The Rio world symposium is over now and having recovered from flights and loss of sleep I am trying to assemble my thoughts and feelings about this experience and the outcomes.
The symposium produced a final document - the draft of which can be viewed by following the links on the MenEngage website. In general it is a good piece of work and reflects well the discussion and presentations at Rio. In fact it is quite remarkable that the committee drafting the "declaration -call for action" was able to be so thorough and comprehensive in such a short time. The document reflects the important balance between challenging men's behavious to others and themselves with responding to men from a position of respect and caring. I think the document sets the right tone.
I am proud of this final work and I do not regret attending the symposium (there were only 4-5 delegations from Canada outside of all the White Ribbon guys there) but I wish I could have felt more a part of the process. Most of the time there was little room for discussion with panel members and speakers, when there were questions from the floor they were just compiled and not usually directly responded to, there were preset committees organized to create the final document and many of these people had been workshop presenters. In short - I wish there had been more "engagement'. The final document was a good one but anyone familiar with community organizing understands that people are more likely to act on something if they felt a part of it's creation.
Once the final declaration is no longer a draft document I will be contacting the local press to let them know about this symposium and it's outcomes.
