Earth First! Summer Gathering 2003

It is undeniable that we are in the midst of a global crisis: more people live without access to enough food than at any time in history or pre-history; pollution has changed the air all animals, us too, breathe; there is now more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than there has been for at least 20 million years, and is changing the world's climate fast and unpredictably; many of us and the people we care about will die of various cancers, most likely caused by the environment we live in; not content with stripping the land from the masses, nor our time as we work for others' profits, capitalism finds new commodities, DNA, feelings and relationships, yes son I'll buy you a treat if you’re good; nobody believes governments will make things substantially better; a quarter of the worlds species are very likely to go extinct over the next few decades.

Thankfully, over the past decade there has been an upsurge in Direct Action in the UK confronting this multi-sided social and ecological problem - against GM crops, the Tory governments road-building program, mass demonstrations against institutions that manage the global economy like the World Bank, creating social centres, and action on climate change. Globally the same has been true with inspiring new networks emerging from the Piquetera movement in Argentina (not so dissimilar from Britain’s direct action network), Peoples Global Action to the recent Social Forum events around the world.

The EF! Gathering and the network of groups and individuals that go has been a major part of much of this action. Indeed, the EF! Gathering is the once-a-year chance to get together as a direct action movement to discuss what everyone's been doing, find out what's going on, and decide what we want to do next. Whether it was discussing whether we should shut down London’s financial centre on June 18th 1999, or discussing the fall-out from the Mayday 2000 media-bonanza, the Gathering has been a central part of the evolution of the UK’s direct action movement.

Ten years on from the first EF! Gathering some are questioning the usefulness of the Earth First! network which is seen by some as a social club and as not expressing many peoples politics. Local Earth First! groups either don’t exist or are shrinking in numbers, there’s much less visible eco-direct action, there's a dearth of newer people getting involved in the Earth First! Network.

Many people are saying change is needed. We need a different network, or a better network. Some question whether there is a direct action movement or scene left at all. Some of these points may be true, but there are certainly thousands of angry people taking action - look at how many took direct action over the recent war in Iraq, which was certainly against the wishes of most of the groups in the Stop the War coalition. We need to meet each other face to face and talk about what we are doing, what we want to do in the future and how different groups might work together.

In response to recent years' events we have organised the content, the workshops and discussions, of this years Gathering so that everything is up for discussion. Including future gatherings themselves. Key questions for the Gathering, we think, include - what sort of things do people think we should tackle? What sort of network do we want? What kind of communications - in print and on the web - do we need? Is the activism of the 90's desirable now, and if so, is it possible given long-term unemployment is much more difficult for people now, and many peoples' critiques of activists being 'specialists in social change'? If not, what should we be doing that’s different? Should we work together for some of the time on something? What sort of meetings, including Gatherings, are desirable?

The Gathering starts Wednesday 13th August, finishing on Sunday 17th August. The discussions are structured so that they feed into one another, so please try and attend the whole Gathering.

Of course, the Gathering is also all about having a good time, and showing that low-impact non-hierarchal living works well and is fun. There is a cafe, comedy evening, bar, open-mic talent night, film shows, music and beautiful countryside and 300 other people to entertain and inspire you too!

Full details about the Gathering are on our website. But you need £10 (minimum suggested) to get in, money for vegan, organic food (about £3.50 per day), or bring your own, and a tent.

The timetable will be available the week before the gathering, also on the website.

Finally, the EF! Gathering is open to all who want to or do, "take action to confront, stop and eventually reverse the forces that are destroying the planet and its inhabitants", and a leader-less way of achieving those aims, whether you think the moniker 'Earth First!' is relevant or not.

Don’t get put off by the name 'Earth First!' this gathering is for all those interested in struggling for social transformation thru non-hierachical methods towards a more ecological and free society and taking direct action towards this end.

Yours in struggle,

EF! Summer Gathering contents collective.