Towards a Europe from below!

Only two days to go: Open assembly of networks and social movements in Brussels

26/27 September

We, as Blockupy international coordinating group, called for an open transnational meet-up in Brussels. This is a broader meet-up after our last meeting in Berlin in June of this year, in which we discussed the outcomes of the May of Solidarity and the Blockupy process: We are convinced it is time to continue building a powerful practical perspective; time to strategize about how to link existing struggles throughout the space of Europe against crisis regimes in their multiple articulations and forms; time to debate about how we can and want to act together and build the strength we need to overturn the tables. It is also time to collectively examine the current phase of crisis management and austerity and to strategically discuss our practices and our proposals to build a transnational space of initiatives for a Europe from below, through, against and beyond current Europe. It is clear that if we do not overcome our national borders, if we do not connect our experiences in the different parts of crisis-ridden Europe, we will have no chance of challenging the installation of this old-new normality.

For these reasons, we invited all groups interested in the perspective of radical change and real transformation to meet in the evening of the 26th and have meeting all day on 27th September in Brussels; we aim for an open discussion which, starting from different inputs and situations, can lead us to a common, shared agenda with days of common action and practical initiatives, with moments of analysis, exchange and political proposals towards a transnational space of movement, towards an autumn of struggles and some shared medium-term perspectives.

The result of our call is quite astonishing: People from about 50 different groups/networks/organizations/currents and from at least 15 different countries have signed up to the meeting. Although the call was going around through the summer-time we are really surprised about its resonance. We hope for a big step of understanding between all these networks – especially under the perspective of understanding differences as well as reaching a common agenda of struggles, at least in the limited European space.

After the meeting we will publish the common points of discussion and, hopefully, the first ideas or dates for a new semester of struggles. Stay tuned on blockupy.org

Especially for our friends and comrades in Brussels: Feel free to join the assembly! (the main language will be English)

a) The meeting on Friday will take place at the Maison de la Paix (Room Rosa Luxembourg) Rue Van Elewyck 35, 1050 Ixelles/Brussels

b) The meeting on Saturday will continue at Bruxelles Laique asbl. Avenue de Stalingrad 18, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgien

And for those of you who won’t manage to be present in Brussels: A live stream will be set up for a part of the meeting (Saturday in the morning).