Sunday Public Meeting | 2012 Council of Resistance
Spark | 23.04.2008 12:12 | Social Struggles | London | World
Following the successful launch of Project 2012 on Saturday 12th April, and a great reception at Nottingham University's Civil Liberties Conference last Saturday 19th, you are cordially invited to our next meeting!
We hope you can make it..
Project 2012 | Public Meeting | Council of Resistance
At the Conservatory Cafe, Methodist Hall Westminster (St James / Westminster Tube)
Sunday 27th April | 1-4pm
FYI Project 2012 is a new initiative aimed at Making the UK Human Rights Compliant by 2012. You can read more about what we mean by this in the email and 12th April meeting report below.
Workshop Strategy
Following from the earlier meetings we're now in the process of setting up a series of London 'rights and resistance' based workshops to run between now and November which we hope you or your group would like to get involved in. Each session will be hosted by the 2012 team and run by the participants together (individuals, action groups, students and members of the wider public), in exploration of the theme in question. Each will aim to tease out the history and key aspects of the struggle to secure the right or rights in question thusfar, but will also focus on concrete practicalities and commitments to action for each right. We envisage this will lead to the development of a holistic programme to be consolidated upon at a larger public event to be held in December of 2008 (10/12/8 marking the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UDHR). And from there we aim to build an effective civil society movement for Human Rights towards 2012.
If you'd like to participate in this exciting project; whether to learn more from others, raise awareness and support for your work you do or as an artist looking to put your talents to good use we hope you'll be able to join us this Sunday.
Any questions, or to register an interest email
greenpeaproject@gmail.com or call/text 0785 439 0408
How You Can Help
invite friend/s who are not already activists
help us to promote the initiative by distributing widely to groups and individuals
offer workshop sessions, other skills you'd be willing to contribute, help organise Dec 10 event
come to the meeting and bring something nice to share.
Thanks and have a lovely day, Project 2012
-----------
Humanity in the UK 1012 – 2012
Inaugural Meeting Report
A public meeting was held in the Conservatory Café, Central Methodist Hall in Westminster, London, from 1-3pm on Saturday 12th April 2008. The meeting was attended by around 20 individuals either representing themselves or organisations interested or actively involved in rights-based work.
Our aim is to build an effective rights-based civil society movement to ensure that the UK is human rights compliant between now and 2012. The first step, agreed at the inaugural meeting is to organise a series of workshops around various human rights and articles of the UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights), leading to a public event on 10 December 2008, International Human Rights Day and the 60th Anniversary of the UDHR. Through this process we aim to establish an agreed model of organisation, and a programme around which to mobilise for the 2012 Olympics, which will see the spotlight increasingly focused on the UK, and London in particular, over the next four years.
The meeting was introduced by Mark from People in Common who spoke about joining the dots between the different individuals and organisations already working in this area while also pursuing the creation of a shared model of organisation leading to the development of a visible and accessible rights-based movement. Mark emphasised the goal of making the UK human rights compliant in terms of both national law and foreign policy and encouraging people in other countries (for example elsewhere in the EU) to do the same.
A short workshop was then held by co-convenor Aisha on the UDHR, giving participants an opportunity to discuss the various adequacies, inadequacies, applications and the relevance of these rights in the UK and beyond. There was a lot to say about the various articles of this Declaration and perhaps more to say about what has not been achieved and implemented over the past 60 years.
The meeting then opened up to a general discussion about the future and viability of the project. All participants felt that the initiative is a worthwhile effort and are keen to get involved and work together to make it and human rights implementation in the UK a success and a reality for all.
There was some concern that the UDHR is no longer relevant, but there was also agreement that it could be taken as a basis for our work, as opposed to a goal, with the question of individual and collective rights vs responsibilities being considered. and at one point vigorously debated.
There was consensus that the phoney concept of a "War on Terror" and growing corporate power has done much to harm the democratic rights of all, and create a feeling of despondency and pessimism about the ongoing erosion and political attempts to curb and restrict civil liberties and human rights. There was also agreement, however, that it is important to focus on positive achievements and the rights we enjoy as a starting block to move forward from. The recent increase and growing importance of local community organisations also provides grounds for hope, with local people realising and rising to the challenges posed to their daily lives by central and local government.
