FROM INDYMEDIA IN GERMANY
Hi everyone!
Over here in Europe, people will be getting together to discuss the
proposals on counter-summits etc. during the next 1-2 months, both during
the Geneva Prepcom and elsewhere.
One idea that has been floating around was that of a "Communication
Village" or a practical "Communication Society"... It would be a space that
is not primarily for theoretical debate ("conference") and not primarily a
convergence space for protest, but a practical example of how we envision
an alternative communication society. There could be an Indymedia Centre, a
TV station, Workshops in which people from the other end of the world could
participate (through webradio and chat), non-hierarchical communication
practices, etc etc. -- basically the thing many of us have been doing at
Indymedia Centres, at the HUB during the ESF in Florence, probably also in
Porto Alegre...
That space would make visible the creativity and innovative energy of many
activist groups and social movements (basically: "civil society") who are
working in that thematic field, and who have far more experience and
knowledge in communication use than most of the politicians and business
people at the official conference. The method of all this would be
horizontal, participatory and interactive.
There have also been ideas to organise such a communication village as a
summer camp, quite similar to the border camps. This would be nice for a
number of reasons, but there may not be enough time to organise it in time
for this summer... And in that case, a parallel event to the Geneva summit
in December may be the best idea.
A few points regarding Sasha's questions:
- such a 'communication village', or whatever it would be called, could
serve as some kind of umbrella; in any case, I think it would be a good
idea *not* to refer to the official WSIS when thinking of a name, but to
make clear that our summit/village/whatever is an event in its own right
- openness: as most of these events, it should be as open as possible, but
there should also be clear limits; in general terms, it should embrace
"civil society" (whatever that is); in more detail, I think it should be
based on values of horizontality, participation an interaction
On the themes + content side, such a space could be accompanied by
campaigns around some of the issues discussed at the wsis. I just quickly
include some ideas here that came up on another list.....
- open source and open content -- free software and free information
-> this would involve propagating a different mode of production to the
prevailing profit-based mode. while open source is slowly starting to
establish itself on the international agenda, the link with open content is
not so often drawn.
- towards a participatory and interactive model of communication, and
against a one-way stream from the few to the many -> people should not just
have *access* to information but be able to *produce* information
themselves (see Indymedia and others..)
- global information commons
-> information and communication as public goods not to be sold for private
profit-making. this would tie in with the concept of global public goods
and with the concept of open content. the commons as a reference point
beyond state and market is something which some people focused on in
florence (esf) and which they want to make more prominent in networks such
as pga
- diversity vs. enclosure
-> local diverse content vs. cultural homogenisation, community/alternative
media vs. media corporations.....
- privacy, data protection, state surveillance
- ....
Okay, enough for now... just a few thoughts.....
Sorry for not including translation....
alien8
(Indymedia Germany)
OURMedia/NUESTROSMedios
a global network of activists, academics, and practitioners
working toward stronger alternative, community and citizens' media.
una red global de activistas y académic@s apoyando los medios
alternativos, ciudadanos y comunitarios
Contact: Clemencia Rodriguez
University of Oklahoma
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