May 25, 2003

The latest cult of moots and meetings holds great personal benefits for the organizers, but does little by way of resolving the social and developmental issues it claims to address

THE chief executive of an NGO was running from pillar to post, trying to seek the approval of the concerned department for launching an awareness campaign on a sensitive social subject. As he had already obtained “generous funding” for this most noble cause, the delays were causing him great anxiety.

A wise soul advised him to host a two-day meeting on the issue in a cozy hill resort. He followed the advice. In a meticulously organized event, in which all the concerned departmental officials were also invited as guests of honour, he unfolded his agenda. Without a trace of opposition, his programme received the necessary approval. Deeply moved, he became an immediate convert to the cult of moots-’n’-meetings that dominate the developmental practice in an emphatic manner.

A wide range of contexts have earned fame for housing symposia, seminars, conferences, workshops, bull sessions, starter meetings and all that fits into this nomenclature. From changing global environment to deteriorating human settlements, and from HIV/AIDS to gender issues, countless events are staged every year under the auspices of international agencies and their partner institutions.

While the objectives and modus operandi vary to some extent, ‘dialogue’ remains the buzzword — sometimes making the sole raison d’etre for holding an event of this kind. Development-related institutions normally credit complete faith in organizing such events as a final means of extending developmental benefits to the underdeveloped. Some agencies firmly believe that staging a successful and well-attended conference is a great contribution in itself.

Conventional nomenclature of the terminology related to moots was articulate in the past, with each possessing a distinct reference. For example, ‘conference’ was defined as the meeting of individuals, called together to engage in discussion on a theme or topic. Its aim was to accomplish an identified task within a stipulated time.

‘Seminar’ was defined as the meeting of a small group of scholars under the chairmanship of a professor or academic peer. ‘Symposium’ was termed as a convivial meeting to discuss a philosophical problem or a particular subject. It generated a collection of well-formed opinions or a series of articles on the various aspects of a particular subject as an outcome. ‘Workshop’ was defined as a session for discussion, study or experimentation on a specified topic. ‘Colloquium’ was referred as an academic seminar or conference. In the past, events were held under the appropriate nomenclature in relation to the focus of the event itself. Nowadays, the nomenclature is used randomly, often not corresponding to its basic contents. Some fancy terminology has also been added to the list.

‘Consultative round tables’ are a series of events popular with the donor community. They are held to obtain blanket ratification of a preconceived agenda from the potential dissenters from among the stakeholders. Thus, to make such stakeholders pleased and comfortable, a plush venue is chosen. The agenda is so prepared that it spreads to two days or more. The stakeholders are then invited to attend with all expenses paid. Besides routine expenditure, they are also paid a handsome per diem allowance and caution money for incidental expenses.

Totally flattered with these practical demonstrations of hospitality, the most fierce of critics begin harping the tune of the sponsoring agency. Even if a voice of dissent is heard, it appears too low in frequency and pitch. Much of these consultation meetings are adorned by articulate presentations prepared with the help of expensive graphic designers and consultants. They are trained in translating the most profane agenda of the sponsors into pleasant-sounding rhetoric. Such events seldom go waste in attaining their objectives. The strategy of privatization at a mass scale was launched in this country through a series of such discourses.

Many donor-driven projects and organizations that claim to bring about social change working for the most neglected of the social groups, organize annual retreats in expensive resorts. These are supposedly informal working meetings aimed at sharing experiences, learning from the previous similar exercises and promoting a dialogue amongst each other. Though a commendable idea, it certainly costs a fortune to the organization.

Meetings are convened for a wide variety of purposes. In some cases, meetings are summoned due to statutory reasons to dispose official business. More often than not, these only get convened whenever direct stake of any powerful member/participant is found. Getting a project fund sanctioned, a programme launched or a budget approved are the normal excuses.

Group of professionals, organizations or institutions periodically convene lavish moots to share experiences even if there are none to be discussed. Sadly, the participants of such events achieve a false sense of achievement from the event itself. In a moot recently organized on hepatitis, an enthusiastic participant firmly argued that upon the successful conclusion of the seminar, the disease shall be whipped out of the country. Top government officers also do not hesitate from making boastful claims.

