What’s this all about?
The Forum is P&Pīs annual democratic event, at which students debate and decide on P&Pīs direction and campaigns.
The network and office have been submitting ideas for what should be discussed, debated or decided upon at The Forum 2007.
The deadline for proposals is now passed and ideas we have received are shown in the table below.
See more background information about decisions at The Forum here
Book The Forum in your diary now 16-18 March 2007
Ideas for discussion at The Forum
This table shows the ideas for The Forum 07 agenda that were proposed by network members and the support office.
Download each proposal for more details
Each proposal has a thread of its own on the network run and owned web forum. Click on the link in the table to add your feedback and start discussions that will inform debate at The Forum 07.
Name of proposal
Who made the proposal
Summary of proposal
Download more details on this proposal
Share your thoughts on this proposal on the network run web forum
Finance: Discussion of the way People & Planet is financed
Rhiannon Horsley and Anna Rudge (Reading Uni group)
A discussion/debate on the way that People & Planet receives sponsorship, and about affiliation/membership fees
Campaigns: A new economic justice campaign
Rhiannon Horsley and Anna Rudge (Reading Uni group)
A proposal to drop the Fairtrade campaign and start a living wage campus campaign
Finance: Role of the network in funding People & Planet
Rhiannon Horsley and Anna Rudge (Reading Uni group)
That The Forum includes a discussion or talk on network fundraising
Democracy: Group voting
Anna Rudge and Michael Ball (Reading Uni group)
For example, a topic for discussion, a position to debate or suggested course of action (like a motion) are given to group organisers. The key organiser in each group organises a vote in meetings and sends results back to the office.
Network: Greater transparency in the office
Rhiannon Horsley and Anna Rudge (Reading Uni group)
This might need discussion or perhaps it could just be implemented
Other: Non-violence
Rhiannon Horsley and Anna Rudge (Reading Uni group)
People & Planet should have a policy on non violent direct action, i.e. that it condemns violence.
Democracy: Openess of the Management Committee
Alice Ward and Harry Giles (St Andrews Uni group)
That the workings of the Management Committee should be made more accessible to network members.
Present Campaign: People & Planet’s role within coalitions
Dave Cullen and Ryan Scott (Oxford Brookes Uni Group)
What role should People and Planet have within coalitions and how can the network actively be involved in this process?
Events: A little less conversation
Dave Cullen and Ryan Scott (Oxford Brookes Uni Group)
Fitting an action into shared planet as a permanent fixture of the weekend — like I Count, but a bit more active…
Other: A blank space on The Forum agenda
Dave Cullen and Ryan Scott (Oxford Brookes Uni Group)
Basically, my overwhelming feeling about the Forum last year was that there wasnīt enough time for any of the sessions… I propose a blank 2 hour slot towards the end of the timetable that Forum can use to continue the most pressing discussion/s
Potential future campaign: Trade and transparency
Joe Greenwood and Sarah Ernst (Sheffield Uni group)
A proposal to launch a preferential trade and banking transparency campaign directed towards European relations with Africa.
Potential future campaign: Ethical Investment campaign
Alice Ward and Georgina Rannard (St Andrews Uni group)
A national campaign for universities to invest ethically
Present Campaign: Reform of the Fairtrade Campaign to be put in the context of international trade justice
Georgina Rannard and Sheetal Kumar (St Andrews Uni group)
People and Planet should reform the Fairtrade campaign to place it within the context of Trade Justice. Fairtrade should be seen as an example of alternative trade, but it is ultimately unsustainable, and therefore we should address the broader issues, such as TRIPS, Corporate Power, CAP, and the WTO.
Democracy: Developing People & Planet’s Democracy
To have a discussion and make recommendations to give clear steer to Management Committee as to how to further develop People & Planetīs democratic processes.
Parallel Sessions — International student networks, Legal basis of P&P, national campaign actions, climate change campaigning in schools
A session in the agenda for parallel discussions on developing P&Ps international links, the legal basis of P&P, national campaign actions and climate change campaigning in schools
Present Campaign: Future direction of Ditch Dirty Development campaign
Discussion of possible future directions for the Ditch Dirty Development campaign and decision on which direction the support office should focus on.
Potential future campaign: Campaigns decision: continue Fairtrade in Universities campaign or support for one year a network co-ordinated campaign
Choose to continue (with moderate development) the Fairtrade Universities campaign for the next year, or to drop it and create the position of ntework co-ordinated campaigns intern. This intern would not develop a campaign from scratch but would spend one year helping to facilitate a network co-ordinated campaign and build its capacity.
Next steps
On 7 December, the Management Committee, including six elected student representatives, met to prioritise which items will appear on the Forum agenda.
The outcomes of the Management Committee’s prioritisation can be found here. Check them out so that you can get debating in your groups, at regional events and on the network run web forum.
Book The Forum in your diary now 16-18 March 2007