Open Space is an independent, interactive and creative public space where civil society organisations and public-spirited citizens can interact, debate and initiate action on social justice and development issues .

Open Space aims to:
• Strengthen civil society by promoting an understanding of social justice, rights and sustainable development
• Take the messages of social equity, justice, sustainable development, diversity and pluralism to a wide cross-section of the urban middle class
• Involve and include youth in particular, strengthening their capacity to institute change
• Build capacity through local community initiatives based on principles of self-reliance and collaboration
• Act as a bridge between activists and concerned citizens in order to promote dialogue, discussion, debate and action.

Located in Pune, Maharashtra, India, Open Space uses social documentary and political feature films, experimental theatre, literature, lectures, workshops, readings, focus-group meetings and the music of protest to encourage citizens to talk, think and act for change.

We offer video and DVD screening facilities, a growing library and cross-sectoral documentation centre, a reading room with various national and international publications (including newspapers in Hindi and Marathi), and the use of Internet facilities for research. Alternative publications and fair trade practice products are available for sale.

Open Space is an initiative of the Centre for Communication and Development Studies (CCDS), a social change resource centre that uses strategic and innovative communication processes to inform, initiate and inspire change in societal attitudes and public policy.

CCDS focuses on:
• Development research and advocacy: CCDS publishes the quarterly print journal InfoChange Agenda
• Information outreach: CCDS manages the daily development news website InfoChange News & Features ( www.infochangeindia.org ), one of India's most-visited online resource bases on social justice and sustainable development
• Civil society outreach (through Open Space)

Address:
Venu Madhav 5 th floor, Prabhat Road, 14 th Lane (Opp Income Tax Office) Pune 411 004, India Phone: 91-20-2545 7371 Email: openspace@eth.net
Website: www.openspaceindia.org

People@openspace:
Hutokshi Doctor: Director, CCDS
Arshia Sattar: Programme Consultant
Renu Iyer: Asst Programme Officer/Visualiser
Durga Chandran: Documentation/Researcher
Vijay Narvekar: Webmaster/Technical Coordinator
Lisa Batiwalla: Researcher/Writer
Philip Varghese: Administration Manager
K C Dwarkanath: Accounts Manager
Rajinder Darai: Office Assistant