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EUROPEAN COMMON SPACE EVENT as next step after  2022Firenze http://openfsm.net/projects/espacios-oe/event2022-esf-20

INVITATION

 INVITATION (text drafted for feb 22 meeting)

A European common space for all civil society organisations and movements: 

we need to develop a systemic progressive alternative in a shared way.

Who are we and what are our aims?

We are European social actors - associations, social movements, trade unions, social networks, from all European regions and generations.

Diverse and plural in cultures and experiences, with our various thematic or transversal

mandates, we act for climate, for economic and social rights, for gender equality, for racial justice, for just peace, for democracy, for fundamental rights,… 

In this dramatic period we are committed to address the danger of eco-social collapse, the war in Ukraine, the devastating consequences of the growing inequality and multiple vulnerabilities that more and more people face.

We stand for inclusion against the far-right and regressive populist agendas that are taking place in our societies. In many ways, we all contribute for the effective access to all rights for all people.

Whatever the successes or the defeat of our fights, we share a common belief: our thematic and/or geographical and/or generational reality, if isolated, is not enough to achieve the aims we pursue. 

Our actions need to be complemented by being inserted in a shared systemic alternative, as the multiple crises our societies face are interlinked in many ways.   

The European space is one of the relevant spaces for exchange of experiences and coordination.

Building such a space for our actions is a matter of urgency:

- to clearly show that all our knowledge and practices, compose a credible systemic alternative

perspective

- to advance the systemic alternative proposal, building spaces for transversal discussion

- to socialise our platforms, campaigns, events, mobilisations

- to provide us with a relevant space to move forward with joint campaigns, events and

mobilisations when possible

- to increase our capacity to be in solidarity within ourselves, giving each other support when

necessary

We, who met in “2022Florence” for the 20th anniversary of the first European Social Forum, wish to continue being together and widen the circle in order to build the necessary shared space in an inclusive manner.

In order to progress in this direction, we will start working through monthly online meetings and some face-to-face meetings.

We have the goal of a face-to-face European event, larger than 2022 Firenze, in the second half of 2023 that would be more inclusive of activists’ realities.

We invite you to take part in this process.

You can join the convergence process by writing to 2022Firenze in gmail dot com