Assemblies of the Commons and New Forms of Organization: A Gathering in Paris, September 23

If you’re around Paris this week, do not miss this event. The following text was written by our close colleague and friend Frédéric Sultan, of Remix the Commons.

Frédéric Sultan: On September 23, 2016, a gathering will be held in Paris to exchange thoughts on new forms of local and thematic networking for the commons, and to discuss the Assemblies of the Commons.

After the “Temps de commons” festival held last October in multiple Francophone cities and countries worldwide (250+ events in total), new forms of organization are emerging in Francophone areas and the world in general, inspired by the idea of “Assemblies of the Commons” as promoted by Michel Bauwens and the P2P Foundation. A variety of actors involved in these initiatives have offered to meet for a day of discussion.

This will be an opportunity for actors involved in these processes to share their experiences, to present and document different practices, and to better understand the reality of the phenomenon. An analysis of the practices presented by participants will be put into perspective in the French institutional context. Questions are open to discussion, including the nature of these initiatives; their names; potential connections with already existing initiatives (as yet unnamed Assemblies of the Commons); and their geographic and thematic dimensions, as examples.

We will also have the opportunity to explore what these initiatives provide as strategic perspectives for the commons: how do they contribute to mobilizing commoners and involving inhabitants in the transition?

This event is organized with the support of the P2P Foundation, the Association VECAM and the Charles Leopold Mayer Foundation (FPH).