Rural Convergence Update

The rural convergence space will be a large self-managed outdoor space near Gleneagles: a space for all who aspire to radical decentralized alternatives to capital, power and ecological collapse. A place to meet, chat, eat, sleep, organise, and more.

Over the past 6 months, people from the Dissent! network have been trying to secure a large piece of land near Gleneagles. Lots of sites have fallen through which appears to have happened because of police pressure. The police appear happier to see people in the big cities, as they know that the area closer to Gleneagles is where we can really shut the G8 down!

We have now been offered a site, but are still negotiating for yet more rural space as the land isn’t as big as some of the others. It is not on the site of an old landfill, but nearby one filled in over 20 yrs ago. It is large enough for thousands to sleep, eat, plan and act from. Families and those with other legal concerns will be prioritised space to stay on the legal sites. Other people may want to form autonomous camping sites in the beautiful Scottish countryside around Gleneagles.

The rural convergence space will operate around a "neighborhood" system, similar to the "barrio" system used at some previous resistance camps. Neighborhoods will host camping, eating and meeting together and will be the focal point of decision making on the site. The neighborhoods will be information and discussion areas to aid communication across the site and beyond. Inter-neighborhood meetings will manage the whole site.

Many groups are already hosting neighbourhoods but more are needed. You don't need to be a huge group or have loads of equipment to host a neighbourhood. The neighborhoods should be self running, once people start arriving. The aim is for each neighborhood to be as autonomous as possible, with its own kitchen or food serving facilities, alternative-technology power sources and meeting space. A neighborhood could also include anything else you would like to bring, like a library, cinema, crèche or spaceship.

A site plan has been created by the 40+ participants at the recent ‘Earth Activist training course’. People are needed to be on site setting up the space on the 25th June until the site opens.

Lots of stuff is needed for the site, see
 http://www.dissent.org.uk/content/view/195/125/ for the full list.

Please provide what you can. Transport is available to get larger objects to the site, although if you can find a way of getting it here yourself, then all the better.

The site will be open to all from the 1st July. Bring a tent and your dreams of another world!