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Calendar of development practice events

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If you know of an upcoming event that relates to Development Practice and Effectiveness in the Asia Pacific, please submit the details for a free listing on this site.

Participatory Project Management (PPM) Training*

• Dates: February, March, April, June, July, August, November 2010
• Organisation: Foundation for Development Cooperation (FDC)
• The Participatory Project Management (PPM) workshop is designed for community development(CD)/project management (PM) practitioners, working on CD/PM projects in either urban or rural settings.  This workshop is for those who are:
  
  
  • Involved in Community Development (CD) projects.
  • NGO and International Development Consultancy Project Officers.
  • Government or UN officials, returned volunteer or students who wants to learn more about CD/PM.
  The purpose of this workshop is to learn a variety of Mindset, Skillset and Heartset skills which are instrumental to the eff ective community development practitioner. These will include Project Cycle Management (PCM); Participatory Learning and Action (PLA); and the Logical Framework Approach (LFA), or Logframes for short.
  
  Case Study examples will be drawn from Australia, the Asian-Pacific region, and Africa.
  
  
• Information: http://www.torqaid.com/images/stories/FDC2010TrainingSchedule.pdf
• *NOTE: There may be costs associated with attending this event

Cross-Cultural Training*

• Dates: Commencing a national program in February please see http://www.cccnt.com.au/calendar.html for Working Well Overseas and Introduction to Working with Cultural Difference course dates.
  
• Organisation: Cross Cultural Consultants (CCC)
  
  
• Introduction to Working with Cultural Difference (Cross cultural development work in an Indigenous context). 
  
  This 1 day course introduces skills and strategies for communicating and working effectively across cultures with a focus on working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and cultures. The training program will provide a framework for looking at culture and cultural difference, individual versus collectivist cultures and other modules that can be tailored to the needs of the participants, including: kinship, language, history, diversity and cultural change and rapport and networks.
  
  
• Working Well Overseas (Cross cultural effectiveness in international development).
  
  This 2 day course will provide a framework for reflecting on and understanding cultural difference.  It is suitable for people entering international work, as well as experienced staff. The training is participatory with an emphasis on adult learning principles. It draws on participant's experiences, strengths and stories to not only provide information but also extend frameworks, networks and capacity.
  
  
• In 2010 Cross Cultural Consultants are also commencing their Working Across Cultures course in the Asia Pacific region. This course is for staff working in multicultural teams, with culturally and linguistically diverse communities, international staff or counterparts at home or overseas. Initial locations are Port Moresby, Dili, Port Vila and Nuku'alofa.
  
  
• Information: http://www.cccnt.com.au/calendar.html
• *NOTE: There may be costs associated with attending this event

Harmony Day

• Date: 21 March 2010
• Organisation: DIAC
  
• Harmony Day is celebrated on 21 March each year.
  
  Managed by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), Harmony Day celebrates the cohesive and inclusive nature of our nation and promotes the benefits of cultural diversity.
  
  DIAC supports a range of community events and activities held to celebrate Harmony Day by providing free promotional products.
  
  The continuing message of Harmony Day is 'Everyone Belongs'. It's about community participation, inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.
  
  The 2010 theme is 'Express Yourself'. This gives you the opportunity to share with others the importance of diversity in your workplace, school and community through action, performance, fashion and food.
  
  Since Harmony Day began in 1999 thousands of schools, community groups and organisations across Australia have hosted Harmony Day events.
  
  There is no limit to the range of activities that can be held for Harmony Day and we encourage schools, community groups, local government and businesses to get involved and actively support this day of celebration.
  
  
• Resource link: http://www.harmony.gov.au/harmony-day/whats-it-all-about.htm

Aid Transparency and Development Finance Conference

• Date: 22 - 15 March 2010
• Host: University College (Oxford), AidInfo Consortium
• Location: Oxford, UK

• This conference is sponsored by the Global Economic Governance project of University College, Oxford, and the AidInfo Consortium.
  
  It will feature the public launch of AidData. AidData, the result of a merger between the PLAID (Project-Level Aid) database and the AiDA (Accessible information on Development Activities) database of the Development Gateway, tracks more than 1 million projects spanning 81 donor agencies and totaling more than $4.1 trillion dollars over 40 years.
  

