Plenaries

The ESU starts on Wednesday with the opening event. In her speech, Birgit Mahnkopf will explore the question: "The world is changing - but where to? - What goals can be derived from this for the European social movements?". The lecture deals with the major crisis context, which is emerging as an ecological and economic crisis, as well as a crisis in our food, health and social systems, and which is being exacerbated by geopolitical conflicts. It addresses the common causes of these crises and tries to make clear that and why we are feeding on "tipping points" in human development at a frightening pace. The opening event will be rounded off with a cultural contribution under the motto: "Who we are - What we want". In a colorful sequence, the participating groups and topics will be presented in various artistic ways.

Moderation: Maria Wahle, Sonja Taubert – Speakers*: Dr. Thomas Grünewald, Felix Wolfgang Heinrichs (Lord Mayor of the City of Mönchengladbach), Prof. Birgit Mahnkopf

Strategy debate - Mosaic, Rainbow, Unity

The strategy debate aims to examine the possibilities of political influence of social movements in a plenary session and to find the most effective form of organisation for this. Starting from the social contradictions and the common political answers, the current situation and the development perspective of the left will be discussed. The possibilities of cooperation between NGOs, trade unions and left parties will be examined. The narrative of the left will be questioned: Capitalism and ecology or exploitation? Or something quite different from self-determined life?
And how do we organise the struggles? March separately - strike united; organisational unity and leadership? Or loose network structures and open spaces? The answers are essential for the social movements.

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Andreas Fisahn – Speakers*: Marga Ferré, Alexandra Strickner, Prof. Ulrich Brandt

Closing event - Résumé, perspectives, goodbye!

After four days of political discussions, with music, theatre, dance and party, but also with an impressive action to save climate and environment, we take stock together. Have we found answers to the urgent questions in our struggle for a better world, for a peaceful Europe, for the avoidance of a climate catastrophe? Have we succeeded in joining forces across borders, in making new friends? The perspective of the social movements, their next joint actions will be presented.

Moderation: summary and outlook: Maria Wahle and Sonja Taubert, Attac Germany
Speech by Manon Aubry, Chair of the Left Group in the European Parliament, NUPES France „Joint perspectives of left movements for a democratic Europe“
Speech by Tommaso Fattori, 20 years ESF, Italy „Where Europe goes? Goals and strategies“

Goodbye! Auf Wiedersehen! Au revoir ! До свидания! ¡Adiós! Αντίο! Adjö!

What we want:

We feminists, LGBTI and queer persons require a safe space in social movements where we can link our identity concerns to a structural critique of neoliberal globalisation.

We want to take up the long-standing topics of feminist critique - gendered forms of employment, global value chains, sexual violence, paid and unpaid care work, credits and debt - and discuss their relevance for the reproduction of economic and political power structures and social inequalities.

In this historic situation, we want to learn from each other and build alliances with anti-racist, anti-colonial and peace movements in Europe and internationally, aiming at a new feminist internationalism.