From April 26 to 28, hundreds of social movement activists will converge on Marseille from all
over Europe. Associations, trade unions, NGOs and local collectives want to make the voice of
civil society heard for a social, ecological, pacifist, and democratic Europe, in contrast to the
resurgence of nationalism and authoritarianism in Europe. Workshops, conferences, concerts:
for 3 days, they will be working to unite their forces for future struggles.
What better way to counter the poison of the far right and authoritarian neoliberalism than to strengthen emancipatory alternatives at the European level? As a kind of new European social forum, the ECSA (European Common Space for Alternatives) will be holding its first major event from April 26 to 28 in Marseille, which aims at creating a continental dynamic and building a common front. The steering committee includes Assemblée européenne des Citoyens (AEC), Another Europe is Possible, Global Justice Now, Attac France (but also Deutschland, Espana…), Transform Europe, European Alternatives, Transnational Institute (TNI), Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO), Ligue des droits de l’Homme (LDH), Maison commune de la décroissance, CADTM, Université Populaire de Marseille Métropole, Marseille pour l’Ukraine… (the full list of the steering committee).
An exciting program will enliven these three days of meetings. The already 500 registered participants will take part in some 80 workshops co-organized by the activity leaders (in French, English, Spanish, and Italian…), plenary sessions and screenings to learn about and exchange the practices and experiences of activists from about 20 European countries and some from Northern Africa and Sub-Saharian Africa. The aim is to create a cross-cutting approach and develop common mobilization perspectives across four themes (the “containers”): There is no Planet B (container 1), For emancipation and solidarity (container 2), Power to the people (container 3) and Struggle and win together (container 4).
These militant gatherings will take place mainly at the Friche de la Belle de Mai but in also five other venues: La Base Marseille, Solidaires Bouches-du-Rhône, La Ruche, Massalia Vox, and Le Couvent.
Concerts and other convivial moments will enable international connections to develop and celebrate together the creation of intra-continental dynamics in the fight against neoliberalism and the extreme right.
With 45 days to go before the European elections, the weekend’s closing general assembly will be especially important in synthesizing our main demands and presenting joint actions to be implemented in the upcoming months.
INFOS
Venues
- Friche de la Belle de Mai : 41 Rue Jobin, 13003
- Le Couvent : 52 Rue Levat, 13003
- La Base Marseille : 3 rue Pierre Hoche, 13004
- Solidaires Bouches-du-Rhone : 29 Boulevard Longchamp, 13001 – La Ruche : 28 Bd National, 13001
- Massalia Vox : 15 Boulevard de la Liberté, 13001 – Le Couvent : 52 Rue Levat, 13003
