[Cja] CJA Minutes 28-29.8.2010

Tue Sep 7 08:28:41 UTC 2010

Hello people, 
Here are the minutes from the last CJA meeting--only the summary is in the e-mail; the full minutes are attached.Happy reading! 

CJA Meeting Minutes – 28-29 August 2010, Veghel, The
Netherlands               

Present: 1 from
Belgium, 1 from France, 5 from Germany, 5 from Netherlands, 2 from UK

New
CJA description/statement of purpose—still provisional (i.e. “the
sentence”):  

(Undertaken
to make purpose clear to those currently involved and those looking to join
network; aims and principles on the website remain unchanged, at least for the
time being.)

CJA
is a transnational non hierarchical direct action network that serves as a
resource base for exchange of experiences and seeks to connect and give visibility to localised struggles. We consider ourselves part of the broader
movements for climate and social justice. Anyone agreeing to and acting in
accordance with our aims and principles can be part of the CJA network by
taking action at the local/regional level. CJA commits to having regular
electronic and face-to-face organisational and strategy meetings to link our
struggles for climate justice. All are invited to become an active part to the process!      

General Summary: 

Future of CJA, what CJA
should be: We see ourselves as an umbrella organization and
network with internet platform to connect different struggles and make
everything visible. We also need face-to-face networks to maintain real
networks. Feeling that CJA is very important for local groups to have, also on
a discursive and movement building level. Needed for local groups to connect to
and if we keep the network, we can continue building and adapt when situations
call for it. It is also much easier for press work and messaging and calling
out for larger actions. Lists are also very important. 

-i.e.: Keep structure
there for strategic purposes, but need to re-invent the base of the network and
improve contacts so people know who is where and what is going on. 

-CJA as name with
principles: if you stick to the principles you can call yourself CJA no matter
where you are in the world. It is however more the actions that unite us than
principles.

-Major goal: find out
new ways of letting people in, it’s quite closed now. 

-We don’t want the
network to say what local networks should do – everyone agrees that it’s about
connecting.

What we want the network
to look like: 

-International network
sharing direct action experiences

-giving visibility to
local activities (inspiration for other groups)

-linking with indigenous
peoples struggles

-solidarity with global
south

-stop coal

-connection to other
struggles/movements (Antifa, No Borders, Anti-Austerity etc…)

How to
achieve/what needs to be done:  

-website: connecting
websites/resources from other areas and groups; umbrella site, open to others;
open access publishing tool (decentralized). 

-face-to-face meetings

-provide
workshops/trainings

-media resources
(videos/publications). 

-outreach

October 12: E-mail to check in with groups to be sent to list by Sept 6—please use
and distribute! Goal is to gather information about what going on and possibly
motivate more actions; ask what groups would like to publish on the website.
People present are responsible for contacting groups that are listed in minutes
but if others have other contacts please also send to them! We need to
coordinate decentrally! Or write directly to CJA address (info at climate-justice-action.org) to update the website! Also ask for an email address to stay in
contact after October 12, remind about 1000 Cancuns. 

-We don’t want to join
350.org because of their 10/10 campaign in the UK. 

-16 October: LVC day
against Monsanto

1000 Cancuns:  La Via Campesina have put out a call for 1,000 Cancun around the world;
Diagolo Climatico are also organizing caravans around Mexico in the build-up to
Cancun. Local actions encouraged—as CJA we will talk about it after Oct 12
(electronically) while also using Oct 12 experiences to judge capacity, purpose
of network and ways of going forward

Website working group: Wordpress site to be up by Sept 6, with interactive map for listing of
actions. Planning for new permanent site with social media features and
actualisation of “groups involved” after Oct 12 action week. Designers to have
most say—you are awesome! 

Media working group: we will not organize key
messages/spokespeople but probably want to organise a press pack/do want basic
info about CJA and the day/week of action as well as tips for groups new to
media work on the website… But not give CJA ‘quotes.’ Local groups organizing
actions will be their own spokespeople. Similar stance likely for 1,000
Cancuns—to be discussed. 

Outreach working group: This is where the most long term work needs to be done. For now we
will focus on outreach for October 12 and then move on to outreach for CJA in
general.

-Need to find out what’s
out there, what groups are doing in other countries, there is a lot happening
that we don’t hear about. Also need to communicate our definition of climate
justice, connect with other movements and make alliances. We also need to update
list of organisations and do outreach/cold-calling with a specific event and
ask people to get more actively involved. 

-This mapping process would be a huge job and we need to make sure that
it is connected with action and follow-up. But this will be a good exercise to
see what we are as a network, and we see if we can actually do work as a
network. Would give us an enormous database as well. 

-We can start a European mapping process around October 12, to expand
after based on strategy, direction and capacity.

-Workshops are a good way to reach out to other groups and other
struggles about climate justice and how it is related to other struggles:
suggestion for people to present CJA/climate justice at other gatherings—shared presentation on website? 

-Maybe have a bigger
meeting sometime next year, maybe bigger than just CJA and more about climate
justice to bring in other groups. 

-Linking struggles conceptually might make more
sense than trying to get people directly involved in CJA

- It's intransparent how to get involved with CJA,
so maybe we have a responsibility to reach out in our own networks to get
people involved.

Action proposal:
European Climate camp at some point? 

Funding working group:  We still have c. 3,000 Euros,
bank account to be organised.

-We need money for the website, materials, design,
activist packs, subsidized travel for meetings and outreach 

-Preliminary position to EU or business (i.e. Lush)
funding: If we apply and get it, then we can decide if it’s acceptable or not. 

-Funding working group established, to look for funding opportunities,
make a list and figure out what the process will involve

Process working group: will follow up on tasks undertaken; make sure next meeting happens.

FoE Drop-By: CJN is looking to do a global assembly next year in February/March to
discuss future strategy, what will the relationship to the summits be, etc... They want to have a broader climate justice
discussion rather than just CJN or CJA. (Feeling?)

Next meeting: Longer to be able
to adequately discuss basic issues, also further strategy and outreach/movement
building work. 4-5 days in Jan or Feb, likely in Paris    

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