The annual Porombokkiyal meet is to be held on Sept.19 at ‘Trace the Space’ studio located off Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai, Mylapore. This unique event focuses on issues related to the ‘commons’ ( poromboke) – issues that cover community, education, music and development.
Here is the schedule –
10:00 a.m. onwards | The Many Lives of a Road
How do different people share the road? The vendor, pedestrian,
wheelchair user, auto . . . This session brings together Dr. Aiswarya Rao, disability
rights activist; Mohana Sundari, president, Veera Pengal Munnetra Sangam; Mullai, fish
vendor, Marina Loop Road; and Yuvan, nature educator, Palluyir Trust – session moderated by musician
Monali Bala.
12:15 p.m. onwards | Commons of Care
What does it take to build a shared space and keep it shared? This conversation looks at
collective action, reciprocity and the relationships of care that sustain communities, with G.
Sarathkumar, founder, Vyasai Thozhargal, and Archana Mohan, founder, Pagir – session moderated by
wetland researcher and campaigner Prashanth.
2:30 p.m. onwards | Sharing Fairly — Music, Internet & the Ethics of the
Commons
When a melody can belong to everyone and be owned by someone at the same time, what
does fair sharing mean? Bindhumalini, singer-composer; Ofro, founder, Atti Culture; and Swaroop Mami, lawyer & IP specialist examine music, the internet, ownership and access – session
moderated by author and musician T M Krishna.
4:00 p.m. onwards | Naa Porombokku! Nee Porombokkaa?
The day concludes with a moderated Open House inviting audiences to reflect on their own roles
in sustaining and drawing from diverse commons of care, led by Archanaa Seker of Vettiver
Collective.
