RAGA çağrı metni

Sevgili Yoldaşlar,

Birkaç ay önce, bazı kızıl-yeşil politik örgütlerle birlikte 2012 yazında uluslararası bir kızıl-yeşil buluşma için çağrı yapma fikrini ortaya attık. Birkaç ay süren tartışmaların ardından yeterince olgunlaştığına inandığımız bu proje artık, sunulmaya hazır hale geldi. İlginizi çekeceğini umduğumuz bu uluslararası buluşmayı hazırlamamızda bizimle birlikte olmanızı ve İstanbul’daki buluşmaya katılımınızı bekliyoruz.

Kızıl-yeşil dayanaşıma için uluslararası selamlar

Selda Canan (Yesil ve Sol, Turkey), Mathieu Colloghan (Les Alternatifs, France), Thomas Couderette (Mouvement des Objecteurs de Croissance, France), Mike Davies (Alliance for Green Socialism, Britain), Catherine Faivre D’Arcier (Gauche Anticapitaliste, France), Paco Fernández (Los Alternativos - Alternativa Roja y Verde, Spanish State) and Paulo Marques (Grupo de Contacto RAGA/Brasil).

Red And Green Alternative network

redandgreenalternatives@gmail.com

Facebook etkinlik sayfası: http://www.facebook.com/events/322354614517707/

8 soruda projemiz :

1) Ne zaman?

5 Temmuz 2012 (Perşembe) – 8 Temmuz 2012 (Pazar)

2) Nerede?

İstanbul, Türkiye. İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi,Yabancı Diller Yüksek Okulu, Maçka Kampüsündedir.

3) Bu çağrının arkasında kimler var?

Bu, tamamıyla şeffaf bir proje. Şimdilik bu mektubu imzalayan örgütler tarafından organize edilmektedir. Arkamızda hiçbir çıkar grubu, vakıf, hükümet, özel şirket ya da AB’ye bağlı kuruluş,vs. bulunmamaktadır.Bağımsız kalmayı seçtik ve bunun bedelini ödeyeceğiz. 

Elimizden gelen her şeyi gönüllü olarak yaparak bu buluşmanın katılımcılar için en ucuza çıkmasını sağlayacağız. Var olan az miktardaki paramızı uzaklardaki aktivistleri İstanbul’a getirmek için harcayağız.

4) Bu proje nedir?

Öncelikle, projemizin hedefi bir araya gelmek ve kızıl-yeşil gündem üzerine verimli bir bilgi alışverişinde bulunmaktır. Kızıl ve yeşil gündem arasındaki ilişkileri, iki kültür arasındaki gerilim noktalarını ve yanısıra doğal bağlantıları incelemeyi umuyoruz. Sosyal adalet ve ekoloji hedeflerimize bakarken ortaya çıkan birliktelik ve karşıtlıkları incelemek istiyoruz.

İkincil olarak; insanlığın ve çevrenin kapitalist sömürüsüne karşı mücadele ederken bilgi alışverişinin ve kampanya taktiklerinin paylaşımını ve sınırlar ötesi gerçekçi bir dayanışmayı sağlayacak kızıl ve yeşil bir ağ kurmayı umuyoruz. Özellikle sömürücü şirketlerin ülkeleri ile sömürünün hedefi olan ülkeler arasındaki işbirliği kurabilmeyi ummaktayız.

5) NEDİR BU “ Kızıl ve Yeşil ” ?

Bu girişim, ne yeni bir enternasyonalin inşası amaçlanıyor ne de ucuza politik seyahat imkanı anlamına geliyor.

Birçok aktivistin de farkına vardığı gibi ekolojik perspektiften yoksun bir sosyal proje hiçbir anlam ifade etmemektedir. Benzer şekilde, sosyal boyutları olmayan ekolojik projeler de bir işe yaramamaktadır. Kapitalizmin hem toplumu hem de doğayı tahrip ettiğini açıkça görüyoruz.

