CSOs and MS Sudan launch ‘Democracy Bus’

In February and March 2010, MS Sudan and a number of its partners will visit local communities in the Greater Yei area in a tour called ‘Democracy Bus’.

By Peter Tholstrup, advocacy and democracy advisor, MS Sudan

11. November 2009

A bus full of artists, civic educators, volunteers, journalists and Danish and Sudanese youths will travel from village to village in the Greater Yei area to inform the communities about democracy and elections. The purpose of the Democracy Bus tour is to create open, inclusive, and relevant events through which people are encouraged to reflect on and discuss why democracy is important to them, as well as seek specific information on the elections.

The Democracy Bus is planned to reach 20 different locations in all 15 payams of Morobo, Lainya and Yei River Counties in February and March 2010. Filled with artists and civic educators, the bus will bring voter education to the citizens in an entertaining and participatory way that will take its point of departure in the problems that people in the communities themselves feel are relevant.

The activities will be based on a variety of innovative and highly inclusive activities creating an informative, entertaining and engaging event. Through forum theatre, puppetry, music, board games and debate, the Democracy Bus aims at engaging voters constructively and critically in the campaign and election processes in their communities.

The next meeting about the democracy bus will be held 27 November 2009 at Yei Community Resource Centre.

For more information, contact Peter Tholstrup, advocacy and democracy advisor (pt.mssudan@ms.or.ug) or Camilla Ankerstjerne, training advisor (ca.mssudan@ms.or.ug), MS Sudan.