Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!
02 June 2021
Post No. 198
The Week’s Contents
• Creative Economic Development Month and Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives) 2021 Project
• Leafy Year and Creative Economic Development Month
• Build Forward Better Together Programme: Phase B of Implementation of Building Africa
… And much more!
Key Messages
• Creative Economic Development Month and Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives) 2021 Project
Following CENFACS’ development calendar, we are in the Month of Creative Economic Development; and the project (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives project) featuring this month has just kicked off.
During this month of creation and innovation, our work will be about the kinds of creation and innovation we need in order to continue to address the challenge of COVID-19-induced poverty while finding ways together with users and supporters to continue the work of building forward better together greener and cleaner from the coronavirus.
Under the Main Development section of this post, we have provided the key elements making this first key message.
• Leafy Year and Creative Economic Development Month
Our campaign of 2021 as a Year of Leaves continues during the Month of Creative Economic Development. During this month, we shall try to bring together the elements of this campaign and those of creative economic development in order to better help in reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development.
Indeed, Leafy Year is an organised series of actions in support of leaves as means to reduce and possible end poverty in certain circumstances. Leafy Year can have some links with economic development, particularly in the terms of Bernstein (1) who argues that economic development is about
“Raising the productive capacities of societies, in terms of their technologies (more efficient tools and machines), technical cultures (knowledge of nature, research and capacity to develop improved technologies), and the physical, technical and organisational capacities and skills of those engaged in production.” (p. 59)
It is the creative aspects in these productive capacities in terms of technical cultures and the technical and organisational capacities and skills that we are trying to explore for their potential relationships with the nature through leaves. It is the ability to bring into existence processes and techniques that use leaves to raise productive capacities to reduce poverty while enhancing sustainable development.
During this month, we shall introduce in our Leafy Year campaign how leaves can help in raising creative capacities in the process of poverty reduction and sustainable development.
For those who would like to join or add their input to our Year of Leaves and Creative Economic Development Month, they are welcome to contact CENFACS and let us know their proposals for action.
• Build Forward Better Together Programme: Phase B of Implementation of Building Africa
In theory, we started this process of implementing Building Forward Better Together Programme in March 2021 when we launched this programme. In the phase A of the process of building from the coronavirus has been Build Back Better Together greener and cleaner. Last month, it was all about Build Back Better which we conducted through Stories (that is, All in Development Stories).
Having dealt with Phase A of the building process, we are now going back to the Phase B, which is Building Forward Better Together Programme. We are going back because the process of building is a backward and forward one, and vice versa. We argued that Building Forward Better Programme takes stock of CENFACS’ version of Build Back Better Programme.
In this Phase B, we are trying to Build Forward Better with Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) and within CENFACS itself. In the process of working together with them, we shall support them in the following areas of building forward better:
√ Focusing on end-users as beneficiaries of building forward better from the coronavirus
√ Helping them to reap off the benefits provided by digital transformation such as remote work
√ Contributing to their work on ring-fencing their structures and infrastructures to become more resilient to future shocks and crises
√ Advising them in matter of de-risking their poverty reduction instruments
√ Advocating with them for investing in internet-based economic and nature-based solutions
√ Supporting them in strengthening their resilience and of their users
√ Promoting to them the benefit of bringing together green and blue economies within their structures and systems of production
√ Encouraging them to use climate-smart approaches to tackle build-forward-better problems and barriers
Etc.
It is hoped that all the above will help ASOs build forward better together greener and cleaner.
For further details about Build Forward Better Programme (including the different projects and activities making this programme, outcomes, indicators, benefits, budget, monitoring and evaluation), please contact CENFACS.
Extra Messages
• Spring Project of Building Back Better from the Coronavirus: Only 3 Weeks to Go!
The Project of Building Back Better from the Coronavirus aims at reducing poverty, particularly sanitation poverty, in the process of building back better from the damaging effects of the coronavirus pandemic while fighting it where it is still claiming its victims during this season in Africa.
This project has two key objectives which are:
(a) Rebuild resilient critical infrastructures, facilities and livelihoods required for the functioning of COVID-19 stricken people and communities
(b) Restore basic life-sustaining health, economic and environmental assets, systems and activities of COVID-19 affected people and communities as well as align them to greenhouse gas emissions goals and targets
You can support it to make helpful difference for the victims of the coronavirus pandemic in Africa.