Ne yazık ki; yeşil hareket sıklıkla kapitalizmi kabul ederken, sol gruplar da büyüme ve kalkınma üzerinden bir söylem geliştirmeyi yeterli görüyor. Bu iki mesele arasındaki bağı gören kızıl-yeşil eylemciler ise politik düzlemde kendilerine alan bulamamanın sıkıntısını çekmektedir.

Giderek derinleşen krizler ( iklim, sosyal, ekonomik, gıda, demokrasi ) sorunları daha da merkezi hale getirirken, toplumların iyi yönde gelişeceğine dair hiçbir emare gözükmüyor. 

Aksine, zenginlerin ayrıcalıklarının korunması, yoksulların haklarının ellerinden alınması ve hepimizin bir parçası olduğu doğanın imhası yönünde yürütülen çalışmalar ivme kazanmış durumda.

Kızıl ve yeşil bir gündem oluşturmak kolay bir seçenek değil. Bazı çelişkilerle karşılaşmamız muhakkak. Fakat, belki bu çelişkiler yeni kapılar açacak. Bu proje katılıma açık bir proje. Birlikte bir şeyler kurmayı istiyoruz.

6) KİMLER DAVETLİ ?

Tabii ki, öncelikle Türkiye’nin her yerinden eylemcileri bekliyoruz. Arjantinli, Brezilyalı, İngiliz ve İspanyol kızıl-yeşil delegelerimiz katılacak. Olumlu politik ilişkilerimizin olduğu Almanya, Belçika, Belarus, Bolivya, Kosta Rika, Almanya, Haiti, Hindistan, İrlanda, Pakistan, Filistin, vb. gibi ülkelerdeki arkadaşlarımı da bekliyoruz. Ayrıca, diğer ülkelerdeki ilişkilerimizin katılımını da umuyoruz. Ve tabii, sizin de !

Seyahat etme imkanı olmayan bazı insanlardan yazılı katkı sunacaklarını biliyoruz. Çeşitli politik örgütlerden delegelerin, sendikacıların, alternatif medya eylemcilerinin, araşatırmacıların ve bireylerin de katılım olacak.

7) NE TÜR BİR KIZIL-YEŞİL BULUŞMA?

Devasa bir buluşma yerine eylemciler arasında değişimi olanaklı kılacak küçük bir buluşma planlıyoruz. Değişik konularda 50 kadar atölye planlıyoruz. Fakat geniş çaplı bir karmaşaya hiç niyetimiz yok ! Değişik atölyeler tasarlıyoruz; “tanıklık” : mücadeleleri,taktikleri, zafer ve yenilgileri anlatmak , “analiz”: olup bitenler üzerine bir değerlendirme yapmak ve sürece müdahele olanaklarını tartışmak, “kampanya”: uluslararası kampanyalar başta olmak üzere, yöntem ve kampanya önerilerini dinleme.

Kavram dağarcığımız, projelerimiz ve paylaşma yöntemlerimiz üzerine çalışmak istiyoruz.

Profesyonel çevirmen sağlamaya bütçemiz yeterli olmadığı için çalışma dili İngilizce olacaktır. Elimizden geldiği ölçüde İngilizceden diğer dillere ve İngilizceye çeviri sağlamaya çalışacağız. Bu konuda her türlü yardıma ve gönüllülere açığız.

8) NASIL YAPILANDIRILACAK?

Perşembe günü açılış toplantısı, Pazar sabah ise asamble yapılacaktır. Atölyeler beş dikey ve beş yatay tematik üzerinden gidecektir :

Temalar:

Enerji :

Örnek : enerji ihtiyaçları; kaya gazı, nükleer, peak oil.

Su ve Toprak :

Örnek : Global perspektif; gıda üretimi, endüstriyele karşı yerel; su ürünleri; toprak verimliliği; suyun özelleştirilmesi; su sorunu 

İktidar :

Örnek: Demokrasi (1848-2012?); özyönetim; katılımcı demokrasi, devlet; erkek egemenliği; özgürlük

Küresel Isınma ve Kirlilik :

Örnek : Küresel uyarı olguları ve etkisizlik; sellerin bilançosu; gıda bilançosu, iklim mültecileri, kirlilik.

