EYFA – the European Youth For Action Network (one of the radical roots of the european environmental movement and key node in providing resources for social movements in Europe) is celebrating 25th years. Folks are collecting memories and anecdotes, here is mind, Mayo

EYFA = Happiness + Love + Friendship + Gratitude + School of political maturity skills + Accumulative knowledge + Resilience

If someone would ask me which has been the more complete and positive (even if sometime difficult) experience in my life, EYFA would came to my mind and subsequently an smile would appear in my fase.

EYFA has been a very important and significant for my formation, both on a personal and political perspective.

In 2001-02, I was involved in the Movement of Global Resistance of Catalunya; we also as part of People Global Action network, were involved in promoting a Social European Consulta (inspired by the Zapatist Consulta); in order to promote its internationally I though to ask EYFA to host me in the office for some months and help me to spread the project though EYFA network, and EYFA said yes!. I went to live to Amsterdam. The office was in a transitional period, a bit in a loose mode, but a series of coincidence of new people and projects arriving creates a very dynamic working group, I enjoyed so much that I finally stayed for almost two years. Even if I believed “in principle” before, in EYFA I fully understand and experience my self that principles such as consensus decision making, horizontal structures, community projects, radical action … are not incompatible with large scale international networks and with persistence over time, with going beyond moments of mobilization and develop more consolidated infrastructure. I learned many skills (fundraising, international sustainable camps organizing etc.), but importantly I learn to work and do with others under principles of equality, collective driven, personal being politics, that being in community (Viva Ecotopia!!!!) could be very magic, and love. EYFA gave me the context where to met and learn from people who afterward has became part of my best friends and which I keep connected and in periods doing projects together since them: Mariel, Albi, Irina, Amaranta (even if from ASEED office), Sonia, Natasha, Kevin and a long etc. etc. etc. etc. But EYFA is also a lesson of hope in terms of being able to hold, this, my experience, but also to build a line and to be a container of accumulative learning and knowledge – when I was in EYFA I could understand how “my” EYFA (what I was learning and the tools and resources I could and could enjoy building upon) was the result of the sum and building upon the many EYFAs of the people who was there before with your same radical principles, able to keep the fighter over time – and you can feel and notice that. Now EYFA is doing 25 years – and it keeps me transmitting me so much happiness that this process of learning and accumulation of savvy for radical action keeps alive and continue, keep connecting us – I can not feel more than a very deep gratitude for so much!. Congratulations and thanks to everyone who has ever contribute to it!

Hola! Hello! Ciao!

On Tuesday, November 22, 2011 12:30 pm I did a presentation at the Berkman Center Luncheon Series on The Spanish Revolution & the Internet: From free culture to meta-politics. I enjoyed the discussion. If you would like to see or take an idea of it here below there is the audio-video recording, tweets exchange and notes (thanks to Berkman tech team and Sasha Costanza-Chock).
Comments welcome! Mayo

+ Video and audio recording: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/interactive/events/luncheon/2011/11/morell

+ Liveblogged Notes by Sasha Costanza-Chock: http://civic.mit.edu/blog/schock/the-spanish-revolution-the-internet-from-free-culture-to-meta-politics
Summary:
From Berkman Center webpage: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/luncheon/2011/11/morell

In the context of multiple crises – ecological, political, financial and geopolitical restructuring – there are emerging forms of social cooperation.

In the Spanish case, we have seen some of the largest demonstrations since the country made its transition to democracy in the 70s with massive occupations of public squares, attempts to prevent parliaments’ functioning and citizen assemblies of thousands of people taking place in spring and autumn 2011. Large mobilizations are also taking place in other countries (such as Arab countries, Iceland, Greece, and more recently the United States). In the Spanish case, the Free Culture and Digital Commons Movement played an important role in the rising and shaping of the mobilization. The campaign against “Sinde Law” (on restrictive Internet regulation) in December 2010 and its afterworld meta-political derivation into “Don’t vote them” campaign (meaning do not vote for the parties which approved Sinde law) are considered a starting point and one of the trajectories that most contributed to the generation of the “Indignate”/15th of May mobilization cycle for a “True Democracy Now”. Additionally, the Free Culture and Digital Commons Movement has influenced the organizational logic of the “Indignate” mobilization (particularly in terms of new technologies usage for the collective achievement of common goals); however, in turn, the “Indignate” mobilization has also stressed a split between two sectors in the Free Culture and Digital Commons Movement itself (the performative one focusing on building commons keeping a political ambivalence and the campaigning sector aiming to mobilize citizens and intervene in the institutional politics arena).

In sum, Mayo Fuster Morell will first present the role of the Free Culture and Digital Commons Movement in the genealogy of the “Indignate” Movement in Spanish State. Then, she will analyze the commonalities and differences between both emerging forms of social cooperation (contrasting “digital commons” initiatives such as Wikipedia and “society commons” initiatives such as Square Occupations) that together suggest a shift to a more active role of civic society in the network society.

The presentation will be based on the results of previous/ongoing qualitative and quantitative research on the Free Culture and Digital Commons Movement and the “Indignate” Movement, and develop a political analysis.