Between 1991
and 1993 while at the CDS, Clive co-ordinated approximately 15 conferences
all of which were highly successful and contributed immensely towards what
is now policy of the present South African government. It therefore
made perfect sense when the CDS completed it’s work at the beginning of
1994, that this new-found skill should continue in the form of Clive Newman
Conferences.
CONFERENCES:
The majority of the conferences (28 in all) completed since mid-1994, have been
in the realm of politics,labour, education, Non-governmental Organisations
(NGO's) and Community-based Organisations (CBO's). Our vast network of contacts
in this sphere of South African life has placed us in a unique situation to be
able to draw upon resources and individuals not easily accessible to others.
South Africa's elevation from pariah state to the internationally respected
position she holds today has seen a veritable flood of organisations wanting to
host conferences here. After the logistics fiasco that was the World Conference
Against Racism and Xenophobia, we are determined to bid for future such events
in the hope that we can avert the embarrasment experienced there and bring our
own brand of "magic" to the table. All this to ensure that organistions and
countries will feel justified in bringing events of this nature to South Africa
knowing that there exists a skills base capable of doing justice to their ideals.
SOCIAL REALITY PROGRAMMES:
Since 1997, Clive Newman Conferences has also formed close ties with a San
Francisco, (USA) based Human Rights NGO called Global Exchange (GX). Briefly,
part of their mission is send US citizens on "Reality Tours" to developing and
third-world countries. While on these tours participants are faced with
on-the-ground experiences of the people in these countries, more often than not
dispelling the myths represented by the popular media back home.
This aspect of our business has seen tremendous growth since those days in 1997
and our Northern Hemisphere client base has grown exponentially as more and
more people become exposed to the experience.
The year 2001 has seen us complete no less than six of these tours during the
August to September period. We are now in the process of developing a joint
USA/SA programme for high school learners and hope to have it up and running by
the middle of 2002.
Another exciting aspect of the Social Reality Programme has been the development
of close ties with Child Family Health International (CFHI).
Briefly, CFHI was established in 1993 by Dr Evaleen Jones. The programme sends
undergraduate US medical students on what can effectively be called "job shadowing"
to developing countries. The programme has been devised to fulfill a win-win situation.
The host community receives the benefit of assistance and material aid from CFHI,
and the students come back armed with a broader knowledge of healthcare
practices from these countries which should enable them to better understand the
needs of underpriviledged or indegent communities back home.
The South African CFHI programme will be launched in the first quarter of 2002
and promises to be an exciting and rewarding one for both parties.
FESTIVALS & EVENTS:
The third component of our work has also begun to take on a life of it's own.
In March of 2000, we were honoured to be asked to co-ordinate logistics for the
North Sea Jazz Fesival - Cape Town. The Festival proved to be a tremendous
success and as a result we completed the task once more this year and are
currently busy with the planning for next year's festival. We have also
completed, (on a far smaller scale) the International Peace Festival of the
Peace Boat for two years running.
At the present moment our national team of 11 people are gaining skills in each
of the 3 streams of business. It is envisaged that through our internship
programme and with the ongoing training programmes we will be able to have three
dedicated teams in place by next year.
|
