Pioneers Sessions Amsterdam

Location: Felix Meritis, Keizersgracht 324, Amsterdam


Wednesday April 1, 2009


Arrival of New York Pioneers

Down time/hotel check-in Hotel V, Weteringschans 136

16:30 Registration New York and Amsterdam Pioneers at Felix Meritis

17:00 Meet and Greet/ Informal reception and presentation of Pioneers

18:00 Formal opening dinner

Word of welcome: Joanneke Lootsma (Felix Meritis Foundation) introducing Marietje Schaake, Phil Ugelow (Humanity in Action) and Farid Tabarki (moderator)

19:00 Parameters for Pioneers- Freedom of expression

By Naema Tahir. freedom of expression. Focus on self-censorship by artists and columnists, and how to deal with combining freedom of expression and freedom of and from religion


Naema Tahir is a laywer and author. She has worked for government ministries, the UNHCR and the Council of Europe in Strassbourg. Her books are: A muslimwoman unveils (2005) which deals with the effects of migration both on Islamic identity and on the rendering of rights of Muslim women. Prized Possession (2006), on the largely sexual strategies of three Pakistani women towards achieving autonomy, power and dignity. Lonelinesses (2008) on the struggle for a meaningful identity in a radicalising family of Pakistani immigrants living in London, and Little Green Riding Hood and the converted Wolf, and other Muslimtellings (2008) on morality. She regularly appears on radio and TV and writes newspaper articles, essays and columns.

Thursday April 2, 2009


09:00 Opening Day 2 at Felix Meritis by moderator Farid Tabarki

09:15 Session:
The Nature of Race: Debated Concepts of Human Difference by Ann Morning
1. Americans still think of race as a matter of intrinsic, biological differences between members of distinct races; 2. Even social and biological scientists hold this biological concept of race in considerable numbers; and 3. Developments in the science of genetics in recent years have not eliminated such biological thinking about race, but instead has in some ways fuelled it.My objective in front of the binational Pioneers audience is to describe an ideology that was born in Europe but perhaps most extensively developed in the United States. Today many scholars would argue that Americans and Europeans see race very differently, but I would like to show that the global science of genetics may revive old beliefs about racial difference on both sides of the Atlantic.

10.00 Q&A

11:45 Coffee break

12:15 Travel to Restaurant Fifteen by boat

13:00 Lunch and introduction by Sarriel Taus (Founder of Fifteen, restaurant established with help of Jamie Oliver, educating underprivileged kids as cooks)

14:10 Session:
Jeff Johnson on the inspiration of the city, empowerment of minority populations through hip-hop. Lessons from New York for Amsterdam. Invites are +/- 50 youngsters from Amsterdam to join this session at Fifteen. Q&A

15:45 Tea break

16:00 Travel back to Felix by boat

16:30 Open space: discussion by pioneers

18:00 Closing of day 1: wrap up by Farid Tabarki

19:00 Informal dinner in Restaurant Nomads



Ann Morning is Assistant Professor of Sociology at New York University She holds a Master of International Affairs degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Princeton University. The main focus of her extensive research lies on the origin and meanings of racial classification.

Jeff Johnson is a political motivator, investigative journalist, political correspondent, and activist. He publishes and comments on issues relating to race, politics, popular culture and socio-economics for various influential news broadcasts such as CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC.


Friday April 3, 2009


09:00 Opening Day 3: Kick-off by moderator

09:15 Session: Pioneers determine 4 working session’s topics (through questionnaires distributed prior to Amsterdam gathering or based on the selected participants. One of the pioneers’ work projects can lead each session).

Example of topics:
- (Re) Designing public spaces to foster social cohesion in the city;
- Burden or blessing, the effect of the economic crisis on the city;
- Room for pioneers, the role of government in fostering innovation and creativity in the city;
- Radicalization and gang violence in Amsterdam and New York.

11:00 Coffee break

11:30Session:
Innovation and Governance in the New Political Media Ecology by Andrew Rasiej (President of Personal Democracy Forum) and Q&A

13:00 Lunch at Felix

14:00 Session:
Drafting the manifesto: statements, quotes and assignments for the New York Pioneers Session, working with Open Space discussions

15:30 Coffee break

Pioneers are joined by stakeholders and press

16:00 Presentation of the Pioneers Manifesto

17:00 Drinks with stakeholders and Press

18:00 Wrap up of the conference and Reflections on the Pioneer Sessions by Pioneers with special attention to the follow-up in New York (closed)

19:00 Closing dinner


Saturday April 4, 2009

Pioneers from New York will be invited by Pioneers from Amsterdam for guided visits and tours in and around Amsterdam.




Andrew Rasiej is the founder of techPresident, an award-winning Web site that tracks how presidential candidates are using the web and and how voter-generated content affects the race. He is also the man behind the Personal Democracy Forum, a two-day event in June that looks at how the Internet is changing government and vice-versa.