Members of the International Organisation for a Participatory Society (London and Southampton chapter), Anti-capitalist Initiative, Peoples Assemblies Network, Occupy London activists and The Friern Barnet Library occupation called for an assembly to discuss social movement strategy in 2013. The assembly took place yesterday at SOAS. Roughly 60 to 70 people attended and participated in small group sessions and then a general assembly. Below is a short summary of the topics that came out of yesterday’s assembly.
Groups considered the question: ‘What – as a diverse movement – must we do / accomplish in 2013?’ Each group fed information back to everyone. Many groups expressed a desire to participate in a movement which targets – and agitates against – the coalition Government’s attack on the National Health Service. Several groups also highlighted the importance of Stop Austerity campaigns and of developing campaigns that sought to address injustices faced by the most vulnerable segments of society, including the disabled. Others said it was important to support community campaigns, and to support each other’s actions. Others highlighted the importance of participating in stop violence against women campaigns, campaigns against the criminalisation of squatting commercial premises and campaigns that highlight the lack of real democracy in our political system as we look towards the 2015 elections. Many groups felt that it was important to build a united narrative, focus on one point, and/or work towards one goal.
Groups also provided suggestions for improving the way in which we organise. For examples, groups felt that it was important to fight sectarianism, develop agreed principles, use plain and accessible language, engage in self-education and skills sharing exercises, communicate our wins better and communicate to each other better (for example, through a shared media hub), solve the contradictions between mass actions and local actions, obtain a physical space in which we could come together to debate, organise, be & build, and have an organisation that brings activists together – while respecting differences between us.
We welcome feedback on the assembly and how to move forward in the comments below. We shall post information about the next assembly soon!
Feedback from groups.
Ideas/Theory/Vision
- Fight Sectarianism
- Developing Agreed principles
- Using Plain Accessible language
- Managing Differences/Working Together
- Self Education
- Focus on One Point
Actions
- Successful Community Engagement
- Solve Contradictions Between Mass Actions and local Actions
- Save the NHS
- Stop Austerity in 2013
- Develop Campaigns to target the Most Affected
- Publicize Victories Better
- Actions to Stop Violence Against Women
- Saving Commercial Squats
- Elections 2015: Lack of real democracy
- Supporting Each Other’s Actions
Organization
- Better Communication
- Spaces for Debating, Organizing and Being Together
- Building United Narrative
- Media Hub
- Working Towards One Goal
- Create One Organization That Will Bring Activists Together
Click on links below to view the livestream recording.
Assemblies for Social Movement 