Anarchism, Democracy and the Icelandic Constitution
In 2012 Iceland embarked on a process of rewriting its national constitution. Unlike many examples around the world where countries renew or change their constitutions, this was to be a ‘crowd-sourced’ constitution, with the people of Iceland having a more direct and participatory role in how the new constitution was to look. This discussion workshop will reflect on that process and ask what it means for something a process like writing a constitution to be genuinely democratic. How can people be actively involved? What barriers are there stopping certain people from taking part? How can those barriers be overcome. Drawing on anarchist ideas of democracy, the workshop builds on discussions with activists and others in Iceland to explore what it would take for participatory democracy to work properly.
The workshop takes place in English (interpretation by request) and is hosted by Dr. Thomas Swann:
“I completed my PhD at the University of Leicester School of Management in September 2015. Prior to that, I gained an MA in Social and Political Philosophy from Radboud University Nijmegen in 2010 and an MA in Philosophy from the University of Glasgow in 2008. My research has examined the connections between anarchism and organisational cybernetics, aiming to develop ‘anarchist cybernetics’ as a framework for understanding radical left social movement organisation. More broadly, this included looking at the nature of autonomy in anarchist organisation, the relationship between tactics, strategy and grand strategy and the ways in which communication can be understood in a radical left context. An important element of this work focused on the notion of alternative social media.”
Accessibility:
The building is currently not wheelchair accessible, unfortunately, but it is our top priority to make it so.
There is a step before the garden gate and then 5 steps leading to the main entrance, each 17 cm high, door widths in the building vary between 50 cm (upstairs washroom door) and 80 cm (entrance door), and the washrooms are so far only on the upper floor and in the basement. The door to the meeting room is 75 cm wide (as most other doors in the building).
Both washrooms in the building are gender neutral.
Event in solidarity with the movement in Hambacher Forest.
Since 2012, Hambach Forest has been a political standpoint for environmentalists who are protesting against the German energy company RWE because of the open-pit lignite mine situated on the site. Hambacher Forest has become a symbol of resistance, of environmentalists´fight against coal, and of alternative ways of living.
The start of October marks the start of the annual cutting season – the time between October and February during which RWE has permission to clear the forest. Since September 13, RWE is evicting the tree houses in the forest. Mass actions will take place on the 6th of October as well as a long planned action of civial disobedience on the 25th to the 29th of October.
It’s time to take action! Come together in solidarity with the movement.The aim of this in event is, therefore, to come together in solidarity with the demonstration “Save the forest! Stop coal!” taking place on the same day. We will offer information on the history of the movement and recent developments. We will meet and draw and take a picture to express our solidarity with he activists in Hambacher Forest. We might want to write letters to the actistivst in prison. We can meet and share our thoughts and discuss lines of action.
This event will take place in English and/or Icelandic.
The building is currently not wheelchair accessible, unfortunately.
There is a step before the garden gate and then 5 steps leading to the main entrance, each 17 cm high, door widths in the building vary between 50 cm (upstairs washroom door) and 80 cm (entrance door), and the washrooms are so far only on the upper floor and in the basement. The door to the meeting room is 75 cm wide (as most other doors in the building).
Both washrooms in the building are gender neutral.
Every Wednesday at 17:30 – 19:00 we are getting together to teach English to people of different backgrounds.
Our goal is to provide people with the communication skills useful in everyday situations and in accordance with their needs.
Refugees, asylum seekers and anyone who would like to participate – you are all welcome!
Accessibility:
One of us – a native speaker – has offered to teach via Skype – so get in touch if you are interested!
Andrými is at Bergþórugata 20.
(The entrance is by Vitastígur)
The building is currently not wheelchair accessible, unfortunately, but it is our top priority to make it so. An architect is already working on drawing a ramp and making an accessible bathroom in the space.
There is a step before the garden gate and then 5 steps leading to the main entrance, each 17 cm high, door widths in the building vary between 50 cm (upstairs washroom door) and 80 cm (entrance door). The door to the meeting room is 75 cm wide (as most other doors in the building).
The washrooms are so far only on the upper floor and in the basement.
Both washrooms in the building are gender neutral.
Jamey Ellis would like to promote veganism as a synonym of compassion.
Join him for an open dialogue where he will introduce holistic veganism and it’s intersectionality with numerous other topics like humanitarianism, classism, sexism, racism, feminism, environmentalism, speciesism, and much more.
The goal of the night is not to convert people into veganism. It will be to provoke thoughts around ahimsa (non-violence) and compassion and having integrity in whatever it is you believe in.
Jamey defines holistic veganism as the practice of care for all living beings and their home environments, through the lenses of inter-being and intersectionality, with veganism as tool and philosophy that illustrates their actuality.
He has been vegan for 16 years and practices gift economy, unschooling, non-competition, sustainable consumerism and living, personal zero waste management, and other philosophical and practical tools to pursue and promote ahimsa towards each other and the planet.
The evening will begin with the dialogue at 6pm. At 8pm we will enjoy a vegan potluck. Bring your favorite dish to share and inspire others. If you can not come for the talk, then just come for the dinner.
