Invitation to Rivers for Life 3

Join the Third International Meeting of Dam-Affected People and Their Allies

Temacapulin, Mexico
October 1-7, 2010

Please read through this invitation and apply below. If you cannot access the online registration, please download this registration form and email it to riversforlife3 [at] internationalrivers [dot] org. If you do not have financial support to travel to Mexico and would like to attend, please write directly to riversforlife3 [at] internationalrivers [dot] org.

We invite you to join us from October 1-7, 2010 in Temacapulín, Mexico for Rivers for Life 3: the Third International Meeting of Dam-Affected People and Their Allies. Hundreds of representatives from dam-affected communities, NGOs and other groups from across the globe will gather to share experiences, develop collective strategies, create new alliances and strengthen the international movement to protect rivers and human rights.

This meeting will take place in Temacapulín, a small village in Jalisco state threatened by the Zapotillo Dam. We hope organizing this meeting in a dam-affected village will help strengthen relationships amongst dam-affected people and their allies and strengthen the movement to stop the dam.

Meeting Organizers

The meeting is being organized by International Rivers and three Mexican partners: the Committee to Save Temaca, Acasico and Palmarejo; the Mexican Institute for Community Development (IMDEC); and the Mexican Movement of People Affected by Dams and in Defense of Rivers (MAPDER). The meeting is also being organized in association with an international Steering Committee, which is helping to develop the meeting agenda and select participants. Read more about the meeting organizers.

Meeting Dates

The meeting will take place over four days plus a one-day field trip to visit neighboring communities fighting dams and working to protect their rivers. Participants should plan on arriving in Guadalajara, Mexico before 6pm on October 1 and departing after 2pm on October 7. Shuttles will be provided to take participants from the airport directly to Temacapulín, which is located about two hours away. More details on logistics will be sent after people have registered. Please familiarize yourself with the travel and visa information before applying to attend Rivers for Life 3.

Important Note About Accommodation

Accommodations will be provided for 300 registered international and Mexican participants. Accommodations will be comfortable but simple. The people of Temacapulín are graciously offering space in their homes, guesthouses and hotels for participants to sleep. In some cases, participants will sleep on mattresses on the floors of people's homes. Several people of the same gender will sleep in the same room. Toilets and running water are available. A few small family-run shops and restaurants are located in the village. More information will be sent out to registered participants closer to the meeting date.

Meeting Agenda

Members of the Steering Committee, International Rivers and our partners in Mexico are working together to finalize the meeting agenda and workshops. We will post information about the meeting agenda on our website as it becomes available.

Participation

Participation is limited to 300 people, and priority will be given to dam-affected people and NGO activists. The registration deadline is July 15, 2010.

Registration Fees

Registration fees are based on a sliding scale from US$150 to $250 per person for those people that are not being fully sponsored to attend the meeting. This includes food, accommodation, registration packets and transportation to and from the airport and on the field trip. We ask each participant to contribute as much as you can based on your budget. We ask that northern NGOs consider paying the full $250 if you're able. Scholarships are available for southern NGOs and dam-affected people who may have difficulties paying the fee.

Financial Assistance

Funds have been raised to pay for approximately 100 southern participants to attend the meeting. Members of our international steering committee and other allies have worked through participatory processes to select participants who will receive financial assistance. As there is a limited amount of funding available for southern participants, we encourage you to raise your own funds to attend the meeting.

If you do not have financial support to travel to Mexico and would like to attend the meeting, please write directly to riversforlife3 [at] internationalrivers [dot] org. We will let you know whether we have funds to support your travel. Please do not apply to attend the meeting until you have received confirmation from us.

If you have funds to travel to Mexico but cannot afford the registration fee, please apply to attend the meeting and select "Request Financial Assistance" when checking out. You will be notified regarding the status of your request.

Group Registration Instructions

If you are registering for a group, please register yourself first. The system will automatically register you as the "primary registrant."
To add additional group members, click on "Add Another Person" in the Lodging & Travel or Checkout stage, then type in the email of the new member to begin their registration.
If payment is required for your group, the total fees for all registrants in the group will be charged to the first person in the group, the primary registrant.
If members of the group are paying individually (for example, with different credit cards), you must create separate registrations for each.