Büyük Sermaye Projeleri :

Örnek : Barajlar, havaalanları, yol ve demiryolu,enerji, kentsel dönüşüm, madenler

Ve beş yatay perspektif :

Küçülme ve tüketim :

Örnek : Bize satılan şeyler, tüketime bağlı mutluluk miti, metalaştırma ve parasallaşma, sınırsız büyüme, ne üretmeliyiz , yerel ekonomi

Adil Bölüşüm : Kuzey & Güney :

Örnek : Tüketim ve kaynakların aritmetiği, emperyalizm ve sömürgecilik, kuzey ve güneyin meselelerini / kampanyalarını bağdaştırma, yerlilerin mücadeleleri, kadınlar, azınlıklar

Kamu Malları ve Dışsallıklar :

Örnek: Kapitalistlerin dışladıkları, doğal kamu malları : hava, su, sağlık, eğitim, toprak ; kamu mallarının özelleştirilmesi

İlerleme, Doğa, Yerli ve Yerel Bilinç :

Örnek : Yıkıcı ve insanlık dışı bir şey olarak ilerleme, insanlar ve doğal ekosistem, ekolojik servisler , bioçeşitlilik, kaynaklar : dünyayı soymak, yerli ve yerel bilinç, insanca yaşam koşullarına muhtaç olmama, mutluluk.

Mücadele Araçları :

Örnek: protesto, sivil itaatsizlik, bizim olanı geri alma ya da savunma, kitlelerin eğitimi, kollektif çalışma, seçimler, internet.

Bütün etkinliğe sirayet etmiş 3 ana fikirle beraber :

Kızıl ve/ya Sol :

Örnek : karşılıklı dayanışma, sol meselelere yeşil bakış açısıyla yaklaşım, yeşil meselelere sol bakış açısıyla yaklaşım.

Görme Biçimleri :

Örnek : Toplumsal Cinsiyet, etnik gruplar, cinsel yönelim.

Sözcükler/Kavramlar :

Örnek : Başka anlamlara geldiği için yanlış anlaşılabilen kelimeler, aynı anlama gelen farklı kelimeler, bazı kültür ve dillerdeki anlamları sebebiyle kullanılmaması gereken sözcükler, ülkelerin siyasi geçmişlerinden kaynaklanan politik kavram farklılıkları.

Şimdi sizden beklediklerimiz :

a) Hemen redandgreenalternatives@gmail.com adresine bu preojeye desteğinizi belirten bir ileti yollayabilirsiniz.

b) Her türlü spesifik atölyeler önerin. Eğer siz bir atölye ile uğraşacaksanız, ne güzel, önerin. Eğer bir atölye ile uğraşamayacaksanız, fakat yine de böyle bir atölye istiyorsanız, bu da güzel, yine önerin.

c) Buluşmaya katılıp katılamayacağınızı ve muhtemel kişi sayısını belirtin. Özel ihtiyaçlarınız varsa ( örneğin uzak bir yerden geliyorsanız ve konaklama ihtiyacınız varsa) lütfen bizi bilgilendirin

d) Buluşmayı daha iyi ve üretken kılacağını düşündüğünüz her türlü fikri belirtmekten çekinmeyin.

Kızıl & Yeşil Selamlar

Network Project and Common Initiatives

The host organization: Les Alternatifs

The description/explanation of the session

After having talk about the articulaton of the red and the green, and about the nature of our network, let's talk about what kind of common concret camapaign.

This session and the 2 others on the same subject ( Red and Green Pseudo-contradiction and What Kind of Red and Green Network ) can be mixed in only one or two.

What Kind of Red and Green Network

The host organization:

The RAGA collective

The description/explanation of the session

This will be a the third part of a same talk: the dial between red and green / what kind of common activities/ what kind of red and green network. First, we should have a talk : Usefulness of a red and green international network. And, in case of a positive answer, starting to work on the project.