Related to this point, an important suggestion was made on the need to bridge the gap between the wider public and grassroots campaigners; the latter are often aware of the serious implications of our ever-shrinking rights and freedoms (and may know what to do about it) yet the message – for various reasons – often fails to get through to the wider public who are equally affected. The project must be relevant to the general public and everyone is welcome to join in and get involved – there are no minimum requirements. It was also suggested that this project take on an artistic aspect – involving the visual, performing and musical arts - and the media and academia be invited to join and participate.
There will be another presentation of the proposal this Saturday 19 April at Nottingham University followed by a second London meeting on Sunday 27 April at 1-4pm at the same venue as above. If you couldn't make the first one it is not too late to get involved. Details of the first workshops will also be publicised shortly. For any other information, please email project2012@googlegroups.com or greenpeaproject@gmail.com
----------------------------------------
The workshops will be held between May and November 2008. Each will involve a different group or group of individuals (interested in the same issue) working on a different topic concerning rights-based work, with each session being a potential exploration of the history, success, failure, relevance and concrete practices associated with the right in question, with particular emphasis on how (if at all) it has been implemented in the UK and EU.
It is also envisaged that this process will allow us to develop a programme of rights which can be 'owned and understood' by all, and around which we can mobilise (for the 10/12 event in December and beyond to 2012).
The aims of the project and the workshops are to work collectively towards the following objectives:
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human rights, reflecting on the history of human rights implementation since 1948
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
To connect and empower individuals and groups involved in constructive rights-based work in different areas
To encourage the development of visible, proactive communities, a workable model of civil society and new forms of constructive resistance
To consider the importance and practical application of Article 1 of the UNCCPR, all people's right to self determination http://www.hrweb.org/legal/cpr.html in the UK and wider EU
Ideas for workshops/venues always welcome: we hope you or your group will take the opportunity to share the work you do, and help us build a movement for Humanity in the UK 1012 –2012.
We hope you can make it..
Project 2012 | Public Meeting | Council of Resistance
At the Conservatory Cafe, Methodist Hall Westminster (St James / Westminster Tube)
Sunday 27th April | 1-4pm
FYI Project 2012 is a new initiative aimed at Making the UK Human Rights Compliant by 2012. You can read more about what we mean by this in the email and 12th April meeting report below.
Workshop Strategy
Following from the earlier meetings we're now in the process of setting up a series of London 'rights and resistance' based workshops to run between now and November which we hope you or your group would like to get involved in. Each session will be hosted by the 2012 team and run by the participants together (individuals, action groups, students and members of the wider public), in exploration of the theme in question. Each will aim to tease out the history and key aspects of the struggle to secure the right or rights in question thusfar, but will also focus on concrete practicalities and commitments to action for each right. We envisage this will lead to the development of a holistic programme to be consolidated upon at a larger public event to be held in December of 2008 (10/12/8 marking the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UDHR). And from there we aim to build an effective civil society movement for Human Rights towards 2012.
If you'd like to participate in this exciting project; whether to learn more from others, raise awareness and support for your work you do or as an artist looking to put your talents to good use we hope you'll be able to join us this Sunday.
Any questions, or to register an interest email
greenpeaproject@gmail.com or call/text 0785 439 0408 How You Can Help
invite friend/s who are not already activists
help us to promote the initiative by distributing widely to groups and individuals
offer workshop sessions, other skills you'd be willing to contribute, help organise Dec 10 event
come to the meeting and bring something nice to share.
Thanks and have a lovely day, Project 2012
-----------
Humanity in the UK 1012 – 2012
Inaugural Meeting Report
A public meeting was held in the Conservatory Café, Central Methodist Hall in Westminster, London, from 1-3pm on Saturday 12th April 2008. The meeting was attended by around 20 individuals either representing themselves or organisations interested or actively involved in rights-based work.
