Climate activism group Extinction Rebellion have announced a Bristol based festival, Spring Uprising, next weekend to train the next generation of activists.
Georgina Wilson-Powell
Thu 7 Mar 2019
The first ever British festival of rebellion, activism and music will take place next weekend (15-16 March) in Bristol, aimed at training mass groups people in peaceful nonviolent civil disobedience and disruption to help bring about action on climate change at every level.
Over the last year the grassroots group, Extinction Rebellion, has disrupted events and traffic, blocked bridges and organised hundreds of local protests to highlight that now is the time to act to head off our own extinction. It has revitalised our strong history of protesting, put it back in the hands of locally organised groups and kept the fight to stop climate change in the headlines.
From next week that purpose is picked up by even more people.
Fancy learning how to be a proper protester for the planet?
Down at Motion in Bristol, up to 1,000 people at a time will be trained in non-violent direct action plus there will be a 'Solutions Zone', a space to make and share art themed around the ecological crisis. (The best 20 will be taken on an Extinction Rebellion art tour this summer to galleries and festivals), and an art factory to create protest signs, banners and activism up your clothing.
The Solutions Zone will include ideas around permaculture, co-operatives, renewable energy, grassroots democracy, land regeneration, housing and health, food for a future, water conservation, zero waste and zero carbon, circular economies, community building, solidarity in diversity, global justice, sustainable materials, skilling up, technological solutions, independent media and more.
An ethical, plastic free food area, a Sanctuary and leadership training programmes completes the two day activism festival.
“This is the next step in our response to the threat to life we all face, a potentially life changing event for attendees. Let’s celebrate coming together, get trained, organised and have a damn good time doing it,” said festival organiser, Tiana Jacout.
“With thousands of people coming together to face the climate and ecological emergency, this event is intended to help people prepare, organise and celebrate for this historic moment in time together. It will also give individuals the opportunity to find and critically analyse their role in the movement for change.”
Will 2019 be a year of protest for you?
The event is supported by long standing independent festival and gig organisers, Boomtown Festival, Buddhafield, Ninja Tune Records, Alfresco Disco, The Green Gathering, Woman Fest and Burn Punk - and rebelling in every form is what we're talking about.
Em Weirdigan, Green Gathering festival director and Solutions Zone curator says: "I'm massively excited to be part of a movement that's about rebellion, about civil disobedience ... and about seeking practical answers alongside people who've been working on solutions to climate change and community breakdown for years.
“By rebelling, we can catapult both the severity of the crisis and the fact that there are solutions into the spotlight. Just like The Green Gathering, this Spring Uprising is a festival beyond hedonism - it's about gathering together to save the planet."
Want to find out more? In the UK, Join the Rebellion Network and let us know how you can help out.
Are you part of Extinction Rebellion? Are you thinking of joining? Tag us in any activity with #everydayactivism and we'll share.
What is Extinction Rebellion?
Here's everything you need to know
Extinction Rebellion believes it is a citizen’s duty to rebel, using peaceful civil disobedience, when faced with criminal inactivity by its government. The group's topline demands are:
- The Government must admit the truth about the ecological emergency, reverse all policies inconsistent with addressing climate change, and work alongside the media to communicate with citizens
- The Government must enact legally binding policy measures to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2025 and to reduce consumption levels
- A national Citizen’s Assembly must be created, to oversee the changes, as part of creating a democracy fit for purpose.
Click here for the Extinction Rebellion's Declaration of Rebellion.
