Charter for the Organization of Cross-cultural Publication and Circulation of the Proposal Papers
This text is the result of the joint work of representatives of the following organizations:
Instituto Polis, Brazil (José Carlos Vaz and Hamilton Faria)
Imagens edução/Instituto Agora, Brazil (Isis de Palma)
CENCA, Peru (Paul Maquet Makedonski)
South Lebanon Cultural Council, Lebanon (Hassan Krayem)
NoVASC, Zimbabwe (John Stewart)
Pipal Tree, India (Pradeep Sebastian)
Yanjing group, China (Wang Yi and Ge Haibin)
Nova, Centre per a la Innovació Social (Martí Olivella, accompanied by Laia Botey and Joan Ramon Gordo)
Caravan (Philippe Guirlet)
Charles Léopolod Mayer Foundation and Éditions Charles Léopold Mayer, Switzerland/France (Julien Boni, Isabelle Decout, Olivier Petitjean and Michel Sauquet, with the help of Keith Hodson and Rim Natour, translators).
1. Objectives and Target Audiences of the Proposal Papers
The Proposal Papers constitute a series of documents comprising, for each of the domains that determine our future, proposals that are highly relevant for the implementation in our societies of the breakthroughs and changes needed to build a more equitable and sustainable twenty-first century. Their objective is to stimulate a debate on these issues, both at the local and global scales.
Their target audiences, at least in the first stage, are:
people engaged in action, with any kind of responsibility in changing public and social practices: public administration, trade unions, NGOs, farming communities, companies, etc.
"opinion makers": the media, academics, etc.
people with future responsibilities and their teachers (students, teachers).
2. Commitments
The publishers present in Barcelona committed, in 2001, to:
assuming, in their own cultural area, the task of publishing and circulating the series of Proposal Papers, within the limits of financial possibilities and the local relevance of the specific Papers in the series;
sharing their viewpoint with other publishers on the relevance of the themes and proposals in relation to their culture. They will also share the questions of linguistic and stylistic adaptation;
contributing, if possible, to the writing process by communicating to the authors any relevant document or resource person likely to enhance their work.
If a publisher feels that a Proposal Paper should not be published and circulated in his area because it is not relevant to the cultural reality of his audience, he or she may decide, after discussion with the other publishers, not to include it in his or her own series.
The Charles Léopold Mayer Foundation commits to:
organizing a dialog and information sharing among the publishers and between the publishers and the authors of the Proposal Papers in order to secure a cross-cultural enhancement of the full series in its different versions;
providing financial support for the translation and publication of the Proposal Papers.
3. Procedures
3.1. Respective Responsibilities in the Publishing Process
Authors make the final decision as far as the body of the text of the Proposal Papers is concerned.
Publishers make the final decision all other publishind aspects (boxes, introductions, post-face, etc.), provided that such additions are agreed on between the publisher and the author.
Authors and publishers are encouraged to share their views, reactions, and recommendations on their respective work. The Charles Léopold Mayer Foundation will facilitate this dialog, e.g. by sending first drafts of the texts in progress as soon as possible (in the original language and in English), or by informing the authors of the publishers’ comments.
3.2. Publishers’ Collective Work
As soon as the authors judge their text to be ready for publication, it is sent to all the publishers by the Charles Léopold Mayer Foundation.
The publishers read the text, possibly have it read by relevant reviewers, and propose additions, making their procedures clear (boxes, post-faces, etc.). Such additions cover:
the clarification of the meaning of a word, an expression, or a reference;
placing such or such a proposal in the relevant cultural context;
gaps observed in the Paper in reference to the cultural and social reality of the publisher and the publisher’s audience.
These suggestions are shared among all the publishers. The Charles Léopold Mayer Foundation on its part will make a summary of all these reactions and will propose it to the publishers. The latter then will decide their own additions for themselves (in agreement with the authors), either on the basis of the summary made by the Foundation, or of the various suggestions collected during the discussion.
There could be, for each Paper, a preface written by a person who is well known for his or her involvement in the subject. It could be common to all publishers, or specific to local versions.
3.3. Recommendations for Authors of the Proposal Papers
Taking into account the preliminary indications contained in the texts of the summer of 2000, the publishers wish to make clear for the authors the need to:
strive to respect the model given in the August 2000 paper ("Elaboration and Circulation of Proposal Papers for the Twenty-first Century" (list of proposals, context, perspectives, actors, experiences);
be as explicit as possible on the "How to" aspects of the proposals, rather than merely the theoretical principles;
stay within a range of 20 to 30 pages;
secure the best possible cross-cultural and collective writing processes, especially with regard to the involvement of the concerned social movements.
draft their text in a way that is accessible, not coded or allusive.
