6 saturday nights of political discussion, films, exhibitions, food, live music & dj’s to lead up to the ‘Beyond ESF’ conference in October

Due to Grand Banks eviction, a new venue has been found - see dates below for details.

4th September - Precarity/Casualisation,Dole
7pm-late. Discussion & Live acoustic bands.
VENUE: ARCHWAY THEATRE, Archway roundabout, behind methodist church, opp. Archway station.

11th September - No Borders
5.30pm-7pm - discussion/films & presentations.
7pm-late Peace Not War gig, live bands.
VENUE: RampART social centre at 15-17 Rampart Street, London, E1 2LA (off Commercial Road - Whitechapel tube or Shadwell DLR).

18th & 25th September: VENUE tba

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sat 21st august to sat 25th september
7PM - late (entry by donation)

a series of 6 themed talks, presentations & open discussions to lead up to the ‘Beyond ESF’ conference in October

*saturday 21st august :: surveillance & control
anti-terrorism laws, ASBOs, ID cards, cctv, surveillance of political activists.

*saturday 28th august :: social centres
VENUE: ARCHWAY THEATRE
social centres & autonomous spaces, including grand banks, autonomous lab, and more.

*saturday 4th September :: precarious work
VENUE: ARCHWAY THEATRE
the new europe of flexible labour, casualisation, dole resistance..

*saturday 11th September :: no borders
VENUE: RampART
detention centres, living ‘illegally’, new EU borders ...

*saturday 18th September :: zapatismo
VENUE: tba
news from chiapas, international solidarity & inspiration, films.

*saturday 25th September :: G8 Scotland 2005
VENUE: tba
What does the G8 do & why should we mobilise against it?

The 3rd European Social Forum takes place in London from 14-17 October 2004. Following on from the previous social forums in Florence and Paris, it will attract tens of thousands of activists from diverse backgrounds under the banner of "Another World is Possible". Though it may be seen as a positive step by some of what has been termed by the media as, 'the anti-globalisation movement', in reality it functions as a place where political parties and social democrats can co-opt and dominate for their own purposes, a new movement against capital. During the past decades, struggles involving millions of people against the regime of capitalism and the state, have shown a rejection of the old leftist aspirations of seizing the state power, and continue to go beyond the limits of those struggles by questioning the very existence of the state and hierarchically organised power. WOMBLES, an anti-authoritarian social struggle initiative, was formed from the inspiration of this movement and continues, with projects like the Occupied Social Centre, to create similar movements here in the UK.

Therefore during the ESF, we will not participate in this act of co-option that has been sponsored by the Mayor of London, and every old communist sect and party. We do, however want to continue the radicalisation that we have seen during the recent mobilisations against the World Trade Organisation, G8, IMF and World Bank summits and call for participation in BEYOND ESF - a self-organised, radically different event which will run through out the ESF days. We are also working with other initiatives as part of the 'Autonomous Spaces During the ESF' to create visibility of other autonomous events.

We invite groups, networks and individuals to join in organising and participating in discussion and direct action around specific themes, in both legal and occupied spaces.

Beyond ESF will be a series of discussions, talks, films & actions, structured around 6 themes, to take place from 14th-17th October, during the days of the ESF.

In the run-up to Beyond ESF, we have planned this series of open discussions, in order to create an open process for people to participate in organising, suggesting workshops and contributing to the ideas that will form the basis of the events we are planning for October.

We also hope to use these events to fundraise for the autonomous spaces, which is why we ask for donations at the door.