Our aim is to build an effective rights-based civil society movement to ensure that the UK is human rights compliant between now and 2012. The first step, agreed at the inaugural meeting is to organise a series of workshops around various human rights and articles of the UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights), leading to a public event on 10 December 2008, International Human Rights Day and the 60th Anniversary of the UDHR. Through this process we aim to establish an agreed model of organisation, and a programme around which to mobilise for the 2012 Olympics, which will see the spotlight increasingly focused on the UK, and London in particular, over the next four years.
The meeting was introduced by Mark from People in Common who spoke about joining the dots between the different individuals and organisations already working in this area while also pursuing the creation of a shared model of organisation leading to the development of a visible and accessible rights-based movement. Mark emphasised the goal of making the UK human rights compliant in terms of both national law and foreign policy and encouraging people in other countries (for example elsewhere in the EU) to do the same.
A short workshop was then held by co-convenor Aisha on the UDHR, giving participants an opportunity to discuss the various adequacies, inadequacies, applications and the relevance of these rights in the UK and beyond. There was a lot to say about the various articles of this Declaration and perhaps more to say about what has not been achieved and implemented over the past 60 years.
The meeting then opened up to a general discussion about the future and viability of the project. All participants felt that the initiative is a worthwhile effort and are keen to get involved and work together to make it and human rights implementation in the UK a success and a reality for all.
There was some concern that the UDHR is no longer relevant, but there was also agreement that it could be taken as a basis for our work, as opposed to a goal, with the question of individual and collective rights vs responsibilities being considered. and at one point vigorously debated.
There was consensus that the phoney concept of a "War on Terror" and growing corporate power has done much to harm the democratic rights of all, and create a feeling of despondency and pessimism about the ongoing erosion and political attempts to curb and restrict civil liberties and human rights. There was also agreement, however, that it is important to focus on positive achievements and the rights we enjoy as a starting block to move forward from. The recent increase and growing importance of local community organisations also provides grounds for hope, with local people realising and rising to the challenges posed to their daily lives by central and local government.
Related to this point, an important suggestion was made on the need to bridge the gap between the wider public and grassroots campaigners; the latter are often aware of the serious implications of our ever-shrinking rights and freedoms (and may know what to do about it) yet the message – for various reasons – often fails to get through to the wider public who are equally affected. The project must be relevant to the general public and everyone is welcome to join in and get involved – there are no minimum requirements. It was also suggested that this project take on an artistic aspect – involving the visual, performing and musical arts - and the media and academia be invited to join and participate.
There will be another presentation of the proposal this Saturday 19 April at Nottingham University followed by a second London meeting on Sunday 27 April at 1-4pm at the same venue as above. If you couldn't make the first one it is not too late to get involved. Details of the first workshops will also be publicised shortly. For any other information, please email
project2012@googlegroups.com or greenpeaproject@gmail.com ----------------------------------------
The workshops will be held between May and November 2008. Each will involve a different group or group of individuals (interested in the same issue) working on a different topic concerning rights-based work, with each session being a potential exploration of the history, success, failure, relevance and concrete practices associated with the right in question, with particular emphasis on how (if at all) it has been implemented in the UK and EU.
It is also envisaged that this process will allow us to develop a programme of rights which can be 'owned and understood' by all, and around which we can mobilise (for the 10/12 event in December and beyond to 2012).
The aims of the project and the workshops are to work collectively towards the following objectives:
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human rights, reflecting on the history of human rights implementation since 1948
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html To connect and empower individuals and groups involved in constructive rights-based work in different areas
To encourage the development of visible, proactive communities, a workable model of civil society and new forms of constructive resistance
To consider the importance and practical application of Article 1 of the UNCCPR, all people's right to self determination
http://www.hrweb.org/legal/cpr.html in the UK and wider EU Ideas for workshops/venues always welcome: we hope you or your group will take the opportunity to share the work you do, and help us build a movement for Humanity in the UK 1012 –2012.
Spark
Homepage:
http://www.peopleincommon.org