Friday, July 13, 2007

Ecotopia 2007 [en e pt]


[en e pt]

Estás convidado para o Ecotopia 2007

You are invited to Ecotopia 2007 – Migrations


http://www.ecotopiagathering.org/


PT


O Ecotopia é um acampamento anual de activistas de toda a Europa e um encontro aberto a todas as pessoas interessadas em questões ambientais e de justiça social. O Ecotopia acontece todos os anos desde 1989, sempre num país diferente. É organizado pela EYFA (Juventude Europeia pela Acção) e por uma ou várias associações ambientais do país, que funcionam como organização que acolhe o evento. Neste ano, a 19ª edição irá decorrer em Portugal, promovida pelo GAIA (Grupo de Acção e Intervenção Ambiental).

O Ecotopia é um local de aprendizagem, partilha de experiências e difusão de informação sobre questões ambientais, sociais e políticas, entre outras. Entre 200 e 600 pessoas participam em cada edição do Ecotopia, para partilharem conhecimentos e discutirem sobre um amplo leque de assuntos, tais como: alterações climáticas, transportes e mobilidade, transgénicos, agricultura biológica, construção ecológica e infraestruturas sustentáveis, política e sistema económico global, estratégias para acções, experiências de campanhas, medias alternativos, migrações, racismo e xenofobia, questões culturais, influências sobre e das pessoas...

Todos os anos o Ecotopia tem um tema diferente, que se tenta que tanto esteja relacionado com o local, como que vá de encontro às emergências globais. Sendo assim, o tema escolhido este ano são as migrações, que terão especial relevância nos dias 10, 11 e 12 de Agosto.

O Ecotopia é igualmente um modelo funcional de comunidade auto-sustentável que coloca em prática os princípios de um estilo de vida alternativo e mais amigo do ambiente: tomadas de decisão por consenso, reciclagem de lixo, refeições vegetarianas, uso de energias alternativas... Sempre que possível, @s ecotopian@s participam em acções de voluntariado na zona, tentam envolver as pessoas locais nas questões do ambiente, assim como capacitam organizações locais.

O Ecotopia tem uma estrutura horizontal (não-hierárquica) e auto-organizada; a tod@s é pedido que tomem parte no funcionamento do campo, resolvendo problemas e tomando decisões. E tod@s são responsáveis pelo programa!

O Ecotopia funciona no sistema de ecotaxas - um sistema económico alternativo baseado no padrão de vida e rendimento médio de cada país, em vez de baseado nos mercados financeiros, o que significa que cada um no Ecotopia paga pela comida o mesmo que pagaria no próprio país.

Uma das melhores formas de chegar ao Ecotopia foi sempre a BikeTour.

_ _ _


EN


This year Ecotopia will take place between 4 - 19 August in Aljezur in the south of Portugal.


What is Ecotopia?
Ecotopia is a two-week activist camp and an open event for everyone interested in environmental and social justice issues. Ecotopia takes place every summer since 1989 in a different country. It is organized by EYFA (European Youth For Action) and hosted by local grassroots environmental organizations. This year, the 19th Ecotopia will be hosted by
GAIA (Grupo de Acção e Intervenção Ambiental).
Ecotopia is a place for networking, learning, exchanging experiences and spreading information about environmental, social and political issues and campaigns. Several hundred people attend Ecotopia each year to share skills, to discuss alternatives and to address a wide range of themes and issues like strategies for actions and campaigns, racism, xenophobia, homo- and queerphobia, creative dissent, alternative media, social centers, sustainable building and infrastructure, organic/fair trade food and farming, climate change, biological diversity, GMOs, etc.


This years' theme 'Migration'
Ecotopia covers a wide range of issues but has each year a particular topic that stands out. This year we look particularly at the theme Migration. There will be a 3 days Migration Focus on the venue from 10th to 12th of August.
Throughout these 3 days there is space to discuss the reality of a 'Fortress Europe', of detention camps and different kinds of repression on 'illegal' people, and to share experiences in the struggle for equal rights and global freedom of movement for all. In the setting of Ecotopia we will also look into the reasons and effects of urban-rural/rural-urban migrations and address the global increase of environmental refugees.


Community
Ecotopia is horizontally and self-organized. It brings an alternative and environmentally-friendly way of living and organizing into practice: DIY (do-it-yourself), consensus decision-making, waste recycling, a vegetarian/vegan organic kitchen and the usage of alternative energies as much as possible. It is strictly forbidden to use non-ecological stuff (soap,shampoo etc) in the camp. Everyone is asked to involve themselves in decision-making processes, the daily creation of the program and the running of the camp. During the 2 weeks, participants can use Ecotopia as a platform to spread information in the area and to organize local actions or cleanups.


Location
Aljezur is a small town in the south of Portugal situated in the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park in the Algarve region. The landscape is dominated by cliffs, clear sand and dunes. It is known for its archaeological and historical richness. Once founded by Arabs in the 10th century, the Aljezur of today has a mixed population of 2700 inhabitants. Most Aljezurians make their living from traditional agriculture with sweet potato and peanut being typical products for this region.


Alternative Economics
Ecotopia's economics are based on the Ecorates system - an alternative economic system developed by EYFA, which is based on living standards and income of people rather than financial markets. Ecorates currency is used in Ecotopia and in many other meetings and magazine subscriptions with the aim to create fair prices to balance the economical differences between countries. Please help us update the Ecorates by filling in the Ecorates
questionnaire Thank you! For more information on ecorates see www.eyfa.org/ecorates


Take part
We would like to invite everyone interested to come and want to contribute to the program by giving workshops, presentations, discussions and screenings on the theme of migrations and any other interesting topic or environmental issue. Groups and individuals are welcome to present their work, and also to network and plan meetings within Ecotopia.
If you plan to attend Ecotopia please
register online and if you also plan to give a workshop please fill in the workshop form
If you need a visa to come to Ecotopia, please contact Salome (
salomeribeiro@gaia.org.pt) till 30st of June 2007 the latest, better NOW!
If you want to apply for travel reimbursement, please fill in the registration form before 2nd of July 2007.


Prepcamp (23rd of June - 4th of August 2007 )
Every year, before Ecotopia starts, there is a
Preparation Camp of 1-2 weeks in the venue for setting up the infrastructure of the camp. This year Ecotopia Prep-Camp will start 23rd of June 2007. If you want to participate the PrepCamp, please mention this while filling in the online registration forms.

One of the best ways to come to Ecotopia has always been the Ecotopia Biketour.

Bring your projects, ideas, creativity and your tent to Ecotopia!!


EYFA & GAIA
ecotopia@eyfa.org

www.ecotopiagathering.org/

www.gaia.org.pt

www.eyfa.org