* Workshop Announcement *
- please distribute globally -
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Seeking an Effective Democratic
Response to Globalization
and Corporate Power
an international workshop for activist leaders
Summer 1998, Canada -- details available soon
Organized by: Citizens for a Democratic Renaissance
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WHO WE ARE...
We are an informal association of concerned citizens from around the
world who are dedicated to overcoming corporate domination through the
revitalization of constitutional democracy.
OUR MISSION...
is to work with people and organizations everywhere to help
bring about an historic transition from this "Era of Corporate Hegemony"
to a new "Era of Democratic Renaissance".
WHY WE ARE SPONSORING THIS WORKSHOP...
The purpose of the workshop is to begin a global consensus-building
process among diverse activist groups -- to develop a shared perspective
on globalization and a common strategy for effective democratic counter-
measures. This process will be continued in larger follow-on conferences
and in other ways, aiming toward the the creation of a potent political
movement...
The Global Coalition for a Democratic Renaissance
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Manifesto for a
Democratic Renaissance
(1) Corporate globalization is leading the world to disaster and
something MUST be done about it. Corporate influence has corrupted
our democracies, undermined our sovereignties, bankrupted our govern-
ments and is destroying the very earth our survival depends upon.
(2) The very success of corporate globalism in subjugating everyone
to its agenda has created the potential for a massive counter-movement,
a peaceful democratic counter-revolution on a global scale.
(3) Political activists must rise to the challenge of this strategic
opportunity -- it is time to move beyond our special-interest
causes and find a path to solidarity and the collaborative pursuit
of shared objectives. Foremost among our tasks is to build bridges
across the gulfs dividing factions such as liberals & conservatives,
believers & non-believers, labor & environmentalists, etc.
We are all in this together!
(4) Overcoming corporate globalism calls for more than protest or
resistance -- it requires a different vision for the world, a
coherent agenda which can provide sustainable prosperity and
which avoids chaos during the historic transition.
(5) That vision and agenda must be based on the establishment of
healthy democratic processes in our individual nations and on
the realization that sustainable economics and respect for the
environment are not just good ideas, but are rather necessities
for human survival.
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About the workshop..
This initial workshop will be very small, limited to approximately
fifty invited delegates. We are seeking a "representative sample"
of activist leaders from every corner of the world, representing
diverse constituencies and all walks of life. This workshop will be
held in English, but we are developing the capability to support
multiple languages in future events.
The reason for the small size is to ensure that everyone will be heard
and to encourage an atmosphere of comradarie and focused endeavor.
Workshop deliberations will be based on the principle of consensus,
ensuring that no one is coerced and that no viewpoints are ignored.
The workshop will be one week in duration. Meals and accommodations
will be provided on-site and local volunteers will enable us to keep
workshop fees to a minimum. Staff and other locals, including indigenous
tribal members, will join us for evening activities, which will emphasize
sharing of cultural traditions through conversation, music, dance, and
story telling.
A web page on our server will be dedicated to the workshop, and daily
bulletins will be published, including session reports and delegate
interviews. An email list will be dedicated to discussion of the
workshop, and netizens everywhere are invited to participate remotely
via these facilities.
A professional and unobtrusive film crew will be in attendance to record
selected workshop activities and to interview delegates and others.
A broadcast-quality documentary will be produced to promote the coalition
and will be made available at a nominal fee for non-commercial use. We
will also seek broadcast, cable, and video distribution worldwide.
The workshop process will begin before the workshop actually convenes.
As delegates are recruited, email and fax will be used to introduce
delegates to one another and to begin substantive discussions.
Session details will be settled in this way and a draft manifesto
will be developed on a collaborative basis.
Sessions will generally begin with a panel presentation and then open
up to general discussion. We will break up into smaller groups fre-
quently to enable all delegates to contribute and to facilitate the
consensus process. Session descriptions may change depending on
delegate interest and willingness to participate on panels.
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Provisional session descriptions...
* OPENING CEREMONY - traditional spiritual-alignment
ceremony led by local indigenous tribal leaders
* GETTING ACQUAINTED - delegate self-intros, description
of activities and organizations, statement of intentions
regarding workshop and coalition; discussion of workshop
process and agenda
* GLOBALIZATION AND CORPORATE POWER - presentation:
capsule history of corporate power and the rise of globalization,
with an emphasis on sovereignty and democracy; discussion of
globalization and its consequences; special presentation by anti-
MAI activist delegates
* POLITICS AND DEMOCRACY - comparison of political and
electoral systems in delegates' countries; discussion of reform
agendas; discussion of media propaganda and the growth of
factionalism; special presentation on Cuban system by Cuban
delegate(s)
* INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - presentation: capsule history
of imperialism, the postwar pax-americana regime, and hi-tech
neo-interventionism; discussion of the linkage between these
developments and globalization generally, especially in light
of (elite strategist) Samuel P. Huntington's KulturKampf agenda;
special focus on Middle East, including delegates from that
region
* TOWARD A SENSIBLE WORLD - panel reports and general dis-
cussion of ecosystems, economics, technology, sustainability, and
prosperity; discussion of reform agendas and priorities;
discussion
of how to implement reform incrementally, without causing chaos
in the process; discussion of international relations based on
the
paradigm of collaboration
* ADOPTION OF CONSENSUS MANIFESTO - discussion,
amendment, and adoption of documents which have been
previously developed via email, fax, etc. by delegates
* COALITION LAUNCH - for those delegates who are ready to
commit, there will be a ceremonial declaration of collaborative
solidarity in pursuit of the goals of the manifesto. These
delegates will then be the charter members of:
The Global Coalition for a Democratic Renaissance
* GETTING ON WITH THE REVOLUTION - discussion of
coalition-building and of movement strategy; identification
of initial constituencies to be recruited to the coalition;
break up into affinity groups to discuss joint endeavors and
to commit to initial joint objectives; reconvene and discuss
reports of affinity groups; closing discussion
* CLOSING CEREMONY - traditional endeavor-blessing
ceremony led by local indigenous tribal leaders
* farewell "rebel-rousing" party in honor of staff
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If you are interested...
If you are an activist leader who is interested in being a delegate, if
you want to recommend a candidate, or if you want to be kept in the
loop on developments -- please contact us at •••@••.•••.
And please visit our our website "cj/cadre", more formally known as
http://cyberjournal.org/cadre
Sincerely Yours,
Citizens for a Democratic Renaissance (CADRE)
Richard K. Moore •••@••.•••
Freelance writer & political analyst
US citizen residing in Ireland
Editor, •••@••.•••
Chair, CADRE
Co-author, cj/cadre
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful
committed citizens can change the world,
indeed it's the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead
Carolyn Ballard •••@••.•••
Freelance writer, South Carolina, USA
Co-author & editor, cj/cadre
"You write in order to change the world. The world
changes according to the way people see it, and if you
can alter, even by a millimeter, the way...people look
at
reality, then you can change it."
- James Baldwin
Jan Slakov •••@••.•••
Peace and environmental activist, Nova Scotia, Canada
Liaison to organizations affiliated with CADRE
"Returning violence for violence multiplies violence,
adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of
stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light
can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can
do that."
-Martin Luther King
Chris Thorman •••@••.•••
Administrator, cyberjournal.org
"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it;
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it."
- Goethe
________________________________________________________________
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Restore democratic sovereignty.
Create a sane and livable world.
Bring corporate globalization under control.
Citizens for a Democratic Renaissance
http://cyberjournal.org/cadre
mailto:•••@••.•••
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