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 you’ll 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, you’ll 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 Women’s 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 Wilkinson’s 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!