Emergency: The first permanent European Peoples’ Assembly is in trouble
6.February - 23.February
Democracy and civil society are under attack. That’s not hyperbole, but a troubling reality from the USA to the EU. Once democracy is gone, your and my rights are next. One way to push back is to strengthen citizens. But, the flagship project to do this, the European Peoples’ Assembly, is in severe trouble. Can you chip in here and help out?
Dear all!
You are all hearing the news from the USA, where the richest man on the planet, Elon Musk, is taking over the US government agency by agency. Unelected, but extremely powerful, he is now in control of the machine room that protects the rights of US citizens and already pledged to tear it apart.
In Europe, a powerful and extremely well-funded lobby campaign wants to cut out civil society organisations from decision-making. Organizations that protect your rights and your voice!
This is how we fight back
As Europe Calling we teamed up with over 300 civil society organisations and individuals to organize the fight-back. We say: In a time, where billionaires are turning our democracies into their personal kingdoms, citizens like you need to come together and become a strong voice against the sprawling oligarchs.
This is why we helped set up the first European Peoples’ Assembly to become a permanent place of the people and counter-balance the power of unelected big money and media.
In just two weeks, the second session of this groundbreaking assembly will take place in Florence, with people from all over Europe joining.
But the constant attack on civil society means that funding from institutions is drying up and the organizers are forced to decide whether to make the event available by livestream to everyone or to have interpretation so that people understand each other.
This is why we turn on you as citizens for our last hope because all other sources of funding are gone. Can you chip in and help us make this assembly a sign of democratic push-back?
Not convinced? Here is the message I got from the team in Florence preparing the assembly:
“Max! This really is an emergency. Let me explain why: Language interpretation is critically important to ensure that the deliberations take place seamlessly, in a way that the debate can flow organically from one person to another without language barriers. Right now, we are facing a budget gap for the Florence assembly, one that is forcing us to imagine alternative ways to translate for the participants (for instance, through whispering translation). This would be not only inefficient but might also impact the overall ability to explore all commonly agreed points – also for a matter of time.
At the same time, a travelling Assembly also needs to connect with the people of the other cities the Assembly has either already travelled to (Athens), or will in the next months (Vienna). This requires livestreaming, which we accompany with a digital platform where Assembly Members (and you!) can discuss as the Assembly unfolds.”
An assembly, where people don’t understand each other without barriers doesn’t work, and an assembly nobody notices outside of Florence doesn’t make sense.
Can you help to make both reality?
Thank you so much for your support! Every donation, large or small will make a difference.
With European greetings,
Maximilian Fries on behalf of Europe Calling & the Democratic Odyssey