NOTES ON THE HAHA PLANNING MEETING DECEMBER 2 and 3^rd 2010

VENUE APARTMENT of GANIT HIRSCHBERG PARIS

PRESENT

Norma Raynes (NR)

Matthias Roos (MR)

Robin Graham (RG)

Ganit Hirschberg (GH)

Monique Epstein (for part of the meeting)(ME)

1 Robin Graham (RG) proposed some additions to the draft notes on the October 21/22 HAHAS planning meeting and the meeting of Critical Friends to review HAHAS plans. These were accepted. It was agreed that Norma Raynes (NR) would make these amendments. The notes of that meeting would then be circulated to all those invited to the critical friends meeting. Notes on the December 2^nd meeting held in Paris would also be circulated to this critical friends group as well as members of the planning group.NR would take responsibility for this

2 The dates for the learning weeks were agreed. They are:

• FRANKFURT - 11-15^TH APRIL 2011
• MANCHESTER – 12-16^TH SEPTEMEBER 2011
• PARIS - 26-30 MARCH 2012
• LONDON - 15-16^TH JUNE 2012

The London event would be a LAUGHTER OLYMPICS. It would start with dinner on Friday evening June 15. Saturday June 16^th would enable us to show case our work to a wider audience. The Laughter Olympics event on June 16^th 2012 would take place in Bethnal Green. A school and other venues were discussed and were to be explored. Details of the content of this meeting were to be developed in subsequent planning meetings. Charging a fee to the wider audience attending was discussed and will be explored further.

2 The proposed content for the three seminars was discussed .It was agreed that the format in Manchester and Frankfurt would be similar using local resources and expertise. The meeting in Paris would focus on digital learning and details would be worked out nearer the time.

3 FRANKFURT MEETING

• Deadline for information on participants attending this meeting was set at 14 MARCH 2011. All members were to notify MR by this date
• Matthias Roos (MR) would provide further information about accommodation options and other matters by email
• The venue would be Ampt fur Gesundheit in Frankfurt.
• At this meeting logos would be designed by the learners . One of these will be selected for use on the website and other materials. The competition would be judged by cartoon and communication specialists
• Following this meeting a review of the content and delivery of material in the learning week would be undertaken to determine what went right; what went wrong and what changes we should make for the Manchester meeting.

4 BUDGET

A discussion of the budget took place and a per diem rate was agreed for Frankfurt to be around Euro 120.

Budget constraints were recognised by all participants

5 WEBSITE

• It was agreed that the website would be hosted by Intergen. NR would take responsibility for its set up, finding a designer and web master.
• There would be a password protected section for the full team
• We need a pro forma to be used by all team members to obtain permissions for photos and other information to be used on the site and on any other materials we produce
• Ganit Hirschberg (GH) to share the structure of the website she had begun to design with NR

6 LANGUAGE LEARNING

• NR has some basic material which she will share with team members. This will include information about English coins and notes

7 BRAIN STORMING SESSION ON WORDS THAT ARE ASSOCIA\TED WITH LAUGHTER AND HUMOUR

• RG made notes and these would be circulated by him to members of the team in December

8 DISCUSSION OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAUGHTER AND HUMOUR

• Monique Epstein (ME) drew attention to French books on this field . These were briefly discussed . A further clarification of the difference between the two was made. RG noted that the focus of the partnership was laughter and that we had a an interest in how forms of humour might or might not promote laughter. Laughter is a by product of humour. We need to show how humour is both bridge building and divisive.
• We will be learning how laughter is of benefit , how it shapes our face and its links to endorphin release
• Differences in humour on the three countries were noted
• What is the link between humour and laughter? RG will enable us to explore this and how laughter can promote health
• We will be exploring ways to understand universal/European humour that generates laughter
• An article in Care magazine by Robin will be circulated to members of the planning group
• The French book Le Rire by Bergson was cited as a key text
• It was agreed that we should begin to collect publications about laughter and build up a bibliography which will be available on the website
• French comics –Charlie Hebdou and Canard Enchainée were described, the former is 70% pictures.
• A number of other examples of material were described. These included :Mr Bean; Raging Nannies; The Happiness Store in Frankfurt and the English Comedy Channel.
• RG informed us that 20% of laughter is linked to jokes, 80% is not. It is associated with anger, fear or boredom or could be playful . Playful laughter leads to joyful laughter. Laughter is universal , humour is not
• The Optimists society in England and Laughter yoga were referred to as well as the contribution of differences in individual personalities

9 CERTIFICATION FOR ALL MEETINGS

• All meetings would need certificates of attendance for participants including planning meetings. ACTION NR GH AND MR