UPLIFT CONNECT with IRAQ

UPLIFT CONNECT with IRAQ

Notes by Jane LaPointe May 15, 2003

ACTIONS– IDEAS, PROPOSALS, COMMITMENTS

UPLIFT CONNECT: PEER to PEER CONNECTIONS

1. Access to Sunni and Shiite Muslim scholars in Iraq

Build relationship with existing infrastructures and third parties who can provide us with credibility and who are gatekeepers to local, grass roots institutions

- Inform them of Uplift and our projects. We are people of concern...; want to link people to people. You are our channel. These are our programs.

- Request feedback; advice on how to best approach; how to establish contact?

Action by: Amer Araim with ____

2. Congregation to Congregation; Mosque to Church Dialogue

- What is valuable and shared/common in our traditions?

Action by: Paul Chafee with Amer

3. School to School

a. Approach Creative Associates, the US Agency charged with rebuilding running Iraqi schools for access

Action by: Mac Odell

b. Peace Packages to schools. Develop and include interactive materials for and from children; reflect the spirit of Imagine. Link to work of Jon Larson

Action by: ________?

4. Children through Journalists to the World

“The Cradle of Civilization: Children’s Stories of Hope”

- Link stories of imagination, hope, resilience from children with ancient stories from scholars; connect the “deep stories” of Islam and stories of children (including orphans).

- Connect to journalists, particularly those embedded during the war, and to their broadcast networks. Focus on tools and stories of resilience.

- Link with Images and Voices of Hope

Action by: __________ Liza Berendt??

5. Community to Community

- Amesbury NH village to village model, i.e. Falugia

Action by: Mac Odell

6. Women to Women

- Build on Women Empowerment and WORTH

- Build relationships, network with Iraqi women in US, Walnut Creek.

Action by: Liza Berendt with Marcia Odell ???

UPLIFT CONNECT: BUILD THE “INFRASTRUCTURES”

Purpose:

Reconnect people and build trusting relationship, in a heart-felt way, through stories.

Create the possibility for joint projects; for needs and resources to be expressed.

1. Locate Uplift Connectors – onsite to collect stories and to identify and form relationships. Start with people already known and trusted and network from these.

Action by: Sergio Lub

2. Define roles, responsibilities.

Action by: Tom Munnecke. One Village. Nancy Glock-Grueneich

3. Specify resources needed to do the job

Action:

4. Identify, select, build, connect the Tools particularly those we already have, i.e. Favors.

Action: ongoing

5. Capture pattern knowledge base with Richard Gabriel

a. Capture wisdom, knowledge, existing content. Create pattern language that describes what we are talking about.

Action: Pattern Workshop, July 20-23, Quaker Center with Richard Gabriel, workshop leader.

b. Build Uplift Starter Kits.

Action:

6. Build local connectors network.

- Catalyze process of local connections (ads, language).

- Become co-designers.

Action:

UPLIFT CONNECT: PEACE PACKAGES

Note: this summary is already significantly out of date. See emails and websites on this Uplift activity.

Peace Packages are an extension of activities already underway by Jon Larson and his family who are sending packages to troops through Operation Independence.

The desired chain of giving: 1. School —> 2. Operation Independence--->3. Troops in Iraq—>4. Return card from Troops/Iraqi students(name, location, time)--->5. School kids

Contents of Packages

pencils, sharpener, pens, crayons, paper pads, erasers, notebooks

photos, drawings

return envelope/card to receive from Iraqi children and from troops

Actions:

Jon Larsen with ??

Design packet; assemble the materials

Write letters to accompany packages

Set up delivery with Operation Independence

Make it happen

Tom Munnecke, Amer Araim

Launch with publicity, press conference. Target: June 6/8 Planetworks Forum in San Francisco

UPLIFT CONNECT: CAPACITAR

Mission: Healing ourselves; healing our world

Actions: Joan Condon, Ruth Mota

Learn how we might effectively be involved in the healing process of the people of Iraq.

1. Invite the Imam to meet with founder Pat Cane and other reps to explore how we could link with other efforts and groups in Iraq.

2. Get our grassroots training manual translated into Arabic. Requires human and financial resources.

3. Develop collaboration with groups in Iraq to develop programs that meet self-identified needs.

Do Now!

Contact White House, Farr, Feinstein and Boxer to encourage UN participation in reconstruction and democratic process that includes all Iraqis, including Baathists.

UPLIFT CONNECT: LINKS

Weblinks