Ref: Our concern- SAATHII's India specific satellite meetings

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

This is reference to Khousalya's posting on her concerns about Satellite

Meetings at the International Conferences:

Khousalya, we think it would be an excellent idea to discuss the issues of

positive individuals through various specific satellite sessions not only at

the International conferences but also at the National Conferences. We are

serving one billion individuals towards prevention, and 4 million for care,

support and treatment, and thus there is an urgent need for continuous

dialogues that are led by positive communities, where all other sectors can

also have an opportunity to participate and learn.

We would like to take this opportunity to share purpose of the satellite

meetings facilitated by SAATHII, costs involved and some of our experiences

in organizing the satellite meetings, as we have been involved on a

VOLUNTEER basis (no dedicated funding for these meetings) due to our passion

for connecting and networking India.

We would like to take this opportunity to stress the fact that it is

critical to conduct advocacy/information sharing meetings about Indian

issues both within and outside of India. As we depend on external funding,

it is crucial for us make use of every opportunity to advocate for advocate

for India. Focusing on India/Asia-Pacific at international conferences is

important since ASIA-Pacific gets very little attention from the

international agencies and donor countries. We were repeatedly told that

India is one of the few countries that are able to organize these

multi-sectoral meetings at the International meetings without any dedicated

funding towards these meetings.

COST: Anand: Just to clarify satellite sessions that are conducted at the

International conferences are not expensive rather they are almost free

(provided the delegates donates their time towards organizing and coming

together). That is the exact reason why we organize them at the

International conferences, as the delegates are already at the conference on

scholarships/sponsorships, halls are usually provided free (after

negotiations) and thus cost involves only food and some miscellaneous

printing and communication charges.

The various satellite meetings have been organized in altruistic nature with

the following objectives in mind:

1. To provide a neutral platform for all the delegates from India (involving

ALL THE SECTORS) to exchange cards, information and network

2. To provide an opportunity for ALL THE DELEGATES, to meet with the

International funders and influential international academicians and

International NGOs that are interested in assisting India.

3. To provide an opportunity for all the Indian delegates to meet with the

officials from the central and state governments, UN agencies and bi-lateral

partners.

4. To provide a platform to facilitate positive spirit towards working

together.

5. To provide an opportunity for the officials from the central and state

governments UN agencies, bi-lateral partners, International funders and

influential international academicians and International NGOs to LISTEN to

the needs of larger civil society in India.

6. Introducing officials that have taken office in recent months

Even though we try to accomplish meaningful discussions at these satellites,

due to time limitations and sheer size of the gathering, quiet often these

meetings are limited to multi-sectoral networking and exchange of program

information.

Barcelona satellite required six months of preparations as it involved

extensive consultations with all the sectors towards setting the agenda and

extensive efforts towards involving all the sectors in participation of the

conference. We must admit that we spend considerable amount of requesting

various sectors and officials to join us at the satellites so that it is a

true multi-sectoral meeting and we were overwhelmed with the positive

response we received for the Barcelona satellite meeting.

Several SAATHII volunteers, advisors and civil society partners including

all the positive networks have volunteered their time, advice and their

input towards this satellite and other satellites. A summer student

volunteered for six months towards the invitations, communication and other

arrangements.

We are constantly seeking advise to make these meetings efficient,

productive, all inclusive, and positive. If other groups would like to take

lead in organizing these satellites with new innovative ideas, we will be

very happy to assist in any way we can.

But we must make sure to continue these meetings in positive spirit,

including all the sectors, as we don't get many opportunities to bring these

many sectors together without financial investment.

In solidarity

SAATHII Team

Subha Raghavan

E-mail: <ssr12@...>

____________________________________________________

[Details of the various SAATHII meetings that were done on volunteer basis with

out any specific external funding is available with Dr. Subha Raghavan

Moderator]