Jayme F

Hey My WTers and Readers-

Planning this conference has consumed the vast majority of my time this semester so I thought i'd share it with you. We're looking for 3-4 more presenters/panelists/workshop-facilitators so... who wants to come visit me?! Pass this information along. We're particularly looking for people to facilitate workshops using popular education exercises. And Joel/Naimul, "The End of Agriculture" is totally a play on Fukuyama... oh, academic word play!

Community Movements: Food Sovereignty and the Changing Face of Agriculture
Trent University, February 6-8, 2009

The Trent Students’ Association in International Development (SAID), in collaboration with the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG), invite you to participate in our 2nd annual SAID Conference. The Community Movements Conference is a three-day event, taking place in Peterborough, which aims to facilitate an exchange of views on global food systems and to strengthen capacities of those actively engaged with it.

This participatory gathering of farmers, consumers, students, food activists, and academics working in various areas of food and agricultural justice will further deepen communication and promote solidarity both locally and globally through workshops, dialogue and critical reflections on successes and challenges. An important aspect will be the promotion of mutual learning through North-South exchanges.

This conference will provide an important opportunity for networking, skill sharing, and fostering linkages between international, national, and local movements. This is an inclusive space where participants can learn tangible skills through engaging with fellow participants on matters of common concern.

We are currently seeking proposals for sessions for this year’s conference. You are invited to submit a proposal on any of the following themes:

I. Conceptualizing Food Sovereignty
a. Defining and understanding the history of the Food Sovereignty Movement
b. Exploring the Food Crisis
II. The End of Agriculture: The Limits of a Hegemonic Food System
a. Global Governance: Trade and Legal Frameworks
b. Food, Profits, and Markets
c. Seed Sovereignty, TRIPS, and GMOs
III. Methods of Engagement
a. Identifying tools and strategies used by the trans-national community
b. Building a practical toolkit for change: individual and social acts of engagement
Call for Proposals

We are inviting students, social activists, grassroots organizations, academics, and any persons passionate about community-based change to submit a proposal for presenting papers and workshops at the Community Movements: Food Sovereignty and the Changing Face of Agriculture at Trent University.

Presentations may be research and/or experience-based, with a focus on community-based food and agricultural activism. Workshops will provide an opportunity to share strategies, dialogue and to learn from one another. The presentations will be given in an intimate setting, each lasting approximately 30-40 minutes. If you are willing to be on a panel, please indicate so on your application.

If you are interested in submitting a proposal, please complete the attached form and return it electronically to communitymovementsconference@gmail.com by December 15th, 2008.

Application for Proposal Submission

A. CONTACT INFORMATION

Name/Organization(s):

Email: Phone # (incl. area code):

Mailing Address:

I am willing to participate in a panel discussion: Yes/No

B. PRESENTATION PROPOSAL
Presentation Topic:

Field(s) of focus (i.e. Agrarian Change, GMOs, Environmental Justice, Food Sciences, etc.):

Format (i.e. discussion, skill-building workshop, theatre, lecture, etc.): Creative formats are welcome!

Please answer the following question: How will your presentation/workshop contribute to any or all of the goals (skill-sharing, exchange of views, etc.) of the conference outlined in the attached information sheet (p. 1)?

C. ABSTRACT
Please also attach a 200-400 word abstract outlining your presentation and its context in greater detail as a Microsoft Word document.