A Stocktaking Conference on Palestinian Refugee Research AGENDA   Monday, 8 December 1997 09h15-09h30 Opening Comments Welcome by Maureen O'Neil, President of IDRC Welcome by Rex Brynen, Palestinian Refugee ResearchNet On-line summary of session. 09h30 - 11h15 Project Reports A summary by participants of past, current and planned research and dialogue projects on the refugee issue. Chair: John Sigler Current refugee projects. 11h15 - 11h30 Break 11h30-12h30 Gaps, Problems and Priorities in Palestinian Refugee Research (Part One) Open discussion of weaknesses and gaps in current research initiatives, and identification of future research priorities. Chair: Rex Brynen On-line summary of session. 12h45 - 13h45 Lunch Lunch at IDRC. 13h45-15h30 Gaps, Problems and Priorities in Palestinian Refugee Research (Part Two) Further discussion of research needs, including mechanisms for networking, cooperation and collaboration. Chair: Joel Peters On-line summary of session. 15h30 - 15h45 Break   15h45-17h00 Making Research Policy Relevant Discussion on the relationship between academic research and policy-making/negotiation. How can the ideas, data, and scenarios generated by research and dialogue projects be best framed so as to influence decision-makers and the policy process? Panelists: David Malone, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Robert Bowker, UNRWA. Chair: Rex Brynen On-line summary of session.   17h00-19h00 Free time   19h00- Dinner Dinner at Delta Hotel (participants and guests) Tuesday, 9 December 1997   08h30-09h15 Summary of the previous day   09h15-10h45 Discussion Sessions (simultaneous) Group A: Legal and Moral Dimensions --Palestinian right of return: its contemporary meaning --role of UN resolutions --moral declarations and recognition of 1948 --attainable justice facilitators: Abbas Shiblak, Ron Pundik On-line summary of session. Group B: Compensation --assessing and documenting claims --property claims vs per capita payments --individual vs group payments --lump sum vs extended payments --host government claims --mobilization of required resources --administration of a compensation regime facilitators: Rex Brynen, Mark Heller On-line summary of session. 10h45-11h00 Break   11h00-12h30 Discussion Sessions (simultaneous) Group C: Repatriation and Absorption --alternative scenarios --factors shaping rates of repatriation --social and economic needs/enabling economic environment --cost requirements facilitators: Abbas Shiblak, Joel Peters On-line summary of session. Group D: Future of UNRWA --present challenges --donor-UNRWA-PA partnerships --UNRWA in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon --UNRWA and final status arrangements facilitators: John Sigler, Daoud Barakat On-line summary of session.   12h30-13h30 Lunch Lunch at IDRC   13h30-15h00 Discussion Sessions (simultaneous) Group E: Linkages to Other Final Status Issues --the refugee issue and territory, settlements, water, Jerusalem --other strategic dimensions facilitators: John Sigler, Shlomo Gazit On-line summary of session. Group F: Interim Measures --refugee community needs and project priorities --assuring popular participation --role of the Department of Refugee Affairs --other interim issues facilitator: Rex Brynen On-line summary of session.   15h00-15h30 Break   15h30-17h00 Plenary Session working group reports future tasks Chairs: Rex Brynen, Joel Peters, Janice Stein On-line summary of session.   17h00 Close of Conference The PRRN/IDRC compensation workshop was funded by IDRC and the Canadian International Development Agency thrrough the Expert and Advisory Services Fund. PRRN is a project of the Interuniversity Consortium for Arab Studies (Montréal). Last modified 2/12/97. Rex Brynen/info@prrn.org