Tehelka is organising a Summit of the Powerless on 20 and 21 November 2006 at teh kamia Milia Islamia University in Delhi. Should you wish to attend, please register at http://www.summitofthepowerless.net/summit_registration.asp
For details visit www.summitofthepowerless.net. Given below is an introductory note and the tentative schedule. o o o o o Summit of the Powerless India is going through a period of great change and great upheaval. At such a time, it has become crucial to ensure that voices across the country are heard, and people are given a chance to participate in the future being newly moulded for them -- people whose lives are impacted daily by the decisions the powerful make. To give voice to this silent majority, to find creative responses to some of the most difficult questions of our time, on November 20 –21 this year, Tehelka is hosting a visionary new forum: The Summit of the Powerless. The core idea of the Summit is to bring together the three key stakeholders of a free society on to the same platform: money, power, and people. Political and business leaders wield enormous power and influence over the lives of the poor. But in most forums, the converted talk to the converted: the powerful to the rich; the powerless to the powerless. The unique idea of the Summit is to create an environment where the powerful will lend their ear to the powerless. The Summit seeks to bring the powerful into a new context. A context visually, emotionally, and conceptually constructed to be empathetic to the powerless. The agenda? Not just to air differences, but hunt for common ground. The broad theme for this year's Summit is Two Indias, One Future. Under this matrix, the Summit will discuss some of the most pressing issues of our time: the role of the State; the farmer crisis; the gap between rural and urban India; reservations; naxals; Kashmir; the Northeast; land usage; and a vision for more equitable cities. Every panel in the Summit will have two or more speakers each from the grassroot, political, and corporate sectors. There will also be AVs and personal narratives in every panel. More than 50 key human rights activists, peoples' movement leaders, political, and corporate heads have already confirmed participation. Recognising the importance of such a forum, the President of India too has agreed to participate in the Summit. Apart from the panel discussions, many important conversations, arguments, and linkages will be made possible by the Summit. It has immense potential and provides an immense opportunity. (An agenda is attached with this letter.) Tehelka is inviting everybody working to create a more equitable and humane world to attend the Summit. Do come and empower the Summit with your presence. If you can come, please register at www.summitofthepowerless.net If you have any queries, please write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] And do pass the word around. Best wishes, The Tehelka Team DAY 1 Tarun Tejpal, Editor-in-Chief, Tehelka welcome address. Outlines summit agenda Keynote Address by the President of India OPENING SESSION: Two Indias, One Future Confirmed Speakers Aruna Roy Anna Hazare Kamal Nath Sitaram Yechury LK Advani Arun Maira SESSION 1 a Farmer Suicides: Urban India vs Rural India Confirmed Speakers Ajit Singh Sachin Pilot Rajiv Bakshi Vandana Shiva Mihir Shah Kishore Tiwari Sharad Pawar Amrinder Singh Devegowda SESSION 1 b (simultaneous) The Positive Model: Stories of Rural Success Confirmed Speakers Father Thomas Kocherry Rajinder Singh Prakash Amte SESSION 2 a Reservations: Inclusive Progress or the Death of Merit? Confirmed Speakers Yogendra Yadav Kani Mozhi Udit Raj Arjun Singh Arun Shourie SESSION 2 b (simultaneous) Equal Education: Excellence or Prejudice? Confirmed Speakers Anil Sadgopal Ashok Aggarwal Mushirul Hasan Krishna Kumar Parth J Shah MUSICAL EVENING Shubha Mudgal Kailash Kher Indian Ocean Zahroor Sahin DAY 2 Opening Session The Indian State: Protector or Alienator? Confirmed Speakers Kapil Sibal Ram Jethmalani Praful Patel Medha Patkar Dipankar CPIML SESSION 3 a Naxals: Backlash of the Fourth World? Confirmed Speakers Sumanto Banerjee Dilip Simeon Dr Vara Vara Rao Janak Lal Thakur Manendra Karma KPS Gill SESSION 3 b (simultaneous) Kashmir: External Hand or Internal Haemorrhage? Confirmed Speakers Wajahat Habibullah Pervez Imroze Omar Abdullah Mehbooba Mufti SESSION 4 a The City and the Powerless Confirmed Speakers Charles Correa KT Ravindran Madhu Kishwar A Jockin Jaipal Reddy Milind Deora Vijaypat Singhania Cyrus Gazdar Rajeev Chandrashekhar B S Nagesh SESSION 4 b (simultaneous) North East: On the Map, Off the Mind? Confirmed Speakers Wasbir Hussain Patricia Mukhim Lachit Bordoloi SESSION 5 (Final) Bollywood: Can cinema bridge the divide? Prasoon Joshi Sudhir Mishra Rakeysh Mehra Raveena Tandon Anupam Kher -- Members of the ZESTMedia list exchange news and views about the media in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bhutan. Write to [email protected] If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTMedia by sending a blank mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ Get all ZESTMedia mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED], OR, if you have a Yahoo! 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