African Participatory Democracy Conference, Soweto, South Africa, August 14-16, 2008

AFRICAN PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY CONFERENCE

14-16 August 2008, Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa
See http://www.sacp.org.za/ for updates in due course.

1. Conference Details
1.1 Open invitation
1.2 Draft Conference Programme (see SACP web site)
1.3 Conference Themes
1.4 List of Speakers
1.5 List of participants
1.6 Media Accreditation

2. Registration details
2.1 Registration Form
2.2 Registration Fees

3. Call for papers
3.1 Conference Themes
3.2 Submission guidelines

4. Important dates (table omitted)
5. Conference Tour for Guests/Participants
6. Conference Invitation
6.1 Invitation to Exhibit company or organisational materials

7. Conference Gala Dinner
7.1 Invitation to Gala dinner
7.2 List of table hosts and guests

8. PLEDGES AND DONATIONS


1. CONFERENCE DETAILS
1.1 OPEN INVITATION

To: All Interested Organisations in Africa

INVITATION TO THE AFRICAN PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY CONFERENCE, 14-16
AUGUST 2008, SOWETO, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

In the context of fluid global developments and both challenges and
potentialities of mass democratic participatory politics in localized
processes, the South African Communist Party and the Left Party of
Sweden (Vänsterpartiet) through the Left International Forum are
engaged in a collaborative effort to host a Southern African
conference on Participatory Democracy which will be held in Soweto,
Johannesburg in South Africa.

We hope to assemble an array of regional and international civil
society activists, social movements, scholars and campaigners in
various fields with social, political and gender orientation as well
as representatives of rural and indigenous movements with extensive
expertise in grassroots mobilization and politics of democratic mass
participation. We want to focus on the experience of people's
participation, expanding the democratic space, developing an
alternative peoples economic, political, social and cultural agenda,
as well as of alternative forms of popular governance.

This conference is a continuation of an International Conference on
Participatory Democracy held in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2004 and a Latin
American Conference on Participatory Democracy held in Caracas,
Venezuela, in 2005. Documentation from these conferences is available
at our website, www.participamos.org.

We are inviting all South African and other African interested
organisations to register their participation for the congress.

By June 2008 a conference programme will be available for distribution
on our website. For more information, please don't hesitate to contact
Mr. Mothusi Mongale, Tel +2711 339 3621, Fax: +2711 339 4244, Fax
+27866 179 105, Mobile: +2783 2600 392, thelma@sacp.org.za ,
Maria.Brendler@vansterpartiet.se

Dr. Blade Nzimande, SACP General Secretary
Eva Björklund, Left Party Board, in charge of international relations


1.2 DRAFT CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
(see SACP web site)

1.3 CONFERENCE THEMES

1. The significance and development of the practice and the theory of
participative democracy, experiences from Via Campesina and the
Landless Movement. – BRAZIL

2. The structure and practice of Peoples Power in socialism, theory
and experiences, achievements and deficiencies, special emphasis on
gender issues - CUBA

3. The motivation, development and long term political results of the
decentralized popular planning initiated in 1996, as well as the
impact of participatory methods in coping with the 2004 Tsunami
catastrophe. KERALA

4. Bringing Latin-American experiences of popular participation to
Africa: The process of building up an African regional school of Via
Campesina in Maputo. MOZAMBIQUE

5. The missions and the communal councils as instruments to mobilize
and strengthen participative and protagonic democracy in building
socialism in the 21 century – VENEZUELA

6. Trade unions, democracy and changing society - Achievements and
setbacks in the history and actuality of the Swedish labour movement
in the struggle for political, economic and workplace democracy -
SWEDEN

7. Gender equality, the new generation. The experience of the Young
Lefts activism in schools for feminist awareness and confidence -
SWEDEN

8. Solidarity as a base for popular organisation. - The Swedish
anti-apartheid movement as a social movement. From popular
organisation to political influence - SWEDEN

9. The coercive foundations of Ecological disasters: Prelude to people
driven anti-imperialist campaigns to preserve nature and the
environment – KENYA/SWAZILAND

10. Militarism and imperialist wars: The vulnerability of African
states and spaces for long term cohesion for global peace and
sovereignty – UGANDA/ALGERIA

