[Pil-pc-oceania] National Pc Day

[Graeme George]

Penny

Your argument for a May day event is a good one, but isn't May Day the  
1st May? Janet says Bill's birthday is the 4th May, so the two don't  
need to be connected. In proposing 1st May, do you envisage the event  
being held on that date every year, irrespective of which day it falls  
on?

Latest preferences seem to be running in favour of a Spring Equinox  
event on the closest Sunday. Spring Equinox here is Autumn Equinox in  
the Northern Hemisphere, so it doesn't really matter whether we have  
it in Spring or Autumn if we want it to become an international event.

Urgent as it might be, I don't see many groups being able to organise  
anything for this coming May. Spring is quite do-able, and we don't  
have to commit to holding it at this time of year for eternity.

For a trial run I think we should propose Sunday 21st September this  
year, which of course happens to be the equinox.

I believe there are some 130 people on this list, of which about 15  
have posted comments. Of course there are those who only read their  
emails once a week to be kept informed, rather than to participate.  
These may catch up with this discussion in due course. To be  
democratic, I'd like to see the opinions of the various Pc groups  
expressed before any decision is made. It will, after all, be the  
groups that will have to promote the event. If they're not behind it,  
it isn't likely to be very successful. Permaculture Melbourne  
Committee is meeting here tonight, so I'll try to get a response to  
the various options from my colleagues here. As reported at APC9 we  
have been trying to get a trial Open Day up and running since APC8 and  
it proved to be a tad difficult. A National Permaculture Day gives us  
lots more options.

It could take a month or two to get responses from all groups,  
depending on how frequently they meet. We shouldn't be trying to make  
a decision tomorrow.

I've emailed Transworld Publications in the UK in the hope that they  
may be able to tell us when Permaculture One was published. That may  
provide an alternative date for consideration.

Cheers

Graeme



On 01/04/2008, at 2:58 PM, penny pyett wrote:

> lets go back to square one again, the purpose of a National pc day.  
> For me it is not about us, those already aware and in the movement.  
> It is for the public or more precisely, its about a clever,  
> practical way of getting it into the public. Its not just to make  
> people aware of permaculture but to inspire them into action. Join a  
> group and become part of the movement. So we need a day to make  
> maximum public and political impact, give people a reason to act and  
> mobilise people into groups and activity. Lets face it they probably  
> wont do much on their own.
>
> May Day or mayday does this really well. It is the international  
> urgent call for "help" used when in serious distress. It highlights  
> the need for action from planet earth - an SOS distress call that  
> permaculture can signal and respond to.  What could be more  
> appropriate?
>
> The equinox is nice for pc celebration but will it carry the same  
> impact or relevance to the public as it does to us when the media  
> asks why it is today? Is this day for us or for others? Are we  
> trying to educate people about the urgent need for action or about  
> the phases of the sun? Lets be practical and hard hitting to make  
> maximum impact so the media does pick it up and its worth all our  
> effort, otherwise it could be a total waste of time, energy and  
> resources.
>
> Penny
> PS I cant help it if Bills birthday just happens to coincide with  
> the day!
>
>
> Penny Pyett
> President 2008 Permaculture North Inc.
> (02) 9888 2575 or 1300 887 145
> "mail to: president at permaculturenorth.org.au"
>
> Sharing sustainable solutions with communities.
>
>
>

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