Networking for international solidarity

CRID is a network of French NGOs working for International Solidarity. Its membership includes about 50 French organisations and their Southern and Eastern partner NGOs, creating an international network of 1500 partner organisations, 7500 local groups and 180,000 volunteers. Every second year, CRID organises a summer campus for NGO staff and volunteers, “L’Université d’été de la solidarité internationale”, which attracts more than 1000 participants.

The film 10 Tactics for turning information into action was screened in July 2010 as part of a three-day workshop CRID organised by members* on “Communication as a vector for social transformation” held in Bordeaux, France. "We discovered this excellent kit thanks to Internews, at a presentation in Paris in March this year. We chose to screen it at our event given the quality of its pedagogical approach and because of the large diversity of experiences and creative tools it features. We hoped this screening would allow the 53 attendants to find out about news ways to use communication technologies and about new resources in that field," explains Yvonne Belaunde, whose organisation helped organise this event.

Below are some of the comments from those who viewed the film:

“A door wide open to the world, demonstrating enormous possibilities. Congratulations!”

“A film that gives us hope about our citizen power and also many 'keys'. Thanks!”

“A great documentary, a tool for global change and awareness. Translation in all languages would be appreciated.”

“We need the film and the booklets in French, please!”

“The experience that interested me most was the use of Karaoke in Thailand, where people come and sing militant songs on popular melodies. It is rooted in the local reality: the fact that Thai people are fond of karaoke…which is not transposable everywhere. It makes us aware of the potential of adapting our practices to local uses.”

“Mobilisation through videos and cartoons are particularly useful when working with non reader migrants.”

“Very interesting, complex material. Impossible to get everything in a single screening. What about the dangers of false information?”

“Action! Brilliant: keys to our world. They give us hope, courage, will. Tools to be used with responsibility and respect, especially concerning the verification of all information transmitted.”

“This film shows how the internet allows very different people, coming from different countries, cultures and languages to work together for a fair world. We have to be careful not to exclude those who aren’t that fond of computer tools.”

“There is a problem with the subtitles, as I didn’t have enough time to read them all so I didn’t understand everything. Could it be translated into French please?”

“Interesting tool, which brings hope in regards to freedom of expression!”

Story by Yvonne Belaunde, CCFD-Terre Solidaire.

Photo by Beatriz Barbosa from Intervozes.

*The workshop was organised by a pool of six french speaking organizations: Ritimo, CCFD-Terre solidaire, Vecam, Bastamag, Altermondes et Iteco. Participants were from a number of organisations including, Intervozes (Brazil),  ALAI (Ecuador), E-JOUSSOUR (Morocco), CADTM and RLMM, France