Preparation meetings – preliminary summary of the situation

Preparatory Group
There are two groups at present ready to take up the preparatory work in their area, one in Johannesburg and one in Cape Town. There seems to be a commitment on the part of each to take on this process and to work with the international group to make it happen.
Besides this, there are individuals in both groups who want to establish an Idem platform to support one another and become active in the near future rather than waiting for the conference. In Johannesburg they want to look for activities and in Cape Town there are already people connected to projects.
These groups want to work together with us in Europe to develop their vision of what this work means and how to organise themselves.
Venue and Date
At the moment we are negotiating with the University of Stellenbosch (US) and the University of the Western Cape (UWC). Both are open, have the facilities we need, and are awaiting approval from their boards for either January or July 2011. April is not an option, as their students do not vacate the residences at this time.
Most other universities in the country do not come into question, as they do not have the facilities we need
UCT – don’t hire facilities to external organisations – hall only seats 1000
Technical University, University of Johannesburg, Witwatersrand University, all do not have the facilities
The only other in the country would be Rhodes in Grahamstown, or, at a pinch, Pretoria.
Organic Food Suppliers
Both Abalimi Bezekhaya and Soil for Life have agreed to supply fresh vegetables from what is in season at the time.
The Ethical Co-op is able to supply dry goods and processed foods and has connections with organic farmers whom we can contact.
The Biodynamic Association is interested in being a part of the conference, and is still to give me the contacts to their members.
Altogether, it seems not be problem to find sufficient suppliers for the vegetarian part, and there are 2 butcheries supplying organic meat in Cape Town.
Workcamps
There are 20 workcamp projects that have committed to holding a workcamp so far, with 7 still to be confirmed.
Confirmed are: Abalimi Bezekhaya, Bonintwentle, Rankoromane, Food for Thought, Gaia School, Keiskamma, Hermanus Waldorf School, Ikwezi Lokusa, Imhoff School, Mothers Unite, Noluthando, Nomphumelelo, Petervale Farm, Siyakha, Soil for Life, Syazakha, Vulamasango, Zion Apostolic Church. Ntonga Music School, TransCape.
Processes have also begun to connect certain of the projects with persons who can assist in building design and supervision, as well as other areas.
Funding needs
At the second of the meetings in Cape Town, some people from the township outlined that they had no work, and could afford neither the transport costs to meetings, nor to provide a meal or snacks for the group if they met in their area.
It was possible to obtain a small amount of funding through support of the Anthroposophical Society in the Western Cape, which wants to support the conference and is prepared to pay for transport and actual costs of running the meetings.
Organisational support
Persons from both the Olive Leaf Foundation and the CDRA (Community Development Resource Association) are committed to Connectivity and want to support its preparation, as well as other individuals who have skills in group work, facilitation, etc.
In addition, some members of the Anthroposophical Society who are engaged in Community work have offered to form a kind of quiet support circle in case their help is required in some way for the success of the conference.

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