Global Alliance - Transition and planning meeting - November 29th and 30th, Baltimore

Hi and best wishes. This is a follow-up to the update note recently sent as we all work towards implementing what is now known and the “Global Alliance …” Two quick things if we may: (1) a reminder re your input on name, priorities and criteria and (2) the next in-person meeting to advance this process. 

1. Please access the previous note and respond to the questions posed about the full name, priorities and criteria for being at the table. Really important to get your input - thank you. Please let us know if you have any questions. 

2. An in-person meeting to advance the Alliance through its next steps will be held in Baltimore, Maryland, November 29th and 30th, 2017, hosted by JHUCCP (for which many thanks). The transition and review group agreed at the New York meeting - Rafael Obregon (UNICEF), James Deane (BBC Media Action), Sue Goldstein (Soul City Institute for Social Justice), Rhadika Gajjala (IMACR), Patrick Cook (International Social Marketing Association), Lis Hilmi (CORE), Hope Hempstone (USAID) and Susan Krenn (Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs) - will be involved. 

3. But ... we do wish to include participation from others who may be interested. The broader the range of people involved the better.  

a. Prior to this meeting there will be agreement on the issues raised above - name, priorities, and criteria. So we will not be revisiting those items in Baltimore. They will be the foundation for moving forward.

b. The purpose of the meeting will be to agree:

- The initial organisations that will sit at the Alliance table
- The detailed plan of action for the initial 12 months of the Alliance
- How best to present the Alliance to the broader development community.

c. If you wish to participate in this meeting please let us know by return email. It would be tremendous to have you engaged. There will be limited space. We will be seeking balance across types of organisations and priority development issues. So please let us know your interest as soon as possible.

d. The caveat relates to balanced participation. Holding these meetings in New York and Baltimore obviously makes it much easier and cheaper for the often large organisations based in the East Coast USA corridor to participate. There were strong observations at the New York meeting concerning the unbalanced participation at that event. If you are based in the East Coast corridor and will attend the Baltimore event could you also please consider the following in order to ensure balanced participation? Would you be able to support the travel and accommodation costs of one other organisation to attend? From the extensive consultations undertaken prior to the New York meeting there are a number of excellent candidates that are already engaged in and familiar with this process. Many were frustrated that they could not attend the NY meeting due to cost. Based on responses to this note we could provide a list from which you could choose. Many thanks for considering. Obviously we will look to rotate the venues for any future meetings.

Best wishes and thanks - most happy to answer any questions

Rafael and Warren