3.4. Contents Common to All the Publications
The Proposal Papers are to contain:
a short text presenting the objectives of the series and of the Alliance; this text will be adapted by each publisher
the full list of the Papers (available or in preparation) and of the other publishers of the Papers
the history of how the text was developed and an invitation to participate in a debate on the proposals (contacts, bibliography, Web site, e-forum, etc.)
3.5. Common Presentation Elements for All the Publications.
The Proposal Papers will display the logotypes of the Alliance, of the publishers, and if applicable, of the organization that has coordinated the drafting process of the text.
The size of the Papers should vary as little as possible from country to country. Each publisher will research the least costly format and the decision will be made in accordance with this collective inquiry. The cover page will contain a few common layout characteristics but will respect cultural specificity.
3.6. Iconography
The author might ask for illustrations for his or her Paper. In this case, it is his or her responsibility to provide it.
The publishers will make the decision on the illustration of the cover, with a possible specific iconography. The publishers and Caravan will make available to all other publishers their own iconography for possible use in the Papers.
3.7. Translation Rules
The choice of the translator is up to the publishers, but they are committed to being sensitive to the authors’ demands.
Whenever possible, the translations will be made from the original language, and failing that, from the English version. In all cases, the Foundation commits itself to securing the existence of an English version for all the texts (a version that may be modified later by English-speaking publishers). In some cases, direct relation with the author(s) will be necessary. The authors commit themselves to be available to answer translators’ questions.
The list of the languages in which the publications will be produced is not limited to the languages used by the participants of this meeting. In further stages, and provided there are resources for this, additional languages may be used.
3.8. Financing
The publishers wish to point out that the way the overall budget was designed only takes into account the translation and printing costs for all the texts to be written, and therefore neglects the costs generated by iconography, editorial work, distribution, communication systems and tools, etc. Thus at present it is not entirely adequate for the project as described here.
It is therefore suggested that the Foundation support, for the Proposal Papers, in addition to translation and publication costs, such other costs as may be indicated by the quotations submitted by the publishers.
In principle, the Foundation has not yet committed itself to going beyond translation and printing costs. But the publishers here are concerned by the issue of extra work in the publishing process connected to the cross-cultural nature of the series, the importance of the iconography as an integral dimension of the series, as well as by the issue of circulating and promoting the Papers: the publication is intended to stimulate the process of the 2001 meetings (a good place to circulate the Papers), and intended also to have an output in terms of concrete action, which means a significant circulation effort. The FPH will then explore the means to meet those additional needs. On their part, the publishers will also try to secure means on their own. There is no guarantee of success, but at least we all shall try.
Before the end of the year 2000, all the publishers will indicate to the Foundation their intentions (number of Papers to be published, number of copies to be printed in 2001) with the corresponding costs. The Foundation commits itself to inform them on all the requirements, with complete accountability.
We shall then collectively decide the composition (items to be financed) of the financial support, depending on:
the total sum required by the publishers
possible new commitments by the Foundation, or modification of the sectors for which current funding is allocated
sales expectations from the publishers
requirements in terms of copies by the meeting organizers
This last element is related to the fact that some distribution costs might also be integrated within the meeting budgets (this will depend then on negotiations with the meeting organizers).
Moreover, the Foundation and the group of publishers here might try to obtain resources for an overall "publishers fund" for such material. In this case, the Foundation might support part of the work necessary to seek new funding.
3.9. Communication among the Publishers
An e-forum will be set up for the collective work of the publishers, with semi-automatic translation of the messages and authorizing attached files.
In the next few months, the publishers will seek new communication tools to facilitate remote dialog for a better working relationship.
3.10. Distribution
There is a need for experience sharing and coordination among the publishers on the subject of distribution both at the 2001 Assembly process and for other identified target audiences. The publishers wish to point out that a significant part of the distribution process will need to be financed.
4. Calendar
The publishers propose the following model for the publication calendar of the Proposal Papers for 2001:
First step (Continental Meetings)
February: delivery of the texts by the Workshops
March: remote discussion among publishers
End of May: publication of the Papers
End of June: circulation and discussion within the Continental Meetings
Second step (World Assembly)
Summer: delivery of the texts by the workshops
September: remote discussion among publishers
Beginning of November: publication of the Papers
Beginning of December: circulation and discussion within the World Assembly
Printable version
Publishers’ Charter