international work day
about the active role
of cartooning in society
journée internationale
de travail sur le rôle actif
du dessin de presse dans la société
اليوم الدولي
للإشتغال على الدور الفعال
لرسوم الصحف في المجتمع
The format of this working day was designed to provide a new and plural context for the actors of the world of cartooning. The venue at House of UNESCO represented a unique opportunity to bring the subject of cartooning under scrutiny from the political perspective of 195 countries simultaneously, all repressed in this seat of top-level diplomacy that every country can call home.
Focusing on the most problematic aspect of cartooning (security, freedom of the press/expression, economics) as so many conferences have done seldom provides solutions and can result in anxiety for those from countries liable to interpret criticism as challenges to their sovereignty. The angle was therefore taken at this Global Forum to treat cartooning as a positive tool already in use for the improvement of society, inviting the participants to share the concrete field initiatives which they initiated and have borne fruit, then distill them into recommendations contextualized within the SDG2030.
To enable dynamic and fluid exchanges, and given the large number of participants, each speaker was invited to hold the floor for consecutive periods of one minute, inviting everyone to carefully and concisely prepare their presentations.
The participants were divided into three active groups, ‘participant auditors’, ‘roundtable participants’ and ‘rapporteurs participants’. The two sessions began with the introduction of each participant to the whole assembly then by a brief opening statement from the mediator of each roundtable presenting the theme of the session. There followed an opportunity for networking and informal exchanges on the theme, allowing all to make connections and to share ideas with the ‘roundtable participants’ so that they could mention them during the main exchange once back in room.
During the working sessions the ‘rapporteurs participants’ took note of the exchanges and intervened to obtain further details, delivering at the end of each session a first draft of possible recommendations. All participants were further invited to send any recommendations they wish to make after the event.
These Global Forum each year will provide a window for the formation of viable working relationships. It’s up to everyone to use this opportunity to expand their network, offer collaborations to others, initiate projects and mobilize their forces.