The type of the session:

After few words of synthesis of what have been said on the first session, it should be an open forum. This session and the 2 others on the same subject can be mixed in only one or two.

Red and Green: Pseudo-contradiction, Background or Superficial Convergence and the Democratic Mediation

 

The host organization: Les Alternatifs

The description/explanation of the session

 

There is no natural links between red and green. We should talk about those contradiction. But about dynamic too.

The type of the session:

Open discussion

Struggle Against the the Notre Dame des Landes Airport

The host organization:  Les Alternatifs

The description/explanation of the session

Notre Dame des landes (NDDL) is a grove area, close to Nantes (north west of France). The mayor (our prime minister) decided to build there a huge international airport. Nantes has already a airport which is not used a 100 %. And there's the pic oil. Nantes is linked to others big city in France by several Very Fast Train (TGV) lines. There's an ecosystem and peasants in NDDL. So this is an stupid project. But support by right wing parties, socialists, communist … Even the Greens don't really fight against it. But it's a long radical struggle with hunger strike, support of the locals … And Vinci, who is supposed to do the job, is involve in the project of the main motorway of Khimki (Russia) and the channel under the Bosphorus in Istanbul.

A video, in French, done last July in NDDL : http://vimeo.com/26385772

The type of the session:

1. Testimony of the struggle

2. proposals for a common campaign

Consum'actions Facing Crisis

 

The host organization: Les Alternatifs

(http://consom-solidaire.over-blog.com/)

The description/explanation of the session

Food, Agriculture and Empowerment

Produce and consumer alternatives against supermarkets and commercial laws. 

Self-organization and exchange systems without money.

Ways of development to accede to food sovereignty (including access to land and seeds).

Local and regional experiences (Greece, French and Spanish States...), enlarging to social, environmental and international issues.

The type of the session:  Workshop

The anticipated duration of the session: 90 mins

Shale Gas

The host organization: Les Alternatifs

The description/explanation of the session

What with the environmental consequences of mining projects shale gas in Europe?

 

Citizen mobilizations in France, an example in Ardèche

 

What coordinate the struggle in Europe?

Shale gas is one of the new way capitalism try to answer to the environmental questions . We'll not have oil and gas forever, don't change our way to live, catch new energy. The shale gas tecnique use a lot of water to crash the ground to find few new gas resource. A lot of energy, of water, of noise for nothing. This is a main project in USA, France , UK and Turkey. In France, a main campaign has stop this silly project. In Turkey, the project is to do it on a very big level...

Here, a video to promote a movie about this problem : http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=dZe1AeH0Qz8

The type of the session: Debate

The anticipated duration of the session:  90 mins

Note: This workshop will be in French, and will have English (and Turkish) translation.

Privatization of Water

The host organization: Les Alternatifs

The description/explanation of the session

Assertion that water as a common good and not as a commodity, and recalled the statement of the alternative forum World Water in Marseille. Management and control of water must be public, cooperative, participatory, equitable and non-profit-oriented. Rights of indigenous peoples and women are fundamental in the global fight for water. Access to water and land for food sovereignty.

Proposals and comparisons between public and private management in France

The type of the session: Debate

The anticipated duration of the session: 90 mins

Note: This workshop will be in French, and will have English (and Turkish) translation.

Autogestion / Self management

The host organization: Les Alternatifs

The description/explanation of the session  

Autogestion/Self management as a theoretical approach for deepening democracy and practices of direct democracy. Self-management to define and structure a new vision of society, post-capitalist. Project and a self-management strategy ? Self-management is an ongoing search for alternative solutions to social transformation of society ?

 

Method and culture of self-management as an approach to revolutionary, radical and progressive, respecting minorities and promoting solidarity, responsibility and the right to experiment.

