Yay! I see Peter Rees on the list!

Pushing this out to my networks today :-)

I would want to be part of that but my quesition is,is there some kind of invitation to interested members like us from developing world? visas are not obtainable mostly by people from a country am typing this from. may be there should be special offer for change makers from this kind of country and perhaps interms of flight sponserships and visa procesing, just a thought

Peter, wow I'd love to have you here and see you again, that would be great. To be candid, one fo the main reasons we did the conference in Gulu February 2007 was while during the times of omidyar.net we could never, ever, not even once with quite a bit of effort put towards it...get a visa and get anyone over from Africa.

I wonder if it would make any sense to try to host a parallel type event in Uganda?

Mark Grimes said:

Peter, wow I'd love to have you here and see you again, that would be great. To be candid, one fo the main reasons we did the conference in Gulu February 2007 was while during the times of omidyar.net we could never, ever, not even once with quite a bit of effort put towards it...get a visa and get anyone over from Africa.

I wonder if it would make any sense to try to host a parallel type event in Uganda?

Maybe the Butterflies could help organise it? :-)

Got a couple of notes from Twitter friends who say they might come... my Bit.ly account is telling me I'm the only one who's posted this page there so far. Would be really great if others could also help spread the word in your networks.

Yeah, I hope to post it via Twitter, Facebook and others.

Ceris, good idea about the butterflies helping organize it...I like that.

Thanks Mark and hope may be in future we in Africa may organise a similar.

Tis an interesting idea to host an "unconference" in Uganda. Perhaps we could develop a parallel "Youth" event at the Centre in Kireka.

It will need some thinking about. Feb 5-7 will be the Butterflies' first week back at school after the break, so I am wondering whether we could involve Debra's school in it (which is the only one local, I think), or even St Joseph's, the Primary School adjacent to LiA, whom we are hoping we can entice into the world of ICT.

Are there any specifics about an "un"conference, that we need to be aware of?

I wish I could come but it conflicts with a trip to India. Look forward to hearing results

Ben, they use the word "technology" here, but that's not really the case: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ope n_Space_Technology - I think given the open nature of this event, the youth there could put together a great event.

John, we'll miss you and Sarah...hopefully there might be others, so next time.

I mentioned it at a recent meeting with local government in Lyantonde. It is possibly by then we will have an internet link in Kasagama - their first ever, I think - and the two Butterflies at the school there have set up a social enterprise club, that we could involve. Lyantonde would have a good connection with Martin's school, where he has instigated some activity, but again we will need a laptop to power the internet link to have any potential for any joint activity with the NED conference.

Clearly in Kampala things are (in theory) quite a bit better although the connection is worse.

In essence what I am saying is that we could have three youth field sites, where a conference topic could be framed and discussed.

Does this sound interesting - do you have any areas, where you feel the youth could contribute or feedback on ideas?

Also, do we have any paths to publicity in Uganda for such an activity?

I asked a couple of friends on Twitter to RT this for us today. @HildyGottlieb and @NurtureGirl just obliged... hope some others will send out later today.

I've seen many people talking about it, but still not seeing their names on the list.... will start nudging :-)

More RTs from @amoration, @tropology & @writerpollock!

Have added names of some of the maybes I know about to the workspace

Yay! Picking up speed with retweets from @oriongrassroots @CDEgger @beCauseGlobal @ricardespelt @amyrsward @netsquared & @WiserEarth. If you nedsters know anyone else you can ask to help spread the word, please do!

17 tweets and 62 clicks: http://bit.ly/6d7hiN+

Buzz, buzz, buzz

Ben, always paths to publicity. If nothing else, social media including here, twitter, facebook and the like.

Heck, even a #ned hashtag could tie it all together thru Twitter, and more.

>>Does this sound interesting - do you have any areas, where you feel the youth could contribute or feedback on ideas?<<

It does sound interesting. I'm curious how the youth would like to get involved? We could try to do an online person to person Peace Tiles exchange. A wdydwyd? type thing. Open to all easy and fluid ideas. I recall Uganda is 11 hours ahead, so real time connection/collaboration will be a challenge.

Ideas?

Friday, Feb 5, 4:00pm - 6:00pm - Introductions & Agenda Setting, followed by informal happy hour (co-sponsored by Ned & Internet4Change)

Saturday Feb 6: 9:00am - 6:00pm - Break out meetings for group collaboration and planning. Lunch sponsored by (??). Evening meal sponsored by (??)

Sunday Feb 7, 10:00am - noon - Wrap-up & calls to action

Collaboration about what? Planning what? I am beginning to wonder where I might fit in in this assembly.

Linda Nowakowski said:

Collaboration about what? Planning what?

Friday, Feb 5, 4:00pm - 6:00pm - Introductions & Agenda Setting,

I think Jill Finlayson said it very well here

for those unfamiliar with unconferences - this is a venue that facilitates gifts of knowledge. Rather than a top-down agenda, attendees themselves craft the session topics that they need addressed and provide or utilize the expertise of those attending to teach them. It also allows clusters and networks around issues to form and fosters collaboration.

One of the things that's important to me is looking together with others on how to encourage more "crowdsourcing of ideas" and collaborative initiative building at spaces like this one. I'd also hope to discuss ways forward for encouraging / facilitating / structuring more "front yard" community engagement - like we currently see here at Ned with the Butterfly project, for example.

But those are just my issues :-) I've no doubt others (including you!) will bring many other interesting topics to the agenda. What would you like to work on Linda? I hope there a way some of your research on alternative economics can be framed into topics for collaborative discussion here.

Is the conference actually taking place? I want to make plans, buy a plane ticket, etc...

Thanks,

Heidi Massey

absolutely Heidi - look forward to seeing you there!

Heidi, exactly...what Christina said. Look forward to meeting you there.

Just bought my ticket...excited to attend. Anyone have either space or a hotel suggestion?

Thanks so much!

Heidi Massey

I am going to an Unconference Jan 22nd in Birmingham, so may have some more ideas post that.

Perhaps ideas, though, could be thrown to the youth for their feedback. If, for instance some conclusions were made on Friday, we could discuss them on Saturday and feed back. Then we could feed back on Saturday's ideas on Sunday?

Since we have the Chrysalis Centre, which is now residential, we could certainly do some live chat to, say 11.00pm on Saturday night, with those that were staying at the Centre. This would mean that it could occur during your morning.

Really hoping I can make this... trying to work out logistics such as plane ticket and place to stay before I make the commitment. % likelihood just increased from 25% to 50%.

Yay! Jean, I am pretty sure Mark knows some nedspace people who are offering couchspace... so does that mean we're now up to 75%?!

Ben, not sure if there will already be conclusions on Friday, but the idea of live chat on Saturday might work. We'd need to think about how to frame the discussion topic so that it's interesting for all parties concerned. Probably wouldn't have everyone at the portland event involved but maybe a small group? What would you envision the kids talking about with the portland folks?