To support, contact CENFACS at: Support Causes – (cenfacs.org.uk)
• All in Development Stories Telling Series/Programme Closed!
All in Development Stories Telling Series/Programme with its 2021 theme of Building Back Better is now closed. May Stories told are being processed.
The notification of May Stories received and accepted will be done by 17/06/2021. Only those who submitted their May Stories that have been accepted will be notified.
Thank you for your story donation.
• Dematerialisation Event: 05/06/2021
On 05 June 2021, CENFACS will work on dematerialisation as way of echoing the World Environment Day 2021’s theme of Ecosystem Restoration. This work is also part of CENFACS‘ Poverty-Environment Programme.
• • What is dematerialisation?
According to the World Bank (2), dematerialisation refers to
“An absolute or relative reduction in the quantity of materials required to serve economic functions in society”
This definition will be used to work together with the community and explore non-conflicting ways of activating the process of dematerialisation in the economic functions of their households.
• • Working with the community on dematerialisation
With reference to the above definition, CENFACS shall work with its community to help explore way of reducing the quantity of resources or materials from the ecosystem in order to meet their basic life-sustaining economic needs. This will be an opportunity to promote and spread the news about dematerialisation in the way the community produces, consumes and distributes products and services.
The work on dematerialisation is CENFACS’ way of supporting the ecosystem restoration.
Those who may be interested in the dematerialisation event, they can contact CENFACS.
Main Development
• Creative Economic Development Month and Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives) 2021 Project
To compose the key message of this post, the following points have been considered:
the definition of the creative economic development, what 2021 June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Creative Initiatives (Jmesci) project will be about, the kinds of creative economic development projects we will be dealing with, the way in which we are organised to deliver the Creative Economic Development Month and the featuring of other environmental activities or events outside but closer to CENFACS’ work.
Let us look at these points one by one.
• • Understanding the creative economic development
To grasp the creative economic development is better to start with the understanding of the creative economy.
There are many definitions of creative economy. In this communication, we have selected the definition given by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). UNCTAD (3) argues that a creative economy
“Essentially… is the knowledge-based economic activities upon which the ‘creative industries’ are based”.
The UNCTAD goes on by claiming that
“The creative industries – which include advertising, architecture, arts and crafts, design, fashion, film, video, photography, music, performing arts, publishing, research and development, software, computer games, electronic publishing, and TV/radio – are the lifeblood of the creative economy”.
However, CENFACS looks at the creative economy from the perspective of development or sustainable development. From this perspective, one needs to include the definition of sustainable development as given by World Commission on Environment and Development (4), definition which is:
“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”
So, the knowledge-based economic activities – upon which the creative industries are supported – need to be sustainable; that is capable of being continued over the long term without adverse effects.
• • What June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives 2021 is about?
Individual and collective creations, in the ways of improving lives through the conception of fresh ideas and the implementation of practical ideas to escape from poverty and hardships as well as foster a better environment and sustainability, are CENFACS’ area of interest. We create all over the year and life; however June is the month for us to acknowledge our environmental and sustainable makings.
June is the month of Creative Economic Development at CENFACS with creation and innovation on the main menu: creation for researching and developing fresh ideas to reduce poverty, particularly extreme poverty; innovation for making these ideas come true, transformable into practical environmental and sustainable initiatives and actions.
Put it simply, Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Creative Initiatives) is just about finding out ways of engineering creations relating to the environment and sustainability in order to further reduce poverty and improve the quality of life. It is the project that features or carries the Creative Economic Development Month.
This year’s Jmesci will be about creations and innovations that help cure crises as well as those that help prevent future shocks and disasters to be harmful or destructive for people and communities.
We have already started these creation and innovation processes since we kicked off the Covid-19 Campaign. As this month is about creation and innovation, we are going to deepen these processes. To know how we are going do it, please continue to read the next communications in the following weeks starting from this Main Development section of this post.
• • Kinds of creative economic development projects dealt with
The types of creative economic development projects that will be considered will be those helping people in need to reduce or end poverty while enhancing sustainable development. In other words, for any creations and innovations to meet the objectives of the creation and innovation month, they need to address poverty while contributing to the principles of sustainable development.
