PGA call: European gathering

international | miscellaneous | event notice Thursday July 20, 2006 16:29 by maxigas - PGA maxigas at anargeek dot net

As you might already know, the next European PGA conference will take
place in France this summer, from August 19th to September 3rd. It will
happen in two parts, in a decentralised fashion: the first 9 days will
take place in 5 different locations around France, each with specific
themes in focus; it will be followed by 2 days off for travelling &
chilling-out, then by 4 days in a central location, that will be the
Tanneries squatted social centre in Dijon.

==================================================================
Invitation to the next european gathering of Peoples Global Action
==================================================================

Introduction
============

PGA - People's Global Action - started in 1998, it has been a tool and a
diffuse structure coordinating groups and people sharing common
struggles and practices, in accordance with various anticapitalist and
anti-authoritarian principles (see the hallmarks opposite). PGA initiated
the Intercontinental caravan in 1999, as well as international action
days of actions against the G8, the WTO, the World Bank, the IMF... In
Seattle, Genoa, Prague, and in a number of less popular events, PGA was
a driving force behind numerous actions and reflections. At the convergence of international initiatives and local struggles, groups close to the
PGA are now looking for new drives to challenge stagnation.

In Europe, groups who identify with the PGA principles meet about once
every two years, through the initiative of a "convenor" collective.
Since 1998, these conferences have been the opportunity for several days
of exchanging practices and knowledge, and of establishing bonds, which
allow us to be better organized in common actions.

The last conferences were held in Leiden (Netherlands) in September 2001
and in Belgrade (Serbia) in July 2004. Each time, they drew hundreds of
people together and generated contacts, exchanges and strategical
reflections. This year, the francophone group STAMP is the convenor and
the next european gathering of PGA will take place from the 19h of
August to the 3rd of September 2006.

STAMP is an open-structure, created for the conference. It gathers individuals & collectives involved in direct action, autonomy and self-managed spaces around France, but welcomes any participation.

- Website: http://pgaconference.org/
- Contact: [email protected]

PGA hallmarks
=============

- A very clear rejection of capitalism, imperialism and feudalism;
all trade agreements, institutions and governments that promote
destructive globalisation.

- We reject all forms and systems of domination and discrimination
including, but not limited to, patriarchy, racism and religious
fundamentalism of all creeds. We embrace the full dignity of all
human beings.

- A confrontational attitude, since we do not think that lobbying
can have a major impact in such biased and undemocratic
organisations, in which transnational capital is the only real
policy-maker.

- A call to direct action and civil disobedience, support for social
movements' struggles, advocating forms of resistance which maximize respect
for life and oppressed peoples' rights, as well as the construction of
local alternatives to global capitalism.

- An organisational philosophy based on decentralisation and
autonomy.

Schedule
========

From August 19th to August 27th, 2006
-------------------------------------

Decentralized gatherings in Frayssinous, Bellevue, Toulouse, Lyon and Dijon: five urban & rural sites will simultaneously host discussions on specific topics, and carry practical projects linked with local concerns. We're looking forward to your debates, workshops, screenings... on these issues and others!

August 28th & August 29th, 2006
-------------------------------

Cleaning & collective road-movie: with trains, hitch-hiking, buses, trucks, bicycles throughout France.

From August 30th to September 3rd, 2006
---------------------------------------

Centralized conference in Dijon: once altogether, reports on thematic discussions, new workshops & debates, sharing of strategical reflexions and action projects, decision-making on organisation, orientations and projects for PGA Europe.

Everyday, the PGA
-----------------

We refuse the partitionning of life in roles and their hierarchisation. We want to mix theory, dish-washing and revolution. We wish everyone to share concerns on logistics & daily-tasks, as much as interest for contents. DIY construction moments & practical projects will most likely also allow us to know each other through common achievements, while paying attention to the relationnal dimension of the encounters.

Locations
=========

Frayssinous
-----------

- Rural hamlet
- Les 4 Chemins
- Phone: +33-(0)-688-916-755
- E-mail: [email protected]

Topics
~~~~~~

- Kids, education, ageism & social control (discussion with kids & adults altogether)
- Anti-industrial struggles: strategies of struggle against the techno-industry and its world; peasant resistance against agro-industry.

Practical activities
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- Woodcutting, masonry
- Gravure workshop
- Radio workshop
- construction for a playing space for the kids, with the kids

Lyon
----

- Collectif Friche Artistique Autogérée
- E-mail: [email protected]
- Phone: +33-(0)-682-592-368

Topics
~~~~~~

- antipatriarcal & antiheterosexit struggles, feminisms & gender issues
- necrotechnologies (biotech, nanotech, pharmaceutical industry, technopoles...)
- control societies & securitarian politics (videosurveillance, biometry, repression & new technologies)
- racism, post-colonialism, struggles around immigration, the abolition of borders;
- analysis & reflexions on the social movement from Spring

Practical activities
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- samba workshops
- screenprinting workshop: poster creation

Bellevue
--------

- Bellevue farm
- Phone: +33-(0)-555-679-526
- E-mail: [email protected]

Topics
~~~~~~

- how to gain in practical, political and social autonomy through exchanges, ressource-sharing, mutualisation and community building?
- "global environmental destruction" due to the capitalist system; development of autonomous & ecological alternatives;

Practical activities
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- milking
- bread making
- gardening
- construction
- woodcutting

Dijon
-----

- Espace autogéré des Tanneries
- E-mail: [email protected]
- Phone: +33-(0)-872-248-117

Topics
~~~~~~

- development & preservation of autonomous spaces (squats, self-managed spaces, collective projects in cities and in the countryside);
- digital struggles: Indymedia & the movement; defense of activist servers & autonomous communication structures; digital resistances (P2P, free software, etc.).
- when streets are burning: accounts & perspectives on unrest in France, spring 2006; challenging the ghettoisation of radical struggles

Practical activities
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- construction of a space for meetings, office and library
- final setup of structures for the centralized conference

Toulouse
--------

- Autoc Toulouse
- E-mail: [email protected]
- Phone: +33-(0)-675-157-665

Topics
~~~~~~

- housing autonomy, energy autonomy;
- access to land: experience sharing;
- gentrification & urbanism: reshaping neighbourhoods, erasing social link, enforcing social control

Practical activities
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- DIY construction building-site;
- various activities (radio, leaflets, etc.)

Complementary info
------------------

Registration
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please bear in mind that each decentralized location has physical, human & environmental constraints. Since room is limited, it is crucial to register as soon as possible to take part in the conference. A form is available on http://pgaconference.org/.

Visa & transportation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you need help for travel expenses & getting a visa, please get in touch as fast as you can (before the end of June).

Financial support
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We aim to have a number of Eastern-Europe activists to participate in these encounters. For most of them, this implies receiving financial support for covering visa and travel costs. As of now, our fund is extremely limited, and we're calling for solidarity to be able to fulfill this precise goal. Donations are are to be addressed to "acceuil caravane": STAMP c/o Longo Mai, 04300 Limans, France.

Contact
~~~~~~~

- Website: http://pgaconference.org/
- E-mail: [email protected]
- Phone (for visa information only): +33-(0)-687-025-844
- Phone (general info, from July 9th): +33-(0)-872-248-117