The type of the session:   Debate

The anticipated duration of the session:  90mins

Note: This workshop will be in French or Spanish, and will be translated

Recolonisation et luttes populaires contre la marchandisation des biens communs naturels dans Notre Amérique

Grupo de Estudios sobre América Latina y el Caribe, Study Group on Latina America and Caribbean, GEAL-COMPA Coordination of Argentine Popular Movements

[link to English text]  [Castellano]

RÉSUMÉ EN FRANCAIS

L'amplification des effets de la crise capitaliste globale se manifeste, entre d'autres formes, dans Notre Amérique à travers de l'intensification des processus d'appropriation privée transnationale et nationale des biens communs naturels. Pour sa part ces processus supposent l'intensification des schémas de recolonisation privée transnationale caractérisés aussi par la “de-démocratisation” des relations sociales et politiques dans la région. Face à cette offensive extractiviste que caractérise le développement de la crise en Amérique latine, les peuples et les communautés expriment son reset croissant de ces logiques. Ce rejet est présent dans la plupart des conflits environnementales dans tous les pays de la région. Les luttes en défense de l'eau et des sols constituent aujourd'hui l'une des manifestations les plus dynamiques, bien que non exclusives, de ces processus. Notre exposition vise à faire une présentation synthétique de ces expériences, des sujets et des mouvements plus emblématiques engagés dans les résistances aussi bien que des processus de convergence des luttes autour de la défense des biens communs et de la vie.

Recolonización y luchas populares contra la mercantilización de los bienes comunes naturales en Nuestra América

Grupo de Estudios sobre América Latina y el Caribe, Study Group on Latina America and Caribbean, GEAL-COMPA Coordination of Argentine Popular Movements

[link to English] [Français]

RESUMEN EN CASTELLANO

La amplificación de los efectos de la crisis capitalista global se manifiesta, entre otras formas, en Nuestra América a través de la intensificación de los procesos de apropiación privada transnacional y nacional de los bienes comunes naturales. Por su parte estos procesos suponen la agudización de los esquemas de recolonización privada transnacional con la consecuente secuela de desdemocratización de las relaciones sociales y políticas en la región. Frente a la ofensiva extractivista que signa el desarrollo de la crisis en Latinoamérica el creciente rechazo de pueblos y comunidades se expresa en el incremento de los conflictos socioambientales en todos los países de la región. Las luchas en defensa del agua y de los suelos constituyen hoy una de las manifestaciones más dinámicas, aunque no excluyentes,de estos procesos. Nuestra exposición tiene por objetivo hacer una breve presentación de estas experiencias, de los sujetos y movimientos más emblemáticos portadores de las resistencias y de los procesos de convergencia en curso de la luchas en torno a la defensa de los bienes comunes y de la vida.

Recolonization and Popular Struggles Against Merchandisation of Natural Common Goods in Our America.

The host organization:

Grupo de Estudios sobre América Latina y el Caribe, Study Group on Latina America and Caribbean, GEAL-COMPA Coordination of Argentine Popular Movements)

The description/explanation of the session

The amplification of the effects of the capitalist global crisis in Our America demonstrates, between other forms, across the intensification of the processes of private transnational and national appropriation of the common natural goods. These processes suppose the increase of the schemes of private transnational resettling with the consistent sequel of “de-democratisation” of the social and political relations in the region. Opposite to the extractive offensive that seals the development of the crisis in Latin America the increasing rejection of peoples and communities expresses in the increase of the environmental conflicts in all the countries of the region. The fights in defense of the water and of the soils constitute today one of the most dynamic manifestations, though not exclusive, of these processes. Our exhibition has for aim do a brief presentation of these experiences, of the subjects and more emblematic carrying movements of the resistances and of the processes of convergence of the fights concerning the defense of the common goods and of the life.

The type of the session: Speech

The anticipated duration of the session:  maximum 25 minutes

Pervasive ideas

This text is taken from the RAGA call letter which gives a detailed explanation of our project.