From the idea or conception to the implementation of these projects, their contents need to have the values of poverty reduction and sustainability. As we continue to unveil these projects throughout this month, these values will become apparent and self-explanatory. This will as well determine the manner in which the Creative Economic Development Month will be approached and delivered.
• • The way in which the Creative Economic Development Month will be delivered
To deliver on what we have argued so far, the Creative Economic Development Month is organised as follows.
• • • Week beginning 07/06/2021: Creations and Innovations during the Process of Building Forward Better
Forming from nothing ideas or introducing changes to move forward together will be the main activity during the month of June 2021. These creative ideas and innovative ways of working will enable to find the means to meet the level of ambition we have for the kind of poverty reduction, sustainable development and future we want.
• • • Week beginning 14/06/2021: Creations and Innovations that Counteract Future Shocks and Disasters
Using our skills, knowledge and talents to find techniques, technologies and new methods to deal with the currently pressing and immediate crisis may not be enough unless we create and innovate to prevent or at least to mitigate future crises. It means there could be another need to bring into existence ideas and introduce changes and new methods to address future crises if they happen when they happen.
• • • Week beginning 21/06/2021: Green and Clean Creations and Innovations
We will be interested in creations and innovations that are environment-friendly (that is, they have a small or zero environmental impact) and reduce waste in the nature. We are as well interested in creations and innovations that lower emissions of greenhouse gas, reduce climate-damaging carbon dioxide emissions, spearhead green energy solutions and increase the share of renewables in the energy mix in the process of creating and innovating for life, work and future.
For any query about the above organisation, please contact CENFACS.
• • Creative Economic Development Projects
There are areas of creative economic industries upon which we (together with those in need) draw inspiration to develop projects to help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development. These areas include: advertising, arts and crafts, design, video, research and development.
For example, we normally run Art and Design for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development as a creative economic development project. CENFACS’ creative economic development projects (like Art and Design for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development) can help users to make their transition from the COVID-19 lockdown to a partial reopened economy to a fully functioning economy.
One of the activities related to this project for this year will be to construct and post e-cards or e-objects in support of Ecosystem Restoration to echo the World Environmental Day’s celebratory theme on 05/06/2021.
One can as well construct and post the same cards as expressions or ways of sustainably managing land to resonate the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on 17/06/2021. The motto for this international day is ‘healthy land, healthy people’.
So, those who wish and want can design and post an e-card or e-object to feature the theme of “Ecosystem Restoration” relating to World Environment Day, and/or the theme of ‘Food. Feed. Fibre’ linked to the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.
To support and or enquire about Art and Design for Poverty Relief and Sustainable Development, please contact CENFACS.
• • Inclusion of other environmental activities into Jmesci 2021
Our month of creation (of thinking up new things) and innovation (of converting our thoughts into tangible outcomes) revolves around global, national, and local environmental and sustainable issues and events of the month as well.
However, due to the Covid-19 and lockdowns it has led, many of the contact or physical environmental events have been postponed or cancelled since last year. There are other online or virtual events that may take effect.
Examples of June world environmental events and days of the month include the following events which we have already mentioned:
– The United Nations World Environment Day to be held on 05/06/2021 under the theme of ‘Ecosystem Restoration’
– The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2021, which will be held on 17/06/2021 and will take place online. The theme for 2021 Desertification and Drought Day is ‘Food .Feed .Fibre’.
To support and or engage with CENFACS’ Creative Economic Development month and or Jmesci, please contact CENFACS.
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References
(1) Bernstein, H. (1983), ‘Development’, in Thomas, A. & Bernstein, H. (eds) The ‘Third World’ and ‘Development’, Block 1 of the Open University course U204 Third World Studies, The Open University, Milton Keynes
(2) https://blogs.worldbank.org/developmenttalk/dematerialisation-degrowth-and-climate-change-agenda (accessed May 2021)
(3) https://unctad.org/en/Pages/DITC/CreativeEconomy/Creative-Economy-Programme.aspx (accessed May 2021)
(4) Brundtland et al. (1987), Our Common Future, World Commission on Environment and Development (The Brundtland Report), Oxford University Press, London
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One could consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.
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Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.
Thank you as well to those who made or make comments about our weekly posts.
We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2021 and beyond.
With many thanks.
