Hi folks,

I thought you might be intereste in the following meeting that's being organized
to discuss ways and means of moving Senegal forward.

I would also like to add that I hope that Gambians are able to attend, and make
positive contributions to the meeting.  It is important that we help Senegal
whenever we can, and in any way we can.  I don't really need to say why.

Have a great week, and best wishes.

Katim

> NEW YORK MEETING
> OCTOBER 7th & 8th, 2000
>
> The successful free and fair elections and the smooth transfer of political
> leadership in Senegal this year sparked an intense on-line dialogue among a
> group of Senegalese expatriates on how to improve their country's social and
> economic conditions. Discussions focused on how to create an effective
> mechanism that will coordinate direct efforts and participation of the
> Senegalese Diaspora in developing their country. Innovative and exciting
> ideas came out of this exchange, such as developing a citizen watchdog group
> to monitor the new government's actions (SAM SA KADDU); creating a think-tank
> to provide the government with advice and knowledge on political, economical,
> social and cultural issues (COGIT); and the formation of several different
> non-governmental (nonprofit) organizations focused on eradicating rural
> poverty, ending illiteracy, as well as addressing the digital divide. The
> needs identified were so great that the group agreed opportunities existed
> for anyone willing to commit time and energy to work on these issues.
>
> The following three themes emerged from these discussions:
>
> 1. How to re-organize and strengthen the current Senegalese expatriate
> movement.
>
> 2. The need to redefine the relationship between Senegalese expatriates and
> their country so that  actions and participation to modernize the country can
> be more direct and coordinated.
>
> 3. How to mobilize the support of friends and partners of Senegal around
> activities that can help rebuild the country, such as the creation of a
> strong lobby for Senegal in the United States.
>
> In order to gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of  these issues
> and create a forum for finding effective and long-term solutions, the on-line
> group has decided to hold an International Meeting, called "The New York
> Meeting" in which Senegalese expatriates and friends and partners of Senegal
> will be invited. The purpose of this meeting is to:
>
> a) Allow more people to participate in the quest for achieving peace and
> prosperity in  Senegal,
>
> b) Hold workshops that will delve deeper into the issues and ideas that
> emerged from the electronic forum, and
>
> c) Design a mutually agreed upon plan of action that will detail the next
> steps on the main themes addressed above.
>
> The organizing committee of The New York Meeting, or CORISEN (French
> acronym), has been created to organize this historical event.  CORISEN is
> comprised of a committed group of Senegalese men and women who have vowed to
> work diligently to make this exceptional gathering a high quality and
> productive experience for all. It has adopted the three main themes stated
> above as its goals. CORISEN is a non-partisan effort and membership is only
> open to individuals, not organizations.
>
> If you are interested in finding more about The New York Meeting or joining
> CORISEN,
> Please Call  (212) 714-4971
> Send an Email to: [log in to unmask]
> Visit our Web Site at: WWW.rencontredenewyork.com
>
> WE HOPE YOU WILL ATTEND THIS HISTORICAL EVENT!
>

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