Following the end of yesterday's plenary sessions, civil society hosted a meeting to discuss drafting the presentations it will give to the full plenary Saturday morning. Karen Banks and Steve Buckley moderated the session, outlining a series of themes they thought should be presented. For the next hour and a half, they took comments and questions from over a dozen members of the audience. Some offered suggestions to recognize cultural diversity, the role of youth in bridging the digital divide, and reiterating the importance of a commitment to human rights and free expression. Several participants argued the 15-minute speaking slot available to civil society on both Friday and Saturday was highly insufficient, and should press for more time in subsequent prepcoms. Additionally, the heated exchange that had occurred amongst Tunisian activists in the human rights caucus meeting earlier in the day spilled out again, provoking passionate arguments on several occasions.
Following the meeting, representatives from several of the caucuses went off to draft language for the presentations, while most of the group joined government and other delegates at the official welcome reception in the medina's plaza. Several hundred participants mingled amongst the rows of cocktail snacks and bartenders, while a group of young Tunisians wearing elaborate Thousand and One Nights costumes posed for pictures with attendees. On stage, a pair of male guitarists performing Django Reinhardt-like ditties dueled with an all-women Tunisian women's ensemble. The women were excellent performers and helped set the atmosphere, but the men, despite their talents, seemed a bit out of place considering the location....
Posted by acarvin at June 25, 2004 03:59 AM | TrackBack