The workshops will follow five “vertical” THEMES

and five “horizontal” PERSPECTIVES

with three PERVASIVE IDEAS that run throughout meeting:

RED &/OR GREEN illustrations: Interdependence; Green aspects of red issues; Red aspects of green issues

WAYS OF SEEING illustrations: Gender; Ethnic groups; Sexual orientation

VOCABULARY illustrations: Words that mislead because they mean different things; Shared concepts for which we have different words.

Perspectives

This text is taken from the RAGA call letter which gives a detailed explanation of our project.

The workshops will follow five “vertical” THEMES:

and five “horizontal”

PERSPECTIVES:

DEGROWTH & CONSUMPTION illustrations: Selling us stuff: the myth of happiness through consumption; Commoditisation and monetisation; Endless growth; What should we produce; A local economy

FAIR SHARES: NORTH & SOUTH illustrations: The maths of consumption & resources; Imperialism & colonialism; Linking north and south issues & campaigns; Indigenous struggles; Women; Minorities

COMMON GOODS & EXTERNALITIES illustrations: Externalities for capitalists; Naturally common goods: air, water, health, education, land; Privatisation of common goods

PROGRESS v NATURE & INDIGENOUS CONSCIOUSNESS illustrations: Progress as destruction & dehumanisation; Humans and the natural ecosystem; natural services; biodiversity; Resources: stripping the earth; Indigenous consciousness, not living in mud huts; Happiness

TOOLS TO FIGHT WITH illustrations: Protest; Civil disobedience; Taking or defending what is ours; Education the masses; Collective work; Elections; Internet

with three PERVASIVE IDEAS that run throughout meeting.

Themes

This text is taken from the RAGA call letter which gives a detailed explanation of our project.

The workshops will follow five “vertical”

THEMES:

ENERGY illustrations: Energy needs; “Fracking” schist gas; Nuclear; Peak oil

WATER & SOIL illustrations: Global perspective; Food production: industrial v local; Fisheries; Soil fertility; Privatization of water; Conflict over water

THE POWER illustrations: Democracy (1848 to 2012?); Autogestion; Active democracy; The state, Male domination; Liberty

GLOBAL WARMING & POLLUTION illustrations: Global warning facts & inaction; Flooding consequences; Food consequences; Climate refugees; Pollution

BIG CAPITAL PROJECTS illustrations: Dams, Airports; Roads and Rail; Power; Urban redevelopment; Mines 



and five "horizontal" PERSPECTIVES

with three PERVASIVE IDEAS that run throughout meeting.

RAGA call letter

Red And Green Alternative network 

redandgreenalternatives@gmail.com
 

Help organize a “Red & Green” international meeting in Istanbul, this summer.

 

Dear Comrades,
 

Several months ago we floated an idea with several red-green political organisations - a call for a red & green International event in summer 2012. After several months of discussion, this project is now developed enough to be shown. We hope that it will interest you and that you will join us in preparing this international meeting - and will come to Istanbul to participate.
 

Red & green international greetings

Selda Canan (Yesil ve Sol, Turkey), Mathieu Colloghan (Les Alternatifs, France), Thomas Couderette (Mouvement des Objecteurs de Croissance, France), Mike Davies (Alliance for Green Socialism, Britain), Catherine Faivre d’Arcier (Gauche Anticapitaliste, ,France), Paco Fernández (Los Alternativos - Alternativa Roja y Verde, Spanish state), and Paulo Marques (Grupo de Contacto RAGA/Brasil)
 

Our project in 8 questions:

1. WHEN?
 

Thursday 5 - Sunday 8 July 2012

 

2. WHERE?

Istanbul, Turkey. Close to the district of Taksim, in the Istanbul Technical University - Macka campus.

3. WHO IS BEHIND THIS PROPOSAL?
 

This is a very transparent project. It is, for now, organised by those who sign this letter.
There are no powerful interests behind this, no foundations, governments, EU agencies, private companies, etc.
We prefer to be independent and to pay the price for this: no limousines at the airport, no first class hotels, no champagne breakfasts. We will do our best to make this meeting as cheap as possible for the participants. What little money we have will go to bringing militants to Istanbul from far away.

