The conference is organized by a group of around thirty people including activists from afrique-europe-interact, corasol, glokal e.V., Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie and others. As a group, we decide by consensus, using methods of grass roots democracy.

 

| 6.-8. October 2017 | Leipzig

| A conference with up to 300 people coming from different activist contexts – freedom of movement, anti-racisms, agriculture, degrowth, climate justice

| With talks, workshops, theatre, concerts, networking possibilities and several formats for exchange

What is the connection between the debate around a just design of migration and the one around an ecologically and socially just economy?

What are the connections between alternative concepts such as „Degrowth“ or „Post-Development“ and a postcolonial perspective on causes of flight?

This conference wants to focus on the links between flight, migration, self-determined development and ecological crises. We want to connect these seemingly independent topics within a broader context in order to build bridges between the different political struggles and movements.

Panels, Workshops, Theatres, Music and Open Space

This is not your typical conference. To connect with the topics not only on a theoretical level there are different formats and performance like theatre, workshops, panel debates, an open space, music and movies. Additionally, there will be enough free space for discussion, networking and sharing experiences and ideas.

What is it all about?

The conference will treat the relations between refuge and migration, self-determined development and ecological crises from a practical, political perspective. Panels, workshops, theater and open space formats will deal with the following questions:

What causes flight and migration?
Keyword: “We are here because have destroy our countries!” Which elements should be highlighted in a critical / decolonial discourse on flight?

What do we mean (no matter of the perspective we take), when demanding the right for self-determined development?
Is it all about meeting basic needs or do we have far-reaching concepts in mind how to change entire societies? Is it reasonable to talk about “Development” or should we rather use different terms?

Which alternative concepts or strategies to the dominant western development model do exist already?
What can we learn from concepts such as “food sovereignty”, “Buen Vivir”, “Climate Justice”, “Degrowth” or “Post-Development”?

In which sphere on global, national and local level is change mandatory, so that self-determined development is possible at all?

How can migrants and refugees in Europe – or in Diaspora communities in general – politically, financially, or socially support development tracks from below in their countries of origin?
And how may non-migrant activists contribute?

To what extent does the isolation policy of the EU imply that the diaspora’s support is prevented
… especially that there is no freedom of movement and hence circular mobility?

In which direction do rich industrial- and emerging countries (including the transnational consumer classes in North and South) have to develop if the ecological (climate-)collapse is to be prevented?
More concrete: to what extent do rich economies have to shrink or be replaced by alternative economic practices, so that people in the (over centuries impoverished) countries of the Global South eventually have space to for self-determined development?

Conference homepage

Programme