Barbara and Jacques Baudot were invited to participate in this official event organized and hosted by the Government of Mali, and, more specifically by Adama Diarra, Director of the National Solidarity Fund and a member of the Triglav Circle. There were two events. The first was a meeting of the Ministers for Social Development of the West African region who, for the first time, were establishing a basis for active cooperation on social issues. This process is supported by UNESCO, in the context of its program MOST (Management of Social Transformation). The text adopted, in the presence of a representative of the African Union, is an interesting example of a mix of universal values and principles (directly inspired by the text of the Copenhagen summit, which is much more alive in Africa than at the Headquarters of the United Nations) and of African traditions and specificities. Mali was given the responsibility of ensuring the secretariat of the structure that will ensure a continuing cooperation between the countries of the region.

The second event was a Salon du Developpement (sort of “Development Fair”) which brought together for three days a large variety of representatives of the Malian society. There were officials from the Goverment, academics, members of the business community, members of organizations of the civil society, ordinary citizens, and a few foreign guests or visitors. Well organized, well attended, consistently immersed in an atmosphere of joy and kindness, this was a truly remarkable event.

Apart from a great variety of exhibits, there were extremely serious meetings where members of the local NGOs and academics engaged in open, friendly, informed and frank debates with Ministers and other government officials on subjects ranging from inequalities in Mali to the difficulties of a water project in a province. Papers were prepared and distributed, questions were asked, criticisms were formulated, suggestions were made, and officials did not leave the room for “previous engagements.” They participated with this mix of equanimity and liveliness which seems to be a trademark of African style of democracy at its best. And the participation of NGOs was equally admirable, avoiding both submissiveness and gratuitous aggressivity.

Barbara and Jacques Baudot gave speeches at this Salon and at the Institute for Social Workers. The speeches were on a Triglavian perception of poverty and modernity. In the audience at the Institute were students, professors and members of the Parliament. These, as well as one or two junior ministers were attending courses at this Institute, on social welfare, social protection, and other aspects of social development. This was another example, to illustrate the fact that assistance and cooperation ought to be a two-way street between the North and the South.