4. WHAT IS THE PROJECT?

Firstly, our project is to meet each other and have fruitful exchanges about the red and green agenda.
We hope to explore the relationship between the two cultures, red and green, including the tensions between those two cultures, as well as the natural links. We want to examine both the synergies and the oppositions that come from looking at both the social justice goal and the ecological goal.
Secondly, we hope to create a red-green network that supports the sharing of information and of campaign tactics, and practical cooperation across borders in fighting the capitalist exploitation of people and environment. We look especially for cooperation between the host countries of exploiting companies and those countries that are the targets of exploitation.

5. WHAT IS THIS “RED & GREEN” THING?

We are not talking about building the six-and-ahalfth international. Nor is this an opportunity for cheap political tourism.
A lot of militants realise that a social project without an ecological perspective makes no sense; and that, likewise, an ecological project without a social dimension goes nowhere. We see that capitalism is destroying both society and nature.

Unfortunately, green organisations often accept capitalism; and left groups often go down the road of production and growth. Red-green activists who understand the linkage of the two issues have difficulty in finding political space.

The current growing economic crises (climate, social, economic, food, democracy) make the problem more central. However, there is no sign of societies changing in a good way. Rather, there is a momentum towards preserving the privileges of the rich, removing the rights of the poor, and ignoring the ecology of which we are all a part.

Putting forward a red & green agenda is not an easy option. We will find some contradictions. But maybe these will open new perspectives. This project is an open project, seeking to build something together.

It is pragmatic. We call it, in French, our “chantier”, our workyard.

6. WHO IS EXPECTED?

Of course, we expect activists from all over Turkey.

We know that we will have Argentine, British, Brazilian, French and Spanish red-green delegates. We expect that our positive political contacts in Belgium, Byelorussia, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Germany, Haiti, India, Ireland, Pakistan, Palestine, etc will be there too. Also we hope that contacts from other countries will come. And you!
We know also that some people, unable to travel, will take part by sending written contributions.
We will be joined by delegates from political groups, trade unionists, alternative media activists, researchers and individuals.

7. WHAT KIND OF RED-GREEN MEETING?

We are not planning a huge meeting but an exchange between activists.
We plan to have some 50 workshops of different kinds. But we intend not to have just a large-scale mess! We intend different types of workshop : “testimony” recounting struggles, tactics, successes and failures; “analysis”, discussing what is going on and how it may be countered; “campaigning”, proposing methods and campaigns, especially international campaigns.

We want to work on our vocabulary, our projects, and our ways of sharing.
The working language will be English - which means that we will provide as much mutual translation as possible, but will always aim to provide translation to and from English (where needed).

8. HOW WILL IT BE STRUCTURED?

On Thursday here will be a plenary opening session, and a plenary closing session on Sunday morning.
The workshops in between will follow five “vertical”

THEMES:

ENERGY illustrations: Energy needs; “Fracking” schist gas; Nuclear; Peak oil
WATER & SOIL illustrations: Global perspective; Food production: industrial v local; Fisheries; Soil fertility; Privatization of water; Conflict over water
THE POWER illustrations: Democracy (1848 to 2012?); Autogestion; Active democracy; The state, Male domination; Liberty
GLOBALWARMING & POLLUTION illustrations: Global warning facts & inaction; Flooding consequences; Food consequences; Climate refugees; Pollution
BIG CAPITAL PROJECTS illustrations: Dams, Airports; Roads and Rail; Power; Urban redevelopment; Mines 

and five “horizontal”
 

PERSPECTIVES:

DEGROWTH & CONSUMPTION illustrations: Selling us stuff: the myth of happiness through consumption; Commoditisation and monetisation; Endless growth; What should we produce; A local economy
FAIR SHARES: NORTH & SOUTH illustrations: The maths of consumption & resources; Imperialism & colonialism; Linking north and south issues & campaigns; Indigenous struggles; Women; Minorities