All these events are extremely expensive affairs. The high-profile conferences held under the aegis of international agencies normally have spendings running into millions of dollars. The overlays of cost include airfares, boarding and lodging expenses, consultancy and media costs, exquisite meals, local transportation, mailing and correspondence done during the preparatory phases, consultancy costs paid to the resource persons during the preparatory phase of the event. Thus, in a two- to three-day event of about two dozen outstation participants, the cost runs into millions of rupees. Thereafter, the post-workshop/conference assignments, including the publication of workshop proceedings and brainstorming for the next event are undertaken. For this, fresh consultants are hired who are expert in arranging such events.

In several cases, the participants make half-hearted attempts in terms of contribution to the debate. Although the sponsors of these events make every possible attempt to get the best possible results — at least on the paper — not much comes out of it. The lip-service and hollow rhetoric is often translated into action plans or immediate action recommendations, but little follows after the event is over. Plans do get prepared but the implementation remains in limbo, as the implementation is an isolated entity in comparison to forming the plans or proposals.

Normally, conferences and moots are held to provide a forum for scholars to present their research works or critical analysis of prevailing scientific evidences. The selection of papers is done through a strict anonymous peer refereeship. The selected papers represent the best of the pick to enrich the existing body of knowledge. In Pakistan, the mechanism of refereeship is extremely underdeveloped in most scientific domains. People either resort to the compilation work of poor quality or simply reproduce the work done elsewhere, not considering plagiarism an intellectual crime! In both the cases, the output remains totally ineffective and controversial.

Seminar participants are a distinct breed. They smell the event months ahead of its staging. Through articulate networking and appropriate contacts, these folks get invited to the sessions with all the rights and privileges. According to the theme of the event, they prepare a glossy presentation containing mediocre facts and mundane analysis. Due to chanting oratory and body language, they succeed in leaving a lasting impression on the audience and the event organizer. As a result, their continued participation in similar events become confirmed.

Hundreds of workshops and conferences are held to eliminate poverty and to search for viable livelihood options for the poor. The holding of seminar does little or no good to the poor. However, the bank balance of the organizers usually rises as a consequence on the basis of high hourly rates they obtain from the sponsoring agency or department. For the same reason, it makes a lucrative outlet for professionals who do not miss the opportunities to participate. The real stakeholders hardly attend the events, or benefit or associate with such deliberations. The poor remain where their destiny lies before.

Performance in an event or the overall outcome often give a sense of satisfaction and a level of achievement to the participants. At times, hours are spent to bring about a minor change in the resolution or the finer details of the outcome. Such seminar specific viewpoint soon evaporate as the real life situation is found to be drastically different. For instance, in one seminar on housing, the participants debated for half a day to determine the correct standard of poverty. When a conclusion was finally reached on a rupee value, the dollar quickly appreciated the next day making the whole exercise null and void.

Seminars on social, economic and cultural issues are all done in English — a language understood by very few in the target communities. Even in campaigns aimed at consensus-building or awareness-raising amongst the rural communities, English is used as the medium of communication. Poor local folks keep clapping at the end of each speech, totally overwhelmed by the plush surroundings and the crafty intonation of the speaker. In some cases, even a vote for consensus is drawn on a crucial strategy from these simple communities exploiting their ignorance about the language. Very verbose and crisp English is used to transcribe the proceedings or write the report.

It is not that the moots and meetings are absolutely futile entities. They have a definite role and usefulness in their own right and respect. However, few aspects need to be reviewed while conceptualizing and organizing these events. One, the hosting of moots and meetings must only be done when there is a definite need, either pertinent to the sector or the concerned stakeholders. Merely staging these events as a mark of routine or fashion is of little value and reference.

Two, these events must be made modest and low budget affairs, held at low cost venues such as auditorium or halls of the campuses, training institutions or ‘not-for-profit’ communal facilities. Three, the organization of such events must be made purpose-oriented with reference to the identified area of work. Even if it is a preliminary discussion or an open house, the objectivity of the events must be held without fail.

Four, efforts should be made to organize these events relying on local funding sources. This shall enable the organizers to maintain independence in the conduct of the event. It becomes otherwise impossible when international stakeholders converge at local issues and often impinge upon the local deliberations. And five, record-keeping and documentation must be done in a meticulous manner and in a language understood by all concerned. Unwanted hyper intellectualization often takes the spirit out of the exercise.

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