• Resource link: http://aiddata.org/oxford/
  

Facilitating Participatory Approaches in International Development*

• Dates: 25 - 26 March 2010
  
• Organisation: IDSS (Michelle Whalen)
• Location: Sydney, Australia
  
• The course will explore techniques to enhance meaningful participation in development programs. Participatory approaches aim to engage beneficiaries and stakeholders in all stages of the development process, and are key to equitable and sustainable outcomes.
  
  Methodologies based on Participatory Learning for Action (PLA) tools enable us to engage with the views, perceptions and experience of others. These techniques have been applied to a wide range of development contexts, in sectors such as agriculture, education, health, and community development, and can be applied to all phases of project and program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
  
  The facilitation skills course includes:
  
  
  • mini presentations
  • small and large group work
  • role plays
  • games and energisers
  Participatory tools include visual, verbal, and counting methods for information gathering and analysis. The course will be experiential and interactive and aims to provide participants with a range of practical tools applicable to their own work.
  
  
• Information: http://www.idss.com.au/pages/1263452088.app
• *NOTE: There may be costs associated with attending this event

Successful Distance Management Teleseminar*

•     Dates: 13 - 27 April 2010, spread over 2 sessions (15:00 - 16:30pm UK Time)
•     Session One: 13th April 2010: Developing Relationships, Trust and Managing Expectations
•     Session Two: 27th April 2010: Leading Teams
•     Organisation: People In Aid

Factors such as restructuring of key functions, increased delivery through partners, concern about climate change and travel budget freeze cause most people in the development and humanitarian sector have to work with colleagues at a distance.

In the last 2 years People In Aid have delivered the Successful Distance Management Workshop to over 100 participants, both as an open and an in-house programme. People In Aid now offers the opportunity to partake in the training via a teleseminar.

Designed for both managers and staff working with colleagues at a distance, the programme is spread over two sessions which delivers the learning in bite size chunks, with the opportunity to try out practical exercises between sessions, and to deliver and receive feedback on the experience. Additionally, the sessions will be recorded, for participants to refer to in the future. The teleseminar can be accessed from anywhere (with the requirement of having a telephone).

Through Two interactive sessions you will learn:

•     How to communicate better with remote team members and ensure common understanding
•     How to develop and maintain trusting relationships at a distance
•     What successful distance teams do, the support they get from their organisation and structural considerations
•     When and where technology can help

Apart from the two sessions, participants should set aside 3-4 hours in-between sessions to trial ideas.

Every participant will receive a comprehensive handbook on distance management and an audio recording of the event.

• Resource link: http://www.peopleinaid.org.uk/events/309.aspx
• *NOTE: There may be costs associated with attending this event

Public Service Day

• Date: 23 June 2010
• Organisation: UNPAN
  

• The United Nations' Public Service Day is held on June 23 each year. It recognises that democracy and successful governance are built on the foundation of a competent civil service. The day aims to celebrate the value and virtue of service to the community.
  
  The United Nations (UN) holds a Public Service Awards ceremony each year. It rewards the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions worldwide. This event promotes the role, professionalism and visibility of public service.  At the same time, Africa Public Service Day is celebrated in Africa to coincide with the United Nations Public Service Day.

  Many public service organisations and departments around the world celebrate this day by holding various events to recognise the valuable role that public servants play in making improvements in society.
  
  Activities include:
  

  • Information days featuring stalls and booths about the public service;
  • Organised lunches with guest speakers; internal awards ceremonies within public service agencies or departments;
  • Special announcements to honor public servants.
• Resource link: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/un/public-service-day

International Day of Cooperatives

• Date: 3 July 2010
• Organisation: UN
  

• Co-operatives around the world celebrate the Day in many different ways. Below are examples of some of the activities organised by co-operatives around the world:
  

  • The messages of the ICA and United Nations are translated into local languages and widely disseminated to co-operators, media, government officials at all level.
  • Co-operatives use newspapers and radio programmes to create awareness on their movements and contributions.
  • Co-operative Fairs, exhibits, contests, and campaigns are held.
  • Meetings with government officials, United Nations agencies and other partner organisations are held.
  • Co-operatives partner with community agencies to champion economic, environmental, social and health challenges (blood drives, tree planting, etc.)
  • Cultural events are sponsored - theatre, concerts, etc.
• Resource link: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/social/intldays/IntlCoops/

United Nations Conference on Global Health

• Date: 30 August to 1 September 2010
• Host: UN
• Location: Melbourne, Australia

• Australia will host a major annual United Nations Conference on global health issues.
  
  The 63rd UN Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organisation Conference will be held in Melbourne from 30 August to 1 September 2010.
  