11. Battling neo-colonialism post apartheid: Resisting commodification
and struggles to retain public ownership of state assets. SOUTH
AFRICA/EGYPT

12. Contradictions of electoral models in Post-colonial independent
African states, authoritarianism and undemocratic political ideologies
– SOUTH AFRICA/ZIMBABWE

13. Negotiating peaceful transitions: liberation soldiers and arms
struggle – MAURITANIA/UGANDA

14. Beyond the denouement of racist and xenophobic violence, an
activist approach to progressive worker internationalism; the effects
of migration in the current conjuncture - CAMEROON

15. Neo-colonial decoys and the configuration of new trade regimes –
Economic Partnerships Agreements, FTA, masking developmental agendas
of the poor countries for economic and social progress - LESOTHO

16. Imperialism and battles for geo-political control of global energy
sources: War on Iraq and Afghanistan – EGYPT/REUNION/BOTSWANA/SENEGAL

17. The catastrophe of military occupations for Women and children - MOROCCO

1.4 LIST OF SPEAKERS – TO BE UPDATED

1. Blade Nzimande, SACP General Secretary
2. Brain Raftopolous - Zimbabwe
3. Cameroon
4. Communist Party of India (Marxist)
5. Diamantino Nhampossa, Executive coordinator of the União Nacional
de Camponeses/National Peasant Union, Mozambique
6. Dr. Concepcion Nieves Ayu, Director of the Philosophy Institute of
the Ministry of Science
7. Egypt
8. Elisabeth Biström-Risslen, Vice-Chair of Ung Vänster (Young Left) - Sweden
9. Ibbo Mandaza - Zimbabwe
10. João Pedro Stédile or Neuri Rosetti, MST, Brazil
11. Kenya
12. Lidice Navas, Polite Bureau of the new Socialist Unified Party of Venezuela
13. Lotta Johnsson Fornarve, Former board-member of ISAK (Isolate
South Africa Committee) and member of the Left Party Sweden
14. National La Voie Democratuue (Democratic Path) - MOROCCO
15. Nigeria
16. Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, SACP PB Member and member of Parliament
17. Patrick Bond - South Africa
18. Polisario Western Sahara
19. Sudan
20. Sweden
21. Uganda

1.5 LIST OF PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS – TO BE UPDATED

ORGANISATION ABBREVIATION
African National Congress ANC
African National Congress Womens League ANCWL
African national Congress Youth League ANCYL
Anti-Privatisation Forum APF
Cameroon/Nigeria
Centre for Civil Society, South Africa CSS
Communist Party of Brazil
Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI(M)
Communist Party of Lesotho CPL
Communist Party of Sudan, Sudan CPS
Congress of South African Students COSAS
Congress of South African Trade Unions COSATU
Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa CONTRLESA
Disabled People Of South Africa (DPSA)
Former ISAK -Isolate South Africa Committee, Sweden ISAK
Friends of the Inner-City Forum
Institute for Democratic Alternative in South Africa IDASA
Kabale Socialist Club, Uganda KSC
La Voie Démocratique (Democratic Path), Morocco
Landless People Movement LPM
Left International Forum VIF
Left Party of Sweden
MST, Brazil MST
New Socialist Unified Party of Venezuela
Peoples United Democratic Movement PUDEMO
Philosophy Institute of the Ministry of Science, Cuba
Polisario, Western Sahara POLISARIO
SAPES Trust SAPES
Social Democratic Party, Kenya
South African Communist Party SACP
South African Council of Churches SACC
South African Human Rights Commission SAHRC
South African Medical Association SAMA
South African Municipal Workers Union SAMWU
South African National Civic Organisations SANCO
South African NGO Coalition SANGOCO
South African Students Congress SASCO
Treatment Action Campaign TAC
União Nacional de Camponeses/National Peasant Union, Mozambique
United Progresive Forces, Mauritania UFP
Young Communist League YCL
Young Left, Sweden

1.6 Media Accreditation

• All media institutions are invited to cover the conference.
• Upon registration/accreditation the media professionals will receive
a conference package and more information on the program.
• Please refer to the important dates for registration.


