Meeting “Towards the Urban and Community Way to live well and responsibly on our planet” - La Bergerie, Chaussy, France, 11-15th January 2016
The IAI – a network of inhabitants’ organisations that has been present on both a local and global level since 2003 – finds itself in a special situation: between the evaluation of the successes and failures in the implementation of the Strategic Lines 2011-2016 and the creation of the Strategic Lines 2016-2020.
The IAI defends the right and responsibility of inhabitants to be the builders, users and co-managers of towns, cities and territories, instead of ordinary users/customers. For this reason, the IAI seeks to reinforce its ties of solidarity, going from a local to a global level, and using a fair plan of mutual cooperation in partnership with other social, professional, academic and institutional stakeholders.
The objective in 2020 – as determined by the Strategic Lines 2016-2020 which are under development – is to continue the struggle to live well on our planet, at both a global and local level. This will be achieved through the construction of an Urban and Community Way, comprised of collective processes and spaces belonging to various organisations and social movements, in order to share experiences and strategies, as well as to manage common resources to effectively influence policies.
The World Assembly of Inhabitants (WAI) is the context of this convergence: an open, democratic, thematic and global/local process that has united hundreds of organisations and networks from every continent ever since the Assemblies of 2011, 2013 and 2015. This is an alternative approach which informs the development of the World Urban Social Forum, an alternative to the UN Conference Habitat III in October 2016 in Quito, the paradigms of which have already been beaten by the global crisis of neoliberalism.
It is for this reason that we believe that this Meeting of networks from all continents concerning the convergence of struggles and solidarity is essential. It forms part of the constituent process of the Urban and Community Way of the World Assembly of Inhabitants, working towards the Alternative World Urban Social Forum and beyond.
Objectives of the Meeting
To have the appropriate participation, time and environment in order to reflect on and decide the following:
- The strategy and development of the IAI, as well as the drawing up of the Strategic Lines 2016-2020, essential for the development of a network that is able to have a favourable impact on policies in terms of genuine human progress.
- The convergence of proposals, struggles and solidarity, essential in order to have an impact: forming the constituent process of the Urban and Community Way, from the World Assembly of Inhabitants to the World Urban Social Forum(WUSF), an alternative to Habitat III.
Expected results
- Systemisation of the development process of the IAI
- Strategic Lines for 2016-2020 of the IAI (Policies and governance)
- Convergences from 2016-2020
- Common program for 2016-2017, in particular the WUSF and Habitat III and its follow-up developments
Participation
Representatives of inhabitants’ organisations and networks from every continent.
Guests: The Charles Léopold Mayer Foundation for the Progress of Humankind, Misereor.
Program
Dates: Monday 11th – Friday 15th January 2016
Place: The Oecocentre of La Bergerie de Villarceaux, 95710 CHAUSSY, France (http://www.bergerie-villarceaux.org/ )
11TH January – Day one
- Arrival of international participants in Paris and departure for the Oecocentre of La Bergerie de Villarceaux - 95710 Chaussy
- Distribution of documents
17:30
- Meeting of the Coordination Committee of the IAI
19.30 : Dinner
12th January – Day two
Morning:
8:30
Plenary session. Introduction of participants – Basis of the meeting – Reading the program – Communication of the methodology
- Accomplishments: Results of the last 10 years, according to the views and contributions of Antennaes in relation to the Chart of Principaes and the Campaigns of the IAI
- General analysis of the context, scenarios and trends: In which direction are we going in terms of the creation of systematic alternatives? (Alternative Social Urban Pact). How should we continue? What are the rights and responsibilities of inhabitants nowadays in cities and territories (Charter of responsibilities)? What is the importance of this and how can we develop convergences working towards the Urban and Community Way, as well as alliances, partnerships and conflicts? What is the connection between theory and practice, action and reflection, conflict and the implementation of policies?
13:00 : Launch break
Afternoon:
14:00
- Work groups organised by geographical area and by programs/projects: ALC, Africa, Europe, Asia, Zero Evictions Campaign and the International Tribunal of Evictions, Taller de analisis Incidencia ALC, the Urban Popular University.
17.30
- Plenary session: sharing and debating the contributions made by the delegations.
18.30
- Meeting of the Coordination Committee of the IAI
19.30 : Dinner
13th January 2016 – Day Three
Strategic Lines 2016-2020
Morning:
8:30
- Plenary session: Definition of the Vision, the Mission and the Strategic Objectives of the Alliance: who we are, what we want to achieve, what are our main principles.
10:00
- Work groups: Strategic Line 2016-2020. Vision – objectives – partners. Work plan 2016-2017.
13:00 : Launch break
Afternoon:
14.00
- Plenary session: Common point – Strategic Lines - agreements – responsibilities, models of organisation that allow us to fulfil our strategic objectives.
- Conclusions including proposals for decisions for the CC of the IAI
15.30
- Final meeting of the IAI CC in order to make decisions regarding the proposals reached on the 11th and 12th
Arrival of members from other networks: Welcome and social exchange activity
19.30 : Dinner
14th January 2016 – Day Four
Network Meeting concerning solidarity and the coming together of different struggles:
The challenges of Quito: the solidarity, from the marginality to the impact, alternative ways to live well and responsibly on our planet.
Morning:
8:30
Plenary session:
- Introduction of the representatives from different networks: principles, strategies, struggles, proposals, convergences and divergences
- The constituent process of the Urban Way, from the WAI to the WSUF and the strategies for 2016-2020
- The construction of the WSUF: the main role of inhabitants’ organisations and networks, the role of Popular Committees, the alliances with other stakeholders
- The election of the team that will draw up the conclusions and action plan for Quito
10:30
- Work groups: Mobilisation towards Quito, the International Tribunal of Evictions, Right to the City
12:30
Plenary session
13:00 : Launch break
Afternoon:
14.00
- Work groups: Mobilisation towards Quito, the International Tribunal of Evictions, Right to the City
17:30
Plenary session
19.30 : Dinner
Evening:
- Socialisation activity (video screening, other)
Fifth day, 15th January 2016
Morning:
8:30
Plenary session: strategy and agreements – convergences between 2016 and 2020, common program for 2016-2017.
Afternoon:
departure of participants from La Bergerie to Paris
Georeferences
The Volunteer translators for housing rights without frontiers of IAI who have collaborated on the translation of this text were: