November 2020: An uprising, action callout, skillshares and more free tools

POLAND RESISTANCE

The mass protests in Poland these past weeks have been all over the news, with activists fighting the government’s huge step backwards regarding abortion and healthcare rights for women in the country. Last Friday’s protest in Warsaw, where almost 100,000 people marched in solidarity with progressive democratic values, made international headlines.

As the rallies grew, President Andrzej Sebastian Duda backed down and proposed a new bill that would make abortion legal in case of some foetal defects, but the protesters continue their battle.

Visit the All-Poland Women’s Strike page through the link below to donate to their cause and show your solidarity with the groups pushing back against these draconian measures.

PARIS ACCORD 5TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Activists will be out on the streets for a day of action on December 12th to mark the 5-year anniversary of the Paris Accord.

Ende Gelände is hosting a few calls to explain the action concept and to figure out common messaging, hashtags, or symbols that can unite the various groups marking these dates. The first call, to kick off the coordination, is hosted online on BBB on 15th of November, at 18:00 (CET), and you can find the notes here.  And you and your group are all invited to join!

GLASGOW AGREEMENT

The purpose of the Glasgow Agreement is to reclaim the initiative from governments and international institutions by creating an alternative tool for climate justice action , as well as a space to discuss strategy and coordination for the climate and social justice movement. Read more on the draft agreement here and check out the list of the amazing groups that have already joined.

The first round signing ceremony will take place at the alternative summit to the COP26: “From the Ground Up: Global Gathering for Climate Justice.” You can register via the link below.

NEXT SKILLSHARE

There are better uses for Twitter than a president spreading hate. Sign up for our next skillshare this Wednesday the 18th of November at 19h00 (CET), where we’ll be running a workshop on how to use digital tools for political and corporate campaigning.

NEW: PHONE JAM TOOL

The second in our series of featured resources, the Phone Jam tool is a new addition to our open-source, unbranded, free-to-use campaigning platform. Where you could previously set up social storms, you’ll now be able to organise phone campaigns by having your friends, family, and fellow activists to call, SMS or WhatsApp your chosen target(s).

Bombard a company’s customer care with campaign messaging, dispense critical campaign messaging, or simply alert staff inside a building about on-going protests outside — Phone Jam is quick-to-deploy and easy-to-use to add to your arsenal of campaigning tools.

CASE OF THE MISSING PORTRAIT

Pauline Boyer is a French climate activist engaged in an ongoing battle against the Macron regime, and its inaction regarding the climate and social crisis. The organiser and spokesperson for Alternatiba is being put on trial at the Paris Court of Appeal for removing a portrait of the French president from a Parisian town hall, alongside seven other members of Action Non-violente COP21. Here she tells their story.

GO TO THE STORY

If you’ve got a story of ordinary people doing extraordinary things that you want us to amplify and show solidarity with, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by replying to us directly at [email protected] 

BY2020 CONFERENCE

By2