The Fair World Project:
From Activism to Activity
A project for equality and ecology, peace, justice and co-operation:
For a Fair, Safe and Peaceful world
Here are some suggestions for practical,
co-operative and peaceful action:
o Generally, discover the world of economic and social co-operation, locally
and globally.
o You could, for example, join and become an active Member of your local
co-op food shop (that way you'll tap into the world of co-operation):
your co-op might, for example, like to take up the Annual Co-operative
Audit idea, and, perhaps start a Friends of our Co-op Shop
group?
o You could help create a local interest-free credit union (that way youll
be challenging usury, locally, and help include people of all cultures
in the local financial economy)
o How about joining with others to set up a local branch of the Woodcraft
Folk? That way, youll be encouraging peace and co-operation for
kids.
o You could, also perhaps, discuss starting a local group 'The Friends
of The Co-operative Ideal', a local Co-operative Social Forum
(or some such name), or of The Guild of Co-operators (it does exist),
or of The Co-operative Womens Guild (ditto!).
o Fancy Local good food? You could perhaps lobby with local co-operators
for a local 'Community Greenhouse/farm/market garden', and a local Community
Land Trust (like the Chattanooga experience: see Dolores Hayden's, excellent
book 'Redesigning the American Dream' and look on the net for details
of urban agriculture).
o A co-operative community housing project? How about helping to set up
a local co-housing project (check 'co-housing' on the net or look at Cohousing
by Kathryn McCamant and Charles Durrett).
o A local United Nations Association group is another idea. Perhaps you
could join it to the International Co-operative Alliance (an example of
getting the 'good groups' to talk with one another).
o Co-operative learning and travelling? How about lobbying for local free
public transport and for realistic support your local Libraries.
o How about set ting up a Co-operative Café (as useful meeting
/ discussion /bookshop / poster / leaflet displaying point)?
o Alternatively / additionally? You could publicise a local 'open round
table' at an accessible coffee shop, every week at the same time, as an
open-to-all point of conversation. (Ours, originally at The Global Cafe
in Golden Square, London, and now in The Basement Cafeteria Friends
House Euston Road London, every Wednesday 11-1 for the past six years,
has been a god-send to us, as a way of, both, keeping on-track and on-going).
o The Social Forum movement is worth studying a Local Co-operative
Social Forum might bring active people together and produce . . . who
knows what? (BTW: all these 'Set up' points will probably be best advanced
by a
decentralised activity: many hands do make the light work!)
In conclusion
It seems true that there can be no security without peace, no peace without
equality, and no equality without co-operation: local, social and global.
[Inequality financial and functional inequality are no good for
anyone (see Richard Wilkinsons books Unhealthy Societies
and Mind the Gap).] Co-operative relationships, based, as
they are, on voluntary, equal, and non-hierarchical relationships, are
both inherently peaceful and exist to pose no threat of violence: to humans,
to the planet, and to our co-inhabitants. If we can use, modify, and adapt
these co-operative resources, then inequality can be eradicated and, thus,
peace sustainably delivered.
The Campaign for Co-operative Socialism www.cooperative-socialism.org
Campaign contact: John Courtneidge courtj@globalnet.co.uk
13 North Road Hertford SG14 1LN (UK)
(+44) 01992 501854 (August 2003)
Text for mini-flyers four to an A4 sheet
Please copy and share them with others interested in helping
to create a fair, safe and peaceful world.
Thanks!
The Campaign for Co-operative
Socialism
** For equality and ecology, peace, justice and co-operation **
o Local Co-operatives, not Multinational
Corporations
o Fair, guaranteed incomes for all
o Banking as public service
- an end to usury o Grants not loans
o All our sisters, our brothers: all our brothers, our sisters
o Global stewardship and respect, not ownership and exploitation
o Caring for the long-lived well being of the whole global
ecology
and all its inhabitants |
Details:
courtj@globalnet.co.uk john courtneidge
01992 501854
www.cooperative-socialism.org
13 North Road Hertford Herts SG14 1LN
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