1 bus, 30 people, 5 weeks, 15 payams. This is in short the plan for the Democracy Bus tour which will start on Monday 8 February 2010. A bus full of civic educators, musicians, puppeteers, Sudanese and Ugandan actors and Danish students will tour Lainya, Morobo and Yei River Counties with activities and information materials informing the people about democracy and elections. The goal is to convince voters, particularly women and youths, to take active part in the Sudanese general elections in April 2010.
“As civil society organisations, we feel it is necessary to link the elections to the daily lives of people. This cannot be done by giving out information alone. It is necessary to involve the people in discussing why the elections are relevant to them,” says Eric J. Moses, manager of Yei Community Resource Centre. Together with another Sudanese organisation, CEFORD, the resource centre has come up with the idea of the Democracy Bus.
The bus participants will present the following activities for the people present when the bus stops:
- Forum theatre (interactive theatre performances)
- Debate cards and board games (educational games)
- Mock election exercises (a realistic mimic of what will happen at the elections)
- Music and songs about democracy and elections
- Public debates involving the audience
- Information materials about democracy and elections are handed out
- Contests with prizes
On the next page, you will see a detailed travel plan for the Democracy Bus. Journalists are welcome to join the participants on the bus.
For more information and quotes, contact:
Eric J. Moses, manager of Yei Community Resource Centre
Phone: +256 477 100 762 or +249 955 063 621 / e-mail: ericjuliet2004@yahoo.co.uk
Janne Bruvoll, information officer at MS Sudan
Phone: +256 477 208 546 / +249 957 208 546 / e-mail: info@mssudan.dk
The Democracy Bus is a local initiative organised by Yei Community Resource Centre in cooperation with CEFORD, civil society organisations with a purpose of enhancing access to information for the people of Southern Sudan. The Democracy Bus is a 100% non-partisan project and is supported by MS Sudan.
Democracy Bus tour plan
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Date
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Location
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Venues
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Morobo County
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Monday 8 February
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Gulumbi Payam
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· Payam Headquarters
· Morobo town
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Tuesday 9 February
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Lujulo Payam
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· Isebi centre
· Aworu centre
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Wednesday 10 February
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Udabi Payam
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· Geri Boma
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Thursday 11 February
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Kimba Payam
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· Kimba centre
· Kaya Boma
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Monday 15 February
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Panyume Payam
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· Panyume centre
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Lainya County
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Tuesday 23 February
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Mukaya Payam
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· Roronyo centre
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Wednesday 24 February
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Kupera Payam
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Thursday 25 February
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Kenyi Payam
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· Limbe centre
· Kenyi centre
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Friday 26 February
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Lainya Payam
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· Bereka Boma
· Lainya centre
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Monday 1 March
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Wuji Payam
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· Wuji centre
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Yei River County
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Tuesday 2 March
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Lasu Payam
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Wednesday 3 March
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Otogwo Payam
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Thursday 4 March
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Mugwo Payam
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Friday 5 March
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Tore Payam
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Monday 8 March
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Yei Town Payam
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· Freedom Square, Yei (International Women’s Day)
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Tuesday 9 March
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Yei Town Payam
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