)

___________________________________________

Address:

___________________________________________

Telephone: ________________________________

Fax: ______________________________________

E-mail: ___________________________________

Website: __________________________________


One important aspect of the Second People's Health Assembly will
be the presentation of stories and experiences of the people in
their struggle for health.

We call upon all activists, academics and health workers around
the world, to present stories, case studies, testimonies which
illustrate the current problems as well as the creative and suc-
cessful solutions in the struggle for people's health.

We welcome presentations of stories and testimonies which demon-
strate that common and important problems at local levels are
determined by global politics.

BASIC PRINCIPLES AND GUIDANCE

The cases must be real and expressed from the point of view of
the people concerned, with emphasis on particular problems of
health and with an integrated vision.

The stories, case studies and testimonies can have a wide vari-
ety of forms of presentation: theatre, videos, documentaries,
photographic exhibits, and artistic expressions (textiles, ce-
ramics, poetry).

We recommend that written stories be from 2 to 4 pages and we
encourage the inclusion of illustrations (photographs, drawings,
maps).

Who can submit testimonies and stories?

All individuals, groups and organizations are welcome to send in
their stories.

What will happen next with the stories and testimonies?

All the stories will be part of the People's Health Assembly 2
process in different ways. Some will be presented in the PHA 2
and others will be used as materials for discussions at the lo-
cal, national and regional meetings. They will also be available
on the PHA 2 website and other publications. For these purposes,
it is possible that some editorial changes will be made to the
stories.

How do you submit a story or testimony?

With the aim of using these experiences in our analytical work
and in local, national and regional meetings, it is best to sub-
mit them as soon as possible. We welcome receiving before March
31st; preference will be given to testimonies and case studies
received early.

Case studies and innovative solutions to the problems

We are also interested in gathering 'case study' examples which
illustrate a variety of experiences and involve the health and
other sectors. Case studies can include innovative initiatives
which focus on health with a community base; intersectoral pro-
posals to environmental problems, and/or organised actions and
movements aimed at resolving and/or facing the great social and
economic threats to health. We are especially interested in case
studies that have been successful, and demonstrate aspects which
can be replicated. But we are also interested in those which in-
clude negative experiences or failures that could be and in-
structive.

Academic and Investigative Papers

We would like to invite some of you to present academic papers,
investigation reports, and other analytical materials which you
consider to be of exceptional quality and relevance to PHA 2.

All these materials must be sent to:
The Secretariat of the PHA 2
mailto:asamblea05@yahoo.com
mailto:pha2@phmovement.org