  This will be the first time Australia has hosted a UN event of this size and only the third time this Conference has been held outside of the UN Headquarters in New York.
  
  The UN Conference has previously been held in Paris in 2008 and Mexico City in 2009.
  
  The Conference will be organised in partnership with the UN Department of Public Information, Non-Government Organisations and the Australian Government.
  
  A major aim of this year's Conference is to attract participation of NGOs in the Asia-Pacific region.
  
  The Conference will bring together hundreds of NGO representatives from around the world to discuss global health as it relates to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
  
  Health issues are central to the MDGs, which are the internationally agreed targets for reducing poverty. Goals include reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other preventable diseases.
  
  Improving the health of men, women and children in developing countries ensures that the poor can expand their range of choices, improve their productivity and participate more fully in society.
  
  Australia looks forward to welcoming the international community to Melbourne in August for what will be a significant event on 2010 UN calendar.
  

• Resource link: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/media/release.cfm?BC=Media&ID=4777_3295_4888_1829_9290

Milennium Development Goals Progress Review

• Date: September 2010
• Organisation: UN
  
• With only five years until the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Governments to engage constructively in preparation for a high-level meeting in September 2010, to review progress towards the MDGs and other international development goals.
  
  The 2010 high-level meeting is hoped to not only result in a renewal of existing commitments but to also decisively galvanise coordinated action among all stakeholders and elicit the funding needed to ensure the achievement of the Goals by 2015.
  
  
• Resource link: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/sept_2010_more.shtml

International Day of Peace

• Date: 21 September 2010
• Organisation: UN
  
• The United Nations' International Day of Peace - marked every year on September 21 - is a global holiday when individuals, communities, nations and governments highlight efforts to end conflict and promote peace.
  

  
  On the International Day of Peace, also known as Peace Day, people around the world take part in various activities and organize events centered on the theme 'peace'. Events vary from private gatherings to public concerts and forums involving large audiences.
  
  Activities include:
  

  • Interfaith peace ceremonies.
  • A toast for peace.
  • A peace choir.
  • Lighting candles.
  • Peace prayers.
  • A peace convoy of vehicles.
  • Tree planting for peace.
  • Art exhibitions promoting peace.
  • Picnics for peace.
  • Peace walks.
• Resource link: http://internationaldayofpeace.org/

World Development Information Day

• Date: 24 October 2010
• Organisation: UN
  
• The United Nations' (UN) World Development Information Day is annually held on October 24 to draw attention of worldwide public opinion to development problems and the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve them.
  
  
• Resource link: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/un/world-development-information-day

Universal Children's Day

• Date: 20 November 2010
• Organisation: UN
  
• Universal Children's Day is one of the oldest UN days, and carries particular significance in the 21st century because of the prominence of children's issues in the Millennium Development Goals.
  
  Raise awareness on this day for children the world over.
  
  
• Resource link: http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/children_day/

UN Convention on Rights of the Child

• Date: 20 November 2010
• Organisation: UNICEF
  
• Built on varied legal systems and cultural traditions, the Convention is a universally agreed set of non-negotiable standards and obligations. These basic standards - also called human rights - set minimum entitlements and freedoms that should be respected by governments.
  They are founded on respect for the dignity and worth of each individual, regardless of race, colour, gender, language, religion, opinions, origins, wealth, birth status or ability and therefore apply to every human being everywhere.
  
  UNICEF's mission is to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential.
  
  
• Resource link: http://www.unicef.org/crc/

International Volunteer Day

• Date: 5 December 2010
• Organisation: UN
  
• International Volunteer Day (IVD) was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985. IVD is now celebrated worldwide with thousands of volunteers involved in a range of IVD initiatives including clean-up campaigns, conferences, exhibitions, morning teas and many other activities all aimed to highlight the role of volunteers in their communities.
  
  
• Resource link: http://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/html/s02_article/default.asp?nav_cat_id=208

UN Day for South-South Cooperation

• Date: 19 December 2010
• Organisation: UN
  
• By resolution 58/220 of 23 December 2003, the General Assembly decided to declare 19 December, United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation.
  
  This was the date on which the General Assembly endorsed the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (BAPA).
  
  The BAPA represents a major milestone in the evolution of technical cooperation among developing countries (TCDC) in that it provides the conceptual underpinning as well as a practical guide for realising the objectives of TCDC.
  
  
• Resource link: http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/events/south/index.html