Title: Global Learning Process for Scaling Up Poverty Reduction and Conference in Shanghai May 2527, 2004 T
1Global Learning Process for Scaling Up
Poverty Reduction and Conference in ShanghaiMay
25-27, 2004The main objective of the
interactive Global Learning Process and the
Conference in Shanghai is to learn from both
successful and less successful attempts to reduce
poverty in all its dimensions.
2Millennium Development Goals City to City
ChallengePilot ProgramWorld Bank Institute and
Sister Cities International
3(No Transcript)
4Outline of Presentation
- I. Brief Description of Case Study
- Historical Background and Recent Activities
- Literacy Project focusing on
- MDG 2 Achieve Universal Primary Education
- Target 3 Ensure that, by 2015, children
everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to
complete a full course of primary schooling. - Indicator 8 Literacy rate of 15-24 year olds.
- II. Analysis of factors in city to city
cooperation between Casablanca and Chicago - Learning, experimentation communication
- Institutional innovation implementation
- Leadership commitment
- External catalysts
- Other factors
5Historical Background
- 1982 His Majesty Hassan II, late King of Morocco
and Honorary Citizen of Chicago, accepted the
ceremony twinning the cities of Casablanca and
Chicago. - 1992 First trade mission to Casablanca involving
14 Chicago companies - 1994 Youth exchange program in both cities.
- 1995 Agreement between CHU Ibnou Rochd
Hospital and University of Illinois Medical
School. - 1997 Medical delegation from Casablanca CHU
Ibnou Rochd hospital to Chicago. There was a
training program designed for doctors and nurses
and exchange of experiences - 1999 Twinning of LE CEDRE and ABRAHAM LINCOLN
- 1999 Official delegation from Chicago to donate
dinosaur skulls and address environmental issues. - 2000 Visit of 25 Moroccan architects to Chicago
- 2002 30 VOSH volunteers examine and offer
glasses to 2.400 underserved children and adults
in Casablanca - 2003 Construction of a Zellige fountain in the
Garfield Park Conservatory, offered by M. Lahlou
to the city of Chicago - 2003 Youth exchange program Moroccan students
and their teacher lived with American families
and attended a school in Chicago
6Recent Activities
- Chicago Week in Casablanca March 2004
- Education -Sister school agreement signed
between Ben MSik High School in Casablanca and
Walter Payton High School in Chicago. - Civil Society - Literacy was identified as a
priority issue for pilot program and future
activities. Volunteerism workshop. - Medicine - Six urologists, two nurses from
Chicago, along with their Moroccan counterparts,
performed more than 20 micro-surgeries on
Moroccan patients. VOSH returned and examined
3137 adults and children. - Business - Chamber of Commerce meeting.
Discussion of Free Trade Agreement and its impact
on future economic development. - Urban Planning - Urban planners from Chicago
met with their Moroccan counterparts and
discussed potential cooperation. - Arts and Culture - Sweet Home, a Chicago based
blue-grass group, performed several public
concerts in Morocco. Discussed a possible
exhibition in Chicago of contemporary Moroccan
artists. - Sports - Discussed future programs such as a
basketball clinic.
7Description of the Case Study
- The pilot program was launched during Chicago
Week in Casablanca. In Casablanca, local
associations working in the field of literacy met
with sister city committee members from both
Chicago and Casablanca and local government
representatives to set the pilot in motion. - Bringing the literacy associations together
allowed Chicago-Casablanca to do an inventory of
existing literacy efforts. - After the two committees (in both Chicago and
Casablanca) worked on the diagnostic tool, the
diagnostic began in Sidi Moumen community. - The diagnostic will communicate data and findings
of the survey and provide reports allowing good
decision making for development projects. - Further qualitative research will help identify
and understand motivations of the group for
overcoming their literacy issues (Focus Groups,
Personal Interviews, etc.)
8- Using existing successful literacy programs in
Chicago, the sister cities will try to understand
the motivations behind literacy - What will drive me to commit to a program to
read? - Whats in it for me?
- How to tap into motivations? How do you spend
your time? - Based on the results of the diagnostic, Chicago
and Casablanca will work together to create an
action plan to address the literacy needs in
Casablanca. Some early ideas are - Identify Best Practice among programs in Morocco
that are succeeding. - What audience do they serve?
- What makes them successful?
- Do they have a champion?
- What resources do they use?
- What obstacles have they overcome?
- Offer examples from existing literacy programs in
Chicago
9Analysis of Case Study
- The ever-deepening relationship since 1991 has
allowed Chicago and Casablanca to be able to
launch long-term sustainable projects including
health, education, and the pilot focusing on
literacy. - Success factors include open communication and
citizen-based committees in both cities. - Some challenges were the lack of realization of
the importance of involving the private sector
and civil society in city-to-city programs. - Opportunities
- Some risks were possible burnout and insufficient
resources to implement programs and projects.
10Opportunities for scaling up?
- This project will help Chicago-Casablanca address
MDGs in future activities. - The Volunteerism Workshop during Chicago Week
introduced the American vision on volunteerism,
presented fund-raising techniques, and
highlighted successful volunteer driven Chicago
programs. - Volunteers will be used in the pilot program.
- Agreed to further develop collaboration between
Chicago NGOs and Casablanca NGOs - The pilot has helped examine literacy issues in
both cities on a different level - Chicago adult population does not enjoy the
highest rates of literacy! Chicagoans are not
multi-lingual, as are Moroccans! - 53 of adults in Cook County are considered low
literate - Literacy rates in Morocco or Casablanca stand at
50 - Awareness of this project and the outcome can
benefit both cities
11What factors are involved in cooperation between
Casablanca and Chicago?
- Chicago Sister Cities International is directly
under the auspices of the City of Chicago
Department of Cultural Affairs. There is a paid
staff of ten people. - Committees in both cities are comprised of
volunteers drawn from all sectors of society. - The sister cities program facilitates
governmental and non-governmental organizational
exchanges in several fields (health, education,
housing, urban planning, arts and culture,
business, sports and tourism) - Both cities enjoy strong support from local
governments and public-private partnerships. - Corporate partners program in place to support
activities. - Public awareness of Casablanca Sister City
program heightened by Chicago Week activities. - Strong commitment among volunteers and
committees. - Interest in deepening understanding of each
others culture.
12How can we help replicate the
results?Chicago is developing a manual based on
their successful partnership with Casablanca for
other interested U.S. communities looking to form
a strong relationship with other Muslim or Arab
communities.Help other communities in Morocco
form partnerships with communities in the United
States.