First Global Prout Conference in Venezuela

You are cordially invited to attend the First Global Prout Conference to be held in Venezuela. The first three days, July 7-9, 2011, will be a public conference in a Caracas auditorium: “Building a Solidarity Economy Based on Ethics and Ecology”. There will be two panel discussions each morning, and simultaneous workshops each afternoon. More than 50 progressive leaders, writers and activists will dialogue about how to practically build a local cooperative-based economy that is democratic, protective of the environment, and that offers a higher quality of life to everyone. Several hundred participants and media journalists are expected.

Sunday, July 10, will be “free day” of sightseeing and collective meditation in the Botanical Gardens which Baba visited in 1979. Then on July 11-13 will be an Intensive Prout Strategy Session in the Prout Research Institute for more than 100 active Proutists. Using “Open Space Technology”, we will focus on what impassions us about Prout and how to coordinate our efforts around the world for the greatest impact. Finally, on July 14 will be a visit to Centro Madre Master Unit, and on July 15-16 visits to very successful Venezuelan cooperatives and other social projects.

The cost for the conference, vegetarian food and simple dormitory-style accommodations in the Prout house or Ananda Marga kindergarten or jagrti will be as follows:

Economically developed countries: Pre-registration prior to May 15: US$30/day. Registration after May 15: US$35/day
Latin America, Africa, India, etc.: Pre-registration prior to May 15: US$20/day. Registration after May 15: US$25/day

Children up to 11 are free, 12-17 are half price. Online registration form will be available soon at: www.priven.org
Further information about climate, what to bring, and orientation aboutVenezuela are available there, too.

CALL FOR PAPERS

We would like to invite papers to be presented at the public conference, “Building a Solidarity Economy Based on Ethics and Ecology.” We accept papers on the following subjects: Prout, solidarity economy, cooperatives, ecology and ethics, ideally with a focus on Venezuela or Latin America. At least a one-page summary of your paper or presentation must reach the above email by May 15 to be considered for inclusion.

The author of each presentation that is accepted will have just 15 minutes to present it in summary to the entire plenary in a panel, plus a little time to respond to questions. We hope to publish the proceedings after the event, in which we can include full-length articles.

We also solicit proposals to lead 90-minute interactive workshops in the afternoons on the same themes. Five or more workshops will be held simultaneously in different rooms during each time slot, so participants will voluntarily choose which workshop to attend.

Even if you cannot attend the conference, you are invited to submit articles, videos or other presentations for consideration.