Dear all,

thank you for significantly contributing to the 2nd Agroecology Europe Forum. By this email we would like to provide you some preliminary details and instructions for the organization of you event, during the 2nd Agroecology Europe Forum.

We also want to encourage you to contact among the speakers of your event before the Forum. This should be done initially by email (a joint email will be circulated by the Forum’s secretariat) and then by a short, informal meeting in Heraklion, before your session takes place, in order to clarify any last minute doubts and facilitate the build-up of a participatory engagement.

Forum sessions are meant to present general hot topics related to the promotion of Agroecology as the reference model for future sustainable agricultural and food systems in Europe and elsewhere. They will have a duration of 1.5 h. Materials and tools available would be laptop, beamer, whiteboard, markers and paper materials, such stickers etc if needed.

Sessions conveners should ensure:

(i)  The respect of allocated time of a maximum 15’/speaker (10’ presentation + 3’ for questions & answers). For sessions including a lower number of speakers, do not expand too much the time allocated to each speaker, but rather save time for the general discussion.

(ii)  The usage of inclusive language. Make sure that speakers refrain from using jargon (scientific, technical, political) to ensure maximum pick up and sharing of ideas among all participants.

(iii) The general discussion will have a duration of 15’ (or more in case of a low number of speakers).  The convener’s task is to solicit brief interventions from the public (questions, comments, action points).  Please, make sure that they  are  relevant  to  the  session  topic  and  that discussion is not monopolized.

Session speakers, pleasemake sure:

• To contact and meet your convener before your session
• To provide your presentations before your session, following the instructions provided by the Local Organizing Team & secretariat.
• To respect the time that has been allocated to your presentation
• To use simple language avoiding jargon (scientific, technical, political) and prepare a presentation that will be simple and easy to follow as the goal of events is to ensure maximum pick up and sharing of ideas among all participants.
• Your task in the session is not limited to your presentation. Engage yourself in the discussion and enjoy it!

Workshops are meant to cover specific cutting-edge topics aiming at transferring the spirit of Agroecology into a meaningful for science, practice and movements. Workshops include short oral presentations (supported by a ppt. presentation) and enough time for open discussion.  Materials and tools available would be laptop, beamer, whiteboard, markers and paper materials, such stickers etc if needed

The goal of workshops is to draft a participatory output driving future actions, expressed by a text of max. 1 page, to be provided by the Workshop’s organizer and speakers/participants, after the Forum’s end.

Workshops will have a duration of 1,5h.

Workshop organizers should ensure:

(i)  The respect of allocated time of a maximum 10’/speaker (8’ presentation + 2’ for short questions & answers). For sessions including a lower number of speakers, do not expand too much the time allocated to each speaker, but rather save time for the general discussion.

(ii)  The usage of inclusive language. Make sure that speakers refrain from using jargon (scientific, technical, political) to ensure maximum pick up and sharing of ideas among all participants.

(iii) The general discussion will have a duration of around 20-30’ (or more when a low number of speakers).  The organizer's task is to solicit brief interventions from the public (questions, comments, action points).  Please, make  sure  that  they  are  relevant  to  the  workshop  topic  and  that  discussion is not monopolized. You may take the initiative and use any participatory methodology, f.i. small group conversations or any other creative work. Your goal  is  to  ensure  maximum  engagement  of  all  participants  in  a  collective  and fruitful discussion.

Save the last 10 minutes for the drafting of the joint output and for your wrap up of the workshop, highlighting the 3-5 main points derived (messages, recommendations). The output should be sent, right after the Forum, to the secretariat (agroecologyeuropeforum [at] gmail.com) in order to be included to the Forum’s Book of Proceedings.

Workshop speakers, pleasemake sure:

• To contact and meet your convener before your session
• To provide your presentations before your session, following the instructions provided by the Local Organizing Team & secretariat.
• To respect the time that has been allocated to your presentation
• To use simple language avoiding jargon (scientific, technical, political) and prepare a presentation that will be simple and easy to follow as the goal of events is to ensure maximum pick up and sharing of ideas among all participants.
• Your task in the session is not limited to your presentation. Engage yourself in the discussion and enjoy it!