COMMON GOODS & EXTERNALITIES illustrations: Externalities for capitalists; Naturally common goods: air, water, health, education, land; Privatisation of common goods
PROGRESS v NATURE & INDIGENOUS CONSCIOUSNESS illustrations: Progress as destruction & dehumanisation; Humans and the natural ecosystem; natural services; biodiversity; Resources: stripping the earth; Indigenous consciousness, not living in mud huts; Happiness
TOOLS TO FIGHT WITH illustrations: Protest; Civil disobedience; Taking or defending what is ours; Education the masses; Collective work; Elections; Internet

with three PERVASIVE IDEAS that run throughout meeting:

RED &/OR GREEN illustrations: Interdependence; Green aspects of red issues; Red aspects of green issues
WAYS OF SEEING illustrations: Gender; Ethnic groups; Sexual orientation
VOCABULARY illustrations: Words that mislead because they mean different things; Shared concepts for which we have different words.
 

What do we ask you to do now:

a) Respond quickly to redandgreenalternatives@gmail.com indicating your support for this project. 

b) Propose specific workshops, of any kind. If you can resource a workshop, fine. If you cannot resource it, but would like such a workshop, that’s also fine.
c) Tell us if you expect to be able to take part in the meeting, with some idea of numbers. If you have particular needs (for example, you are coming from a long way and need accommodation) please let us know.
d) Put forward any ideas you have for making the meeting better and more productive.
 

Red & green greetings
 

redandgreenalternatives@gmail.com 

Yesil ve Sol, Turkey
Alliance for Green Socialism, Britain
Les Alternatifs,France
Mouvement des Objecteurs deCroissance, France
Gauche Anticapitaliste, France
Grupo de Contacto RAGA/Brasil
Los Alternativos - Alternativa Roja y Verde, Spanish state

New Forms of Dissent in Eastern Europe

The host organization: Les Alternatifs, France

The description/explanation of the session

In the countries of the former European Soviet bloc and former Yugoslavia we witness the growth of dissent movements at long last sharing similar goals and methods (single issue campaigns, ad hoc coalitions, direct action and civil disobedience) and acting in the same time sequence, showing similar sociological (the 400 Euros a month educated urban generation), ideological (refusal of the globalized neoliberal consumer society) and political (challenging the two party established system) characteristics. This bring them closer to the Western indignados/occupy movements. They both stress social justice and ecology, claiming to represent a moral, if not always political alternative containing left radicalism (e.g. the Left Front in Russia or the Chomskyite libertarians in Serbia), Feminism and national pride.

 

The type of the session:  Short presentation followed by a debate

The anticipated duration of the session: 30 min

Social Banking and Alternative Energy Supply

The host organization: Les Alternatifs, France.

The description/explanation of the session:

Social Banking

La Nef is almost a bank, which encourages only social, ecological or cultural ventures. People who have saving accounts there share their dividends, so that the interest of the loan is thus partially covered.

The NEF (New brotherhood economy) is a alternative cooperative bank involved in ethical finance. For more than 20 years, its purpose is to build a direct link between savers and borrowers who carry out sustainable projects meeting social and ecological criterias.

La Nef is currently involved in the creation of the first European ethical cooperative bank, working with other partners that promote ethical finance in Europe. This project aims to set up a real alternative in the banking sector, based on ethical principles, transparency and solidarity. 27000 co-operators. Capital: €24 875 160  Balance sheet : €321 million 

How does it work , Does it make sense to try to make money in a different way ?

Alternative Energy Supply

In France where electricity is produced with nuclear power Enercoop supplies energy only from renewable resources.

Enercoop is a French cooperative created in 2007 as « green electricity » supplier. Enercoop's aim is to create many regional cooperatives around France where the local members can be in charge of all parts of the energy process from production to consumption. Enercoop only uses renewable energy. Enercoop got 13 000 members.

Video (self promotion of enercoop) in French : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VlQXEdBZHo

Does-it work ? Is-it green ?

The type of the session:

Short review of issues

The anticipated duration of the session:

30 min.