CCSI recently received this message:

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

We would like to draw your attention to a new discussion list -- the
FERGHANA-VALLEY list -- which is intended to further the goals of building
harmony and prosperity in the Ferghana Valley.  As you know, the Ferghana
Valley has been locus of a variety difficulties in the transition period
from Soviet rule to independence.  We are working in a United Nations
program which aims help address these problems.

In order to resolve the issues facing the Ferghana Valley, it is essential
to understand them thoroughly.  It is important that a wide range of
interested parties participate in assessing the needs and defining the best
approaches to the problems.

We invite you to help in this process by joining the FERGHANA-VALLEY
discussion list.  The discussion list is meant to be an innovative approach
to participatory development, taking advantage of the Internet to engage a
broad public in the discussion -- from ordinary people to experts, the
international aid community, local government representatives, the NGO
community, the donor community, business, etc.

By joining, you will join a discussion about what the key problems of the
Ferghana Valley are, and how to go about solving them.  Participants will
receive messages from the list in English or Russian and may respond to
them or initiate new topics -- the list will automatically distribute your
reply to all list members.  The only limitations on discussion are that 1)
we are in a region where Internet access for many is not cheap or easy and
therefore contributions should be concise, and 2) all discussion must serve
the goals of this forum -- i.e., it must be respectful and constructively
address the issues of the Ferghana Valley.  To ensure these goals, the
discussion will be moderated.

The problems facing the Ferghana Valley are many -- economic,
environmental, social, cultural, etc. -- and there are tensions which led
to open conflict in the past, and many fear that this could occur again.
If you share our interest in bettering the lives of the people of the
Ferghana Valley please do join the FERGHANA-VALLEY discussion list -- let
us see how we can work together toward harmony and prosperity.

At the bottom of this message are instructions on how to join automatically
-- or you you can just let us know and we will sign you up.  If you want
more information about the FERGHANA-VALLEY discussion list or about the
UN's Ferghana Valley Development Programme, please contact us.

Thank you very much for your interest,

John Schoeberlein (FVDP Chief Technical Advisor)

Bakyt Beshimov (FVDP Programme Manager)

Sponsored by:
Center for Civil Society International

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