“To open my space, my home – my house, my language, my culture, my nation, my state, and myself…this unconditionality is a frightening thing, it’s scary.”

Jacques Derrida on Politics and Friendship in Europe. 1997

Experiences of solidarity and edges of reason

On Wednesday 16th November, the second day of the inaugural European Commons Assembly, about 100 commoners were swarming outside the doors of the European Parliament. We appeared as an unusually large and colourful mob of visitors, speaking, amongst other languages, Portuguese, Greek, Spanish, Italian, French, Dutch, German, Croatian, and English. We were an assortment of highly ambitious, independent and deep thinking activists, all with our own twist on what we anticipated from the day. I was there out of curiosity but also conviction; I believe the actions and perception that commoning requires can assist with democratic and environmental changes needed to avert even bigger human global crises.

These self-nominating commoners are diverse; working in urban commons, self-organising housing, in food commons, in open architecture, in mapping and knowledge commons, in helping artists at risk, linking artists, in taking spaces that are at risk of enclosure; or with traditional land that has been in commoners hands for hundreds of years. We might also work in social enterprise and in academia.

Within the group it felt festive and chaotic as we milled, unclear on our formation and vague about our approach. Despite being well organised, this was no regular meeting. It seemed our nature was to constantly form and un-form smaller groups before we funnelled our way inside to the queue for the Parliamentary security. Outside we had been connecting; literally thronging outside the formal boundaries of Parliament. It felt like trying to shake liquid mercury into the shape of a square. The hard edges of official infrastructure were not those we recognised as a group, even though many individuals were probably familiar with the social codes of the institution.

I’m writing about the affect as well as the effect, of the Assembly. It would have been easier to leap into a focus on political structures and policy priorities of the Commons. Whilst interesting and important, these abstractions are not the basis on which trust is formed. Derrida often talked about friendship and hospitality going hand in hand with true politics. How do we know if we want to stay with one particular movement when the world is in such flux? It’s not because the theory of the group fits firmly with our rational ideologies. No, we recall our experience with emotion and warmth or diffidence and are then attracted or repelled by our experiences of being together, as a tribe.

Many of us there in the Parliament may have been tools of government or business within Brussels or other government cities. We know the feeling of representation which comes with strong limits and self-censorship. Instead our experience of the Commons Assembly was distinguished by the coming together with open-minded strangers; people who were united by their experience in self organising. The feeling of the group was one that embodied generosity, emotional intelligence, boundary riding and self-determination. These are people who have stopped waiting for permission, who are passionate about their local and global environments; people who generate more than they extract; are living their lives for the sake of the whole; who are affective labourers.

Johannes Euler from Commons-Institut wrote later about the event “…seeing all these very different and at the same time very interesting and engaged people there made me realise something emotionally. No, it is not only me. And yes, these people -we-, together with all the other people we are connected with “at home”… we can achieve something once we have actually come together.”

 
(Browse through the images by hovering and using the arrow buttons)

Structures of Power

For every person there I imagine thousands of others who might have been there as well. Networks of trust and relations of goodwill were continued and begun by this meeting in Brussels. It is out of these relationships that a movement can develop. Abstract political ideas and ideals alone are not enough. Trusted connections are the movement’s wealth.

Although this year’s working party of the Commons Assembly event had justifiably focussed on the Parliamentary session, room for other gathering was made. We heard about many inspiring projects through the three days. On Tuesday night we heard about the work of local project Commons Josaphat, Straddle3 in Barcelona and about Community Chartering work in England. We also met as a very large group with the political movement DIEM25. I didn’t find a clear line of enquiry in the DIEM25 meeting but my ears did pick up at an intriguing social analysis that we had been captured by the “trance inducement of nationalism.” The encounter was, however, considered a fruitful first date.

At the opening of our Parliamentary session on Wednesday, civil society advocate David Hammerstein, (with five years experience as MEP), linked the social role and political context of our gathering. “The Assembly is a process – of solidarity – and an intersection with institutions…we want to create cohesion, a bonding, a good feeling between all of you. This is open, loose, unstructured process…. We are in a desperate social and ecological situation that needs to be addressed in a positive democratic way.”