2. REGISTRATION DETAILS
2.1 Application form Please click to download the application form

A. MS word
B. PDF

2.2 Registration Fee

The attached registration form can be used for participants
registration, exhibition, gala dinner and Gauteng tour.

a. A registration amount of R500 per is payable upon registration as a
modest contribution towards conference costs for local participants.
b. An exhibition stand will cost R5000 per 4 square metre
c. Gala dinner tables are on sale – please see the gala dinner table
structure, hosts and costs
d. Gauteng Tour – R100 per person

3. CALL FOR CONFERENCE PAPERS

3.1 Conference Themes
3.2 Submission guidelines


4. IMPORTANT DATES
omitted

5. CONFERENCE TOURS FOR INTERNATIONAL GUESTS

• A pre conference tour for international guests has been arranged,
which starts on the 14th August 2008 and includes visits to the
following areas: Constitutional Hill (link), Apartheid Museum (link),
Hector Peterson Memorial, Mandela Museum.
• Local guests can indicate on the application form if they wish to
join the tours. This will be at the discretion of the organisers and
the number of people interested. In case of confirmation of tours for
Local guests, they will pay entrance fees at the historical sites
visited.

6. CONFERENCE TO
6.1 IVITATION TO EXHIBIT COMPANY OR ORGANISATIONAL MATERIALS

The South African Communist Party invites all public and private
organisations to grace with their presence at the Participatory
Democracy Conference scheduled to take place on 14th – 16th August
2008 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Stalls are on sale at a cost of R5 000 for a minimum of 4 m2
The fee includes:

• The exhibition stall
• Conference programme and exhibition map
• Coffee during scheduled congress breaks
• Electricity; 1 power socket 220V
• One table and two chairs
.
Some Members of the Diplomatic Corps from different Embassies,
Government Ministers, Business people, local and international
community organisations and other influential people will be present.
This will provide a platform for networking, sharing of ideas,
learning and imparting knowledge, a possibility to influence
discussions, potential for self development, including an opportunity
to sell your materials.
For confirmation of your availability, more details and clarity please
feel free to contact Vuyiswa Lwana at Tel: 011 339-3621, Fax: 011
339-4244, Priscilla: 0825742315 or email priscilla.magau@gmail.com

Thanking you in advance
Yours Sincerely
Blade Nzimande
General Secretary

6.2 Registration form - To register kindly complete the registration
form and send it to us.

7. CONFERENCE GALA DINNER
7.1
INVITATION TO PURCHASE A TABLE FOR THE FUNDRAISING GALA DINNER

In the context of fluid global developments and both challenges and
potentialities of mass democratic participatory politics in localized
processes, the South African Communist Party and the Left Party of
Sweden through the Left International Forum (Vansterparteit) are
engaged in a collaborative effort to host a Southern African
conference on Participatory Democracy and a Gala Dinner which will be
held in Johannesburg in South Africa.

The aim of the Gala is to informally network with delegates from other
Fratenal Parties in attendance at the Conference. Some of the Parties
attending this conference are Latin America, Africa some are Alliance
Partners, Europe, Venezuela, etc.

I have the honor to formally extend to you a special invitation to
purchase a table for our fundraising Gala Dinner.

Details of the Gala Dinner are as follows:

Date: Saturday 16 August 2008
Time: 19h00 for 19h30
Venue: In Johannesburg (specific venue to be confirmed by mid July)
Dress Code: Formal

It will be highly appreciated if you could be available for this
historic conference Gala Dinner.

For confirmation, please complete the registration form or feel free
to contact Vuyiswa Lwana at Tel: 011 339-3621, Fax: 011 339-4244,
Cell: 0724591567 or email vuyiswa@sacp.org.za.


Yours Faithfully

Dr. Blade Nzimande
General Secretary
South African Commmunist Party



7.2 More information on the Gala Dinner
• Organisations, business and individuals are invited to purchase
tables at the gala dinner, which will be attended by local and
international guests and dignitaries including Ministers,
• 15 tables are on sale.
• Fee structure and List of table hosts and guests

7.3 List of table hosts and international guests
omitted

8. PLEDGES AND DONATIONS

Organisations that are willing to support this conference or one of
the events should contact sibongile@sacp.org.za, 011 339-3621 or Ms
Vuyiswa Lwana at 011 339-3621, 0724591567