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Radical indy conference to put people power on the agenda

This opinion piece is over 7 years old
 

Civil society activists will gather at a special RIC conference to plot the way forward for people power in Scotland

A special Radical Independence conference has been called to discuss, debate and plan action to put people powered solutions at the centre of the crisis of the British state and Europe.

The event will put the democratic deficit and the radical the post-Brexit situation in context, with speakers from across Europe, England, Scotland, the workers movement and youth.

A range of participants covering campaign groups, academics, trade unions, international guests and MPs and MSPs will be talking about the failure of British politics to change the lives of ordinary people, and how we can do things differently.

Over 40 speakers have confirmed so far in what promises to be a staging post in the development of a coherent transformative strategy for the years to come.

This is an ideal event for third sector organisations to attend to engage this broad and important day of discussion, and to build networks and contacts

Topics include building a new economy, working out an alternative Foreign policy and land reform. There will be debates on Corbyn and independence, as well as the contours of the new political context after Brexit with familiar faces from the Scottish political scene and new speakers as well.

In addition we will discuss and debate the changing terrain on which we must build a new grassroots movement for independence. With a combination of plenaries, workshops, debates and facilitated sessions to organise practical activity, this event aspires to raise challenging questions and provide inspiration for building a progressive independence strategy.

Organisers have gone the extra mile to make this event more than a reconvention. We will hear from French anti-racist activists, from the Catalonian radical left, from the repeal the 8th movement in Ireland and from people who have been at the sharp end of racism and neoliberalism.

And we will go further than Europe. We will hear from the recent mass strike of 150 million workers in India – we’ve even got a special documentary film being made from the North Dakota pipeline protests.

In essence Saturday’s conference seeks to raise the vision that was so well articulated in 2014 in a way that fits with the new situation we face today.

It is about putting radical ideas into the debate about Scotland’s future, and marrying that with the commitment and skills of a broad range of activists and grassroots initiatives. It is a coming together of a movement of movements so that ideas can be shared and priorities discussed.

This is an ideal event for third sector organisations to attend to engage this broad and important day of discussion, and to build networks and contacts. Already over 200 people from across Scotland have pre-booked their tickets for the day.

View the speakers, and get your tickets here.

Jonathon Shafi is a Radical Independence Campaign organiser.