WORKSHOP: INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION between FEARLESS CITIES
How Amsterdam can create alliances with other cities.
We live in an age in which issues are cross-border by default. Our world faces numerous challenges: from the climate crisis, the war on migration, the growing power of tech-giant and their control of data and our lives to global finance that surrenders countries and cities to the logic of ‘financial markets’, leading to a race to the bottom in terms of tax cuts and other gifts to multinationals in order to attract investments. The overall hegemony of the market logic results in increasing inequality and ‘flexible’ jobs.
The growing uncertainty that is the result of all this for many people, is enforced by a democratic regime, which legitimacy is shrinking as a consequence of the European Union solely focussing on the market and the interests of capital. In the current European order only small parts of the populations benefit from economic growth. We witness how technocratic institutions are holding hostage national governments. The resulting lack of power that many people feel is being exploited by nationalist and rightwing populism. The blend neo-liberal policies and nationalist advance clearly go at the expense of a Europe of the citizens.
Cities are spaces where all these crises are being played out most visibly. In many cases, cities are also the best levels to counter these forces. However, there is a lot than cannot be resolved on a local level (or national, for that matter). The processes that push power ever more to a transnational level, make it necessary for progressive cities to add up their initiatives internationally. This start with the exchange of experiences. How can we not being played out against each other in the killing competition to attract investments in the hope that they might create jobs? Our answer is that we need to walk together, create an international counterforce, if we want our alternatives to succeed.
From 9 to 11 June 2017 in Barcelona 700 representatives gathered from progressive city councils and urban movements worldwide for the Fearless City conferentie, to create an international ‘municipalist’ network of cooperation, solidarity, and exchange. Amsterdam should actively participate in this international movement of ‘municipalities for change’, as they call it in Spain.
In our workshop we will, together with representatives from other European cities like Barcelona, and people from the European movement DiEM25, talk about specific themes that cities grapple with. We intend to exchange experiences and strategies that citizens and councils have developed in these cities. Let’s discuss how Amsterdam can create alliances with other cities. Our overall aim will be to transform Amsterdam into a Fearless City.
Language of the workshop will be in English. It will take place on February 20, 2018 from 14.00 to 17.00 in Paradiso. There will be space for twenty participants. Register at fransbieckmann@gmail.com.
De resultaten van de workshops worden ’s avonds gepresenteerd tijdens de eerste Rebel City conferentie in Amsterdam om 20.00.
Zie https://www.paradiso.nl/nl/programma/rebel-cities/26528/
Dinsdag 20 februari, 2018
Workshops Rebel Cities 14.00 – 17.00
Boekpresentatie Sanders ‘Onze Revolutie’ 18.00
Avondprogramma 20.00 – deuren open om 19.30
Entree €7,50