Topics that will be addressed include: What are the social advances made by the "Bolivarian Revolution" since the election of President Hugo Chavez in 1998? How does this affect the poverty statistics, and how does it affect the actual lives of the poor? What shortcomings and problems need to be overcome? How much pressure can the U.S. government apply to change the government? How can the principles of Prout assist in transforming society and ending poverty?

About Dada:

Dada Maheshvarananda, born in the US, is an activist, writer, and monk. For 29 years he taught meditation and yoga and supervised social service projects, first in Southeast Asia and then in South America. His recent book, After Capitalism: Prout's Vision for a New World, has been published in seven languages. He has given hundreds of seminars and workshops around the world about social issues and spiritual values. He has served as a consultant for the Venezuelan government in Proutist Economic Development, and in October 2006 he started the Prout Research Institute of Venezuela in Caracas, an independent not for profit foundation.

Dada is also promoting a new documentary film on the cooperatives in Barlovento, Venezuela: Another Life is Possible (Film): Cooperatives in Barlovento, Venezuela, by Paul Allister & the Prout Research Institute - Venezuela

Venezuela is undergoing a transformation within its workplace. With approximately 50,000 cooperatives in operation—the highest number of any country in the hemisphere—will this economic democracy prove to be a model for development throughout the region?

More than 40 cooperatives were surveyed in the impoverished rural district of Barlovento to see just how cooperatives are transforming people's lives. Workers from a variety of different sectors including farming, fishing, hotel, restaurant, electrical and sewing co-ops tell in their own words the stories of their problems, struggles and successes. http://youtube.com/watch?v=N-k_i9t8woM

$10-20, no one turned away