Thematic Working Groups

I will copy edit these tomorrow and provide a big proposal on next steps for the end of the week.

This looks great as an overview of content!

Maybe with some formating, font colors and links
it could be better for seeing what is fixed and what tentative,

as well as what has articulated forms in specific sessions
and what is still to be done...but I think Loomio is not the tool.

Maybe moving to some pad or wiki now would be desirable?

Hello Anna, hi all!
Thanks so much for this, this is great to have.
With Felipe from Zemos we have also had an opportunity to meet this weekend. and think about the methodology.

I agree we would need to eventually present the content in a more simple attractive way. s

And I think both due to content and due to numbers we should see if we can have more than 5 themes.

Numbers: If we have a 100 people participating, we have 20 per workshop which is a lot.

On content: Looking at the descriptions of the workshop and what people filled in in the forms, I'd say some of the workshops have a lot of issues put together and it will be quite difficult to discuss them well.

For me merging the technology and participation is not workable, these are really 2 different things. One is about data collection, autonomous infrastructures like guifi net, surveillance, etc. and the other issue about using webtools for democratic participation. We really cannot talk about these thing at the same time.

The public space, urban ism and housing, water and energy one is also quite a lot I would say. As they also require quite different strategies.

Let's talk in the call how people see the content of the different workshops work. I ill also send some questions and comments specifically regarding the methodology.

Hi, Sophie:

There are six themes so far. I think Gaelle hasn't send the description for the Migrants&Refugees, but it was in the proposal I sent three weeks ago.

I copy the abstract here:

Solidarity with migrants and refugees – Solidarity as a commons

The purpose of this workshop is twofold. On one hand, it is to share experiences and knowledge about local initiatives developed by citizens to help migrants and refugees across Europe. In many countries migrants and refugees are confronted to very repressive policies, in some cases violent. In many places, citizens are reacting by getting involved in local activities to distribute food, clothes and other commodities, to provide information about asylum procedures or how to meet basic needs and human rights, to facilitate the inclusion of migrants or refugees in cities and cohabitation between people in neighborhoods, etc. At a time when the policies about immigration and refugees in most European countries are very preoccupying, these mobilizations are extremely important and the sharing of experience is key. On the other hand, the workshop will be the opportunity to discuss solidarity with migrants and refugees as a commons. Themes to discuss include: the effects on policies and policy makers of the production of solidarity by citizens, the modalities of governance among civil society organizations around there initiatives, the forms of interactions with municipalities around the initiatives of civil society actors.

Participants have experience in local initiatives of solidarity and hospitality with migrants and refugees, are engaged in research and activism on urban commons focusing on migrants rights, in ecovillage movements, commons support for artists at risk or community social centers working to develop new forms of relationship, work, comunication, participate or cooperate.

I think @gaelle11 did send a description on Friday.

The descriptions are on the website: http://europeancommonsassembly.eu/overview-of-thematic-working-groups/

Sent to participants:

Dear commoners,

Thank you for confirming your participation in European Commons Assembly - Madrid. We're looking forward to seeing you at Medialab Prado! Some of you have been involved in the ECA before, and for some this is the first time. We encourage you to look to the website for more information: http://europeancommonsassembly.eu/

Based on your form responses, we have organized the different thematic working groups on urban commons. Workshop descriptions have been written to explain the rationale and are on the ECA website, here: http://europeancommonsassembly.eu/overview-of-thematic-working-groups/

We have also created a spreadsheet that shows who is in which group and what initiatives they are already working on, here. You can toggle through the sheets to read these and see which group you are in: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12uetYKkgON9tVt4pYY3fWDE-SX0A9mKZ5AQ6p-SlFGo/edit?usp=sharing

We’ve done the best we can to accommodate everyone’s interest and experience. Nevertheless, if you wish to change into a different group than the one you are currently in, you have until September 17. You can contact me to make the change. We anticipate for example that some people from Right to the City or Participatory Tools for Democracy may be interested to move to the "Data Commons and the collaborative city” group. Other moves of course are possible!

Soon we will share more information on the workshop methodology and suggestions for how you can get in touch with your group before the event. We have also attached a basic 4-day overview of the ECA program so you can get an idea of what else we’re planning and the links with Transeuropa Festival; some times are still subject to change.

A note on language: the working language will be English and unfortunately we don’t have professional translation available.
Regarding travel and accommodation, we do not yet have final confirmation on the amount of the stipends. We hope to have this very soon, look out for more information in a separate mail.

See you in Madrid,

Nicole Leonard

ECA Program Overview-Sept6.png

@leventepolyak @sophie40 @thomasdegroot2 and I have responded. Can we have a call on Point People on Tuesday afternoon at 3pm? Thank you. I think others leading workshops like @malashierbas and @gaelle11 should probably join too.

Hello. Tuesday 3pm works for me.

Hello, I'll be also here Tuesday at 3pm. Levente