The World Congress on Communication and Development
Co-organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), The World Bank and The Communication Initiative, the World Congress on Communication and Development, will take place in Rome, Italy on October 25-27 2006. The congress will focus on demonstrating that communication for development is an essential ingredient for meeting today’s most pressing development challenges and, as such, should be more fully integrated in development policy and practice. This three-day Congress will bring together communication professionals engaged in development initiatives, policymakers, development practitioners, donor and civil society organization representatives, community representatives, and academics from around the world to share experiences and best practices in this growing field. Discussions and presentations will focus on what works, what doesn’t, and how communication for development contributes to better development effectiveness. See details at: www.devcomm.org/worldbank/public.asp?idmacro=2.

International Dialogue on Science and Practice in Sustainable Development
This international and innovative Dialogue aims to increase the quantity and effectiveness of collaborations on sustainable development being pursued around the world between scientists and practitioners, and to enhance the world's capacity to establish and implement such activities. The dialogue, scheduled for late 2006, is an activity of the Initiative of Science and Technology for Sustainability (ISTS) and TWAS, the academy of sciences for the developing world, in co-operation with the Sustainable Europe Research Institute (SERI). More information is available at www.sustdialogue.org.

INTRAC Conference on Civil Society and Capacity Building: Changes, Challenges and Charting the Future, 11th - 13th December 2006
International NGO Training and Research centre INTRAC are organising a Conference on 'Civil Society and Capacity Building: Changes, Challenges and Charting the Future' to be held on 11th-13th December 2006 in Oxford, UK as part of its 15th anniversary activities. The workshop will explore and analyse various capacity building practices that strive to enhance the role and contribution CSOs make to international development. For more information on the conference and how to participate go to www.intrac.org/pages/CBconference.html. Participants are encouraged to prepare case studies of their capacity building activities which have resulted in positive change. The story should include: (i) The context in which the intervention took place (ii) what happened and why? Why is it considered a success? (iii) Based on the above, are there any lessons for capacity building? For more information see www.intrac.org/pages/CB_SuccessStories.html and for guidelines on how to structure the story, see www.intrac.org/pages/praxis_notes.html.

International Studies Association International Conference on Politics, Policy and Responsible Scholarship, 28th February - 3rd March 2007, Chicago, USA,
How does political advocacy and policy analysis relate to various power structures? Should research be motivated by policy oriented problem solving within existing political structures or should it aim towards questioning and transforming the structures? How and why do international relations and national citizenship responsibilities conflict with our multiple political loyalties and identifications, the findings of our internationally oriented research, or the insights generated by an empathetic teaching style? International Studies Associating is organising an international conference to debate these issues and more. Papers which critically probe these questions are actively sought. ISA will provide partial finding for suitable candidates. The deadline for call for proposal is 1st June 2006. For more information on the event see www.isanet.org/chicago2007.