Re: Regarding the failed conference

Dear Chris,

It is disappointing indeed that no agreement could be reached. We see it 
as an unfortunate situation and can define some factors which led to it, 
but we don't see any blame.
We found out that the Brussels organizing committee has a fundamentally 
different view and starting point regarding the process and structure of 
the conference than the WCN steering group.

Our starting point is to organize a conference on the THEME of carfree 
cities in which one of the objectives is to share experience and 
knowledge between networks and organisations, and we see the WCN as one 
of these networks among others. Our starting point was to offer the WCN 
to link up with this.

The WCN had a different starting point, and it became apparent that 
organizing THE tcc conference is not compatible with what we had in mind 
as a starting point.

We are in this for the cause, and in the interest of our common efforts 
for the cause we do hope to keep exellent relations with the WCN and to 
look for ways how we can cooperate, despite the disagreement on a 
process and structure of the Brussels conference.

For info: Friends of the Earth Flanders and Brussels is the organisation 
which made the proposal to the WCN. FOE F&B is a small member 
organisation of the international FOE grassroots network. Some of the 
organisations in the network are big NGOs, some of them, such as FOE 
F&B, are small organisations mainly driven by the support from volunteers.
The decision on process and structure of the conference is made by the 
whole Brussels organizing committee, which includes several other 
organisations such as IEB, Bral, Urban Concept.

Best,

Jeroen

FOE Flanders and Brussels
for the Brussels organising committee.


Chris C Coleman wrote:
>
> Dear all,
>
> I personally am extremely disappointed by the failure of Friends of 
> the Earth to reach an agreement regarding the TCC Conference for 2009. 
> Both sides have reasons to blame the other, clearly. But the reasons 
> stated for the dissolution of the contract agreement are inexcusable.
>
> Friends of the Earth states money as one: we at the WCN ask little 
> more than 10% of the profits. When considering that we would offer 
> them at least 5 full-time volunteering staff during the conference, 
> the strong reputation of the TCC series and the expertise of our 
> Steering Committee, I believe that is a fair financial trade-off.
>
> Friends of the Earth stated a wish for a different name than our 
> 'Towards Carfree Cities', suggesting their dissatisfaction with naming 
> the subtitle of the conference. I will make no comments here besides 
> that this suggests an unwillingness to compromise.
>
> The other reasons stated are for lawyers to comprehend.
>
> In my personal opinion, this clearly states that Friends of the Earth 
> don't wish "excellent relations" with the World Carfree Network as 
> Jeroen stated, but wish to use their greater scope of influence to 
> undermine a conference that is essential for us at the WCN. I'm sorry 
> Jeroen but I find your curt and unapologetic e-mail to this list 
> insulting. All this merely confirms my opinion that large NGOs are by 
> their nature uncooperative and manipulative.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Chris Coleman of the Carbusters Magazine Editorial Collective
>
> -- 
> "Oil is a remarkable substance. One gallon of oil contains the 
> equivalent of about 98 tonnes of the original algal matter, distilled 
> over 90 to 150 million years, and which had itself collected enormous 
> amounts of solar energy on the waves of the prehistoric ocean."
> - Rob Hopkins, Transition Towns founder
>
> >

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