Once inside the Parliament there was a moment of revelling in the seats of well-recognised formal power. It felt exciting, historic, even fun. But as the afternoon wore on, energy was flagging. Facilitator Elizabeth Hunt mentioned a reference to the “structural violence” of the architecture of the Parliament: static seating all facing one central spot but not facing each other.

To have this autonomous movement interface with such visible institutional power was a first step in scaffolding deeper change in formal government. Congratulations to the MEPs who hosted the Assembly (through an intergroup on Common Goods and Public Services) including Marisa Matias, Dario Tamburrano, Ernest Urtasun, Sergio Cofferati. In addition the friendly support of MEP Julie Ward was appreciated when she joined us for a drink later on Wednesday and urged us all to make bridges with Union movement. Other people in the Assembly urged connection with the solidarity economy and sustainability movements. This bridging seems to only be a matter of time. Food commons activist Jose Luis Vivero Pol also urged for the reclaiming of the legitimacy of the commons within the European Commission as well as the European Parliament. Natalia Avlona called on the Assembly to find a common language -“commons” does not apparently not translate well in Greek, for example.

Many commoners are highly skilled relationship-makers, happy in this liminal space as they enact bridges between communities; between those with differing needs; or those with those with excess and those with less. The well-educated middle class dominates, and Portuguese academic Ana Margarida Esteves challenged the Assembly to find ways to create more than replications of our own values and behaviours. Many who act as agents or brokers could recognise their ‘middleness’ as the perfect space to start the negotiations between those on the ‘ground’ and systematised power. It’s vital to see this stage in the Commons movement as just the beginning of development and bridging with formal power; one that others can join and must participate in regularly “renovating” the co-ordination committee, as Hammerstein suggested.

Formally, the stated aims of the Assembly; to establish new synergies, to show solidarity, to reclaim Europe from the bottom-up and, overall, to start a visible commons movement with a European focus were well met. Many discussions and documents were compiled online before the November gathering: topics included renewable energy, internet infrastructures, open research and citizen participation, copyright reform, direct citizen participation, financing urban commons, sustainable management and cultural commons. Three proposals: on renewable energy, recognition of physical commons sites and improved democratic process were put to the Parliament after several weeks of online collaboration. They were not complete but an indication of commitment and will be published shortly. The lack of individual grandstanding was impressive; we had managed to prioritise experience over opinion, thanks so much to the extensive time and effort of the working group and online contributors.

Worth considering for the future is the architecture and design of our meetings and site. I have noted the restrictions of the formal European Parliament. The creative community site of Zinneke in Brussels felt cosy and familiar to those who work in reclaimed urban space, but didn’t have rooms large enough to hold all 150 of us – we really needed space to regard the group as a whole. We also required intentional connecting with each other before moving outward into Parliament. In New Zealand the idea of manaakitanga – hosting people with food, warmth and unconditionality, and also holding the space for deeper enquiry is an important aspect of social movement building. There are people in the network involved in the Art of Hosting who no doubt could assist with this deepening.. Johannes Euler suggests “we need an actual bottom-up movement, one that is built on self-organization and togetherness. A commons movement […] can only function if it follows as many commons principles as possible. If it fosters commoning or even more – if it is built and maintained by commoning. This would make it a commons in itself and this is exactly what I believe is needed.”

Where do we go from here?

From lots of post-event discussion, I’ve attempted to synthesise some questions to inform the next few months’ work:

• How can we best enact and demonstrate commoning with the movement itself?
• What would happen if we primarily focused on relationships rather than politics?
• How might we reconsider commons other than in resource terms?
• What invitation or language is needed to attract indigenous activists?
• Also more Eastern European activists?
• How do we recognise and welcome those who have similar aspirations even if they are not identifying as ‘commoners?’

The European Assembly was an exciting turning point for the Commons movement. The international (or ‘mondial’ ) movement will certainly follow; several offers for hosting the next meeting were made but not confirmed as yet. How fast the movement will grow and in what direction depends on how we manage, as in all commons projects, the permeability of the group. As I write various people in the network are designing ways to manage multiple voices. It was a terrific privilege to be at the first Commons Assembly; in a short number of years I hope will be a rite of passage for anyone in this movement. With our collective experience in fast growing movements we are perfectly capable of contributing to the meta-narrative about this open/closedness, to build the “sovereignty and power” of the movement. You too can contribute to the discussion via the Commons Assembly site and Loomio group.

The formal presentations, examples and proposals can be seen online in video form below:

About the author

Sophie Jerram is from Wellington New Zealand and runs projects in urban, suburban and artistic commons. She was a founding director of the Loomio company and has been researching the transcriptions of commoning practice, based for six months based at the University of Copenhagen.

Lead image by European Parliament, all other images by the European Commons Assembly. Video by Zemos98.

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Proposes new citizen-based institutions for revitalizing Europe and policy

On November 16, 2016 commoners from across Europe will gather in the European Parliament in Brussels to advocate with MEPs for commons-based policy and institution-building. The event is hosted by the Intergroup on Common Goods and Public Services, and is part of a broader 3-day program outside of Parliament which brings together European and local Brussels commoners. See the full program for November 15 to 17 here.

The decentralized network is called “European Commons Assembly” (ECA), and explains the commons, commoners, and commoning in their collectively drafted appeal. This call has been gathering signatures from hundreds of individuals and organizations in the lead up to the event, and members continue to collaborate on joint policy proposals for a variety of topics. On the 16th in Parliament they will discuss proposals for energy, democracy, and territorial commons with MEPs.

The ECA does not affiliate with specific political parties, but instead aims to unite citizens in serious participation to overcome Europe’s challenges and reinvigorate the political process for the 21st century.

Michel Bauwens, a prominent figure in the peer-to-peer and commons movement, explains:

“All over the world, a new social movement is emerging, which is challenging the “extractive” premises of the mainstream political economy and which is co-constructing the seed forms of a sustainable and solidary society. Commoners are also getting a voice, for example through the Assemblies of the Commons that are emerging in French and other cities. The time is ripe for a shoutout to the political world, through a European Assembly of the Commons’. The future is already there, ‘it is just not evenly distributed yet’. [It’s] time to know the premises of the fundamental transformation of our value regime, towards a regenerative society and economy, which honours the natural and social commons.”

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European Commons Assembly: Final Program

Last updated: November 11, 2016.

Click here to download the program (PDF)

All activities are still open except the Visitor Tour and Session in the European Parliament, which have
reached maximum capacity. If you are not participating in Parliament but plan to attend other events of the
ECA, please fill out this form in advance: https://goo.gl/forms/WnZqivZEHKCXK4xz1

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15

*Those arriving before 14:00 are welcome to meet the coordinators at SMART.be, Rue Emile Feron 70, 1060
Bruxelles. After 14:00 the meeting point is Zinneke, address below.

16:00 – 22:00 Social Evening at Zinneke | Place Masui 13, 1000 Bruxelles

An evening to get acquainted, exchange on different instances of European commoning, and build solidarity
going into the following sessions. http://www.zinneke.org/?lang=en

16:00 – 19:00 Workshops and exchanges between European and Brussels commoners

• Commons Josaphat Workshop: Urban commons practitioners in Europe respond to the Commons
  Josaphat collective’s proposal for the development of a wasteland/vacant lot
• Film screenings on housing commons (Community Land Trust, and the fight against expulsion by PAH
  in Spain)

19:00 – 20:30 Dinner by Collectactif Pay what you can, (https://collectactif.wordpress.com/)

20:30 – 22:00 Discussion on DIEM25 w/ Silke Helfrich, Michel Bauwens and other European commoners

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16

[9:00 – 12:00] (Alternate activity) Local Organizing | Rue Emile Feron 70, 1060 Bruxelles

Those who do not participate in the Visitor Group Tour of Parliament can gather at the SMART headquarters in
Saint Gilles and continue working. http://smartbe.be/en/

[9:30 – 12:30] Alternate activity – Managing Water as a Common good (regis. required)
Forest Domaine (Tennis club), Avenue du Domaine 150 – 1190 – Forest

This workshop involves a visit and walk through the commune of Forest (in Brussels), a specific urban water
management supported by hydrological communities. Proposed by Les Etats Généraux de l’Eau à Bruxelles
http://www.egeb-sgwb.be/Home It is limited to 15 people, you must contact Dominique Nalpas at
[email protected] to confirm your spot.

10:00 – 10:30 Accreditation for Visitor Group Tours of Parliament | EP, Wiertz Entrance

Gathering for security verification for those going on the tour of Parliament. Please arrive for 10am with the
travel document that you specified in your registration. This is mandatory for reimbursement.

10:30 – 12:00 Visitor Group Tour of Parliament (full)

12:00 – 13:45 Lunch Break | Free time – Around European Quarter

An open break to leave the Parliament for lunch (not provided). It is recommended to stay in the area.

[12:15 – 13:35] Mapping Workshop at Mundo-b (FT room) |Rue d’Edimbourg 26, 1050 Ixelles

13:45 – 14:30 Entry and Accreditation for Parliament Session | Esplanade Solidarnosc 1980

Arrive at 1:45pm to re-enter security with the group – you must be accompanied by a representative of the
EP, who will be waiting at Esplanade Solidarnosc. If you do not take the Visitor Tour, you should get
accredited for entry at this time (also with an EP representative and according to prior arrangements).

14:30 PM – 18:00 European Commons Assembly in EP (full) | Room A1E2 Altiero Spinelli

With a diverse coalition of commoners from around Europe, we enter the European Parliament together for a
facilitated and co-constructed session. We highlight how the commons can inform EU policy, in both content –
with policy proposals – and form, through a participatory methodology. Interpretation ENG, FR, and ITL.

• Webstream link (English and Italian): https://youtu.be/0wEB1FQLNJE
• Program 16th: http://europeancommonsassembly.eu/program-november-the-16th-afternoon/

18:30 – 22:00 Reception at Mundo-b | Rue d’Edimbourg 26, 1050 Bruxelles (10 min walk)

Directly after the session, we walk together to Mundo-b for a reception to celebrate and reflect on our work
together. Food and drinks will be available for purchase at the in-house Kamilou Café.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

9:30 to 12:30 European Commons Assembly Group Session | Zinneke – Place Masui 13, 1000

Everyone, regardless of participation on the 16th, is invited to participate in this facilitated group discussion of
the future direction of ECA. We also take advantage of the time to plan follow up actions, before saying our
goodbyes.

Click here to download the program (PDF)

For inquiries: [email protected]
For more info on the network: http://europeancommonsassembly.eu/
Twitter: @CommonsAssembly

The post “A Gathering of Commoners” Full program for the European Commons Assembly appeared first on P2P Foundation.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15

14:00 –17:00 Welcome & Organizing at SMART.be | Rue Emile Feron 70, 1060 Bruxelles

The coordination team will be working out of SMART’s main offices in St. Gilles. This is a chance to visit their space and meet other participants in the ECA network. http://smartbe.be/en/

17:30 – 22:00 Social Evening at Zinneke | Place Masui 13, 1000 Bruxelles

A social evening to get acquainted and warm up in an informal reception setting. This is an important get together to build solidarity going in to the main session the following day. http://www.zinneke.org/?lang=en

Local commoners from Brussels will also propose different activities (more information soon).

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16

9:00 – 12:00 (Alternate activity) Local Organizing | Rue Emile Feron 70, 1060 Bruxelles

For those who do not participate in the Visitor Group Tour of Parliament, we will gather at the SMART headquarters and continue the work with local Brussels groups.

10:00 – 10:30 Accreditation for Visitor Group Tour of Parliament* | Espace Léopold

Gathering for security verification for those going on the tour of Parliament. The exact location will be given in the second version of the program.
*Required for reimbursement, maximum 100 participants.

10:30 – 12:00 Visitor Group Tour of Parliament

12:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break | Free time – Around European Quarter

An open break to leave the Parliament for lunch (not provided). It is recommended to stay in the area.

14:00 – 14:30 Entry and Accreditation for Parliament Session** | Espace Léopold

Arrive early to go through security, and get accredited if you didn’t take the AM tour.
**Max. 130 participants

14:30 PM – 18:00 European Commons Assembly in European Parliament | EFD Room

With a 140-person strong coalition of commoners from around Europe, we enter the European Parliament together for a co-organized, facilitated session. We highlight how the commons can inform EU policy, in both content – with policy proposals – and form, through a participatory methodology.

18:30 – 22:00 Reception at Mundo-b | Rue d’Edimbourg 26, 1050 Bruxelles (10 min walk)

Directly after the session, we walk together to Mundo-b for a reception to celebrate and reflect on our work together. Food and drinks will be available for purchase at the in-house Kamilou Café.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

9:30 to 12:30 European Commons Assembly Group Session | Zinneke – Place Masui 13, 1000

Everyone is welcome to attend the Assembly for a co-organized and facilitated session dedicated to stand in solidarity around our diverse struggles for the commons and discuss the future direction of the network of European commoners. We also take advantage of the time to plan follow up actions, before saying our goodbyes.

Click here to download the program (PDF)

• For inquiries: [email protected]
• For more info on the network: http://europeancommonsassembly.eu/
• Twitter: @CommonsAssembly

Photo by mripp

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In times when European institutions are losing support and in deep crisis, we as European citizens are reclaiming Europe. We are concerned that many of our governments tend to favour the narrow interests of dominant market forces instead of catering to the common good of people and the planet.

We are alarmed that growing global social inequality and exclusion, along with climate change, are threatening our very future. We regret that massive privatization and commodification have already deprived us of much of our shared commons that is essential for our physical, social and cultural well-being, and our dignity.

Our experiences of commoning

Commoning relates to the network-based cooperation and localized bottom-up initiatives already sustained by millions of people around Europe and the world. These initatives create self-managed systems that satisfy important needs, and often work outside of dominant markets and traditional state programmes while pioneering new hybrid structures.

As commoners:

• We build and strengthen communities by using and sharing knowledge, arts, culture, agriculture and technology.
• We build co-housing projects, support local agriculture, live in eco-villages, and have community-based and community-owned infrastructures (e.g. for energy, water, wifi, culture and funding).
• We take care of and collectively manage natural resources (including water, forests, seeds and animals).
• We make and freely share music, images, software, educational materials, scientific knowledge and the like.
• We have already succeeded in making some public-sector information accessible to all, including publicly-funded research, health knowledge and technology.
• We try to open up existing democratic institutions, through new tools of participatory democracy and transparency.

We call for

We call for the provision of resources and the necessary freedom to create, manage and sustain our commons. We call upon governments, local and national, as well as European Union institutions to facilitate the defence and growth of the commons, to eliminate barriers and enclosures, to open up doors for citizen participation and to prioritize the common good in all policies.

This requires a shift from traditional structures of top-down governance towards a horizontal participatory process for community decision-making in the design and monitoring of all forms of commons. We call on commoners to support a European movement that will promote solidarity, collaboration, open knowledge and experience sharing as the forces to defend and strengthen the commons.

Therefore, we call for and open the invitation to join an ongoing participatory, inclusive process across Europe for the building and maintenance of a Commons Assembly. Together we can continue to build a vibrant web of caring, regenerative collective projects that reclaim the European Commons for people and our natural environment.

Omnia sunt communia!

• The European Commons Assembly Website is coming soon. Watch this space for more details.

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