This event is free, open to all people, and will be in English.
Private workshop for vegan activists pre-registered by AVO.
Accessibility:
The building is currently not wheelchair accessible, unfortunately, but it is our top priority to make it so. We are still waiting for a contract of use from the city that would permit us to change the building.
There is a step before the garden gate and then 5 steps leading to the main entrance, each 17 cm high, door widths in the building vary between 50 cm (upstairs washroom door) and 80 cm (entrance door). The bathrooms are so far only on the upper floor and in the basement. The door to the meeting room is 75 cm wide (as most other doors in the building). There is no bathroom on the ground floor.
Both washrooms in the building are gender neutral.
This is an event for all of those interested in practicing languages with native speakers and willing to share their own. At the moment, we have people speaking Icelandic, Spanish, English and French, but any other language is very welcome!
An independently organised event. Please contact the organiser if you’d prefer meeting downstairs rather than upstairs!
Accessibility:
Andrými is at Bergþórugata 20.
(The entrance is by Vitastígur)
The building is currently not wheelchair accessible, unfortunately, but it is our top priority to make it so. There is a step before the garden gate and then 5 steps leading to the main entrance, each 17 cm high, door widths in the building vary between 50 cm (upstairs washroom door) and 80 cm (entrance door). The door to the meeting room is 75 cm wide (as most other doors in the building).
The washrooms are so far only on the upper floor and in the basement.
Both washrooms in the building are gender neutral.
We would love you to join our first beginners and confirmed photographers gathering on Tuesdays 20th evening.
The idea is to have a place where photographers (analog and digital) can share their knowledge/work once a month with a bunch of other camera lovers.
For the ones interested, we will have a short workshop starting on 7pm explaining basics, feel free to bring your camera! In the meanwhile, the ones who already know how to use their cameras are welcome to gather in another room and talk about what they would like to see happening in the next events.
Weather you’re monogamous or not, super-experienced or just heard about polyamory/non-monogamy, communication can be one of the biggest issues in a relationship, so let’s talk about how we talk (or, too often, don’t talk enough). I’ll be presenting some communication approaches and tools, as well as how to develop better communication skills. I would like to focus on how we communicate especially in very intense emotional times, and some of the most common pitfalls that occur there.
This is a facilitated discussion, not a presentation, so you are kindly invited to participate and share as much or as little as you’d like from your experience. Just listening is also ok. Because the topic is so personal, I highly encourage a policy of what is shared in this event stays in the event.
Discussion will be in English, with consideration for non-native English speakers.
Facilitator has no formal training in related fields, just personal experience and determination to develop more ethical and sustainable ways of relating.
Problems at work? Come by for (free) advice! ¿Problemas en su laburo? ¡Consejos gratis! Problèmes au travail? Conseils gratuits! Проблеми на роботі? Отримайте безкоштовну пораду!
calendar
An independently organised event.
Anarchism, Democracy and the Icelandic Constitution
In 2012 Iceland embarked on a process of rewriting its national constitution. Unlike many examples around the world where countries renew or change their constitutions, this was to be a ‘crowd-sourced’ constitution, with the people of Iceland having a more direct and participatory role in how the new constitution was to look. This discussion workshop will reflect on that process and ask what it means for something a process like writing a constitution to be genuinely democratic. How can people be actively involved? What barriers are there stopping certain people from taking part? How can those barriers be overcome. Drawing on anarchist ideas of democracy, the workshop builds on discussions with activists and others in Iceland to explore what it would take for participatory democracy to work properly.
The workshop takes place in English (interpretation by request) and is hosted by Dr. Thomas Swann:
Accessibility:
The building is currently not wheelchair accessible, unfortunately, but it is our top priority to make it so.
There is a step before the garden gate and then 5 steps leading to the main entrance, each 17 cm high, door widths in the building vary between 50 cm (upstairs washroom door) and 80 cm (entrance door), and the washrooms are so far only on the upper floor and in the basement. The door to the meeting room is 75 cm wide (as most other doors in the building).
Both washrooms in the building are gender neutral.
Event in solidarity with the movement in Hambacher Forest.
Since 2012, Hambach Forest has been a political standpoint for environmentalists who are protesting against the German energy company RWE because of the open-pit lignite mine situated on the site. Hambacher Forest has become a symbol of resistance, of environmentalists´fight against coal, and of alternative ways of living.
The start of October marks the start of the annual cutting season – the time between October and February during which RWE has permission to clear the forest. Since September 13, RWE is evicting the tree houses in the forest. Mass actions will take place on the 6th of October as well as a long planned action of civial disobedience on the 25th to the 29th of October.
It’s time to take action! Come together in solidarity with the movement.The aim of this in event is, therefore, to come together in solidarity with the demonstration “Save the forest! Stop coal!” taking place on the same day. We will offer information on the history of the movement and recent developments. We will meet and draw and take a picture to express our solidarity with he activists in Hambacher Forest. We might want to write letters to the actistivst in prison. We can meet and share our thoughts and discuss lines of action.
This event will take place in English and/or Icelandic.
The building is currently not wheelchair accessible, unfortunately.
There is a step before the garden gate and then 5 steps leading to the main entrance, each 17 cm high, door widths in the building vary between 50 cm (upstairs washroom door) and 80 cm (entrance door), and the washrooms are so far only on the upper floor and in the basement. The door to the meeting room is 75 cm wide (as most other doors in the building).
Both washrooms in the building are gender neutral.
Every Wednesday at 17:30 – 19:00 we are getting together to teach English to people of different backgrounds.
Our goal is to provide people with the communication skills useful in everyday situations and in accordance with their needs.
Refugees, asylum seekers and anyone who would like to participate – you are all welcome!
Accessibility:
One of us – a native speaker – has offered to teach via Skype – so get in touch if you are interested!
Andrými is at Bergþórugata 20.
(The entrance is by Vitastígur)
The building is currently not wheelchair accessible, unfortunately, but it is our top priority to make it so. An architect is already working on drawing a ramp and making an accessible bathroom in the space.
There is a step before the garden gate and then 5 steps leading to the main entrance, each 17 cm high, door widths in the building vary between 50 cm (upstairs washroom door) and 80 cm (entrance door). The door to the meeting room is 75 cm wide (as most other doors in the building).
The washrooms are so far only on the upper floor and in the basement.
Both washrooms in the building are gender neutral.
private event
An independently organised event:
6pm- Dialogue
8pm- Vegan Potluck
Jamey Ellis would like to promote veganism as a synonym of compassion.
Join him for an open dialogue where he will introduce holistic veganism and it’s intersectionality with numerous other topics like humanitarianism, classism, sexism, racism, feminism, environmentalism, speciesism, and much more.
The goal of the night is not to convert people into veganism. It will be to provoke thoughts around ahimsa (non-violence) and compassion and having integrity in whatever it is you believe in.
Jamey defines holistic veganism as the practice of care for all living beings and their home environments, through the lenses of inter-being and intersectionality, with veganism as tool and philosophy that illustrates their actuality.
He has been vegan for 16 years and practices gift economy, unschooling, non-competition, sustainable consumerism and living, personal zero waste management, and other philosophical and practical tools to pursue and promote ahimsa towards each other and the planet.
The evening will begin with the dialogue at 6pm. At 8pm we will enjoy a vegan potluck. Bring your favorite dish to share and inspire others. If you can not come for the talk, then just come for the dinner.
This event is free, open to all people, and will be in English.
Private workshop for vegan activists pre-registered by AVO.
Accessibility:
The building is currently not wheelchair accessible, unfortunately, but it is our top priority to make it so. We are still waiting for a contract of use from the city that would permit us to change the building.
There is a step before the garden gate and then 5 steps leading to the main entrance, each 17 cm high, door widths in the building vary between 50 cm (upstairs washroom door) and 80 cm (entrance door). The bathrooms are so far only on the upper floor and in the basement. The door to the meeting room is 75 cm wide (as most other doors in the building). There is no bathroom on the ground floor.
Both washrooms in the building are gender neutral.
This is an event for all of those interested in practicing languages with native speakers and willing to share their own. At the moment, we have people speaking Icelandic, Spanish, English and French, but any other language is very welcome!
An independently organised event. Please contact the organiser if you’d prefer meeting downstairs rather than upstairs!
Accessibility:
Andrými is at Bergþórugata 20.
(The entrance is by Vitastígur)
The building is currently not wheelchair accessible, unfortunately, but it is our top priority to make it so. There is a step before the garden gate and then 5 steps leading to the main entrance, each 17 cm high, door widths in the building vary between 50 cm (upstairs washroom door) and 80 cm (entrance door). The door to the meeting room is 75 cm wide (as most other doors in the building).
The washrooms are so far only on the upper floor and in the basement.
Both washrooms in the building are gender neutral.
We would love you to join our first beginners and confirmed photographers gathering on Tuesdays 20th evening.
The idea is to have a place where photographers (analog and digital) can share their knowledge/work once a month with a bunch of other camera lovers.
For the ones interested, we will have a short workshop starting on 7pm explaining basics, feel free to bring your camera! In the meanwhile, the ones who already know how to use their cameras are welcome to gather in another room and talk about what they would like to see happening in the next events.
Weather you’re monogamous or not, super-experienced or just heard about polyamory/non-monogamy, communication can be one of the biggest issues in a relationship, so let’s talk about how we talk (or, too often, don’t talk enough). I’ll be presenting some communication approaches and tools, as well as how to develop better communication skills. I would like to focus on how we communicate especially in very intense emotional times, and some of the most common pitfalls that occur there.
This is a facilitated discussion, not a presentation, so you are kindly invited to participate and share as much or as little as you’d like from your experience. Just listening is also ok. Because the topic is so personal, I highly encourage a policy of what is shared in this event stays in the event.
Discussion will be in English, with consideration for non-native English speakers.
Facilitator has no formal training in related fields, just personal experience and determination to develop more ethical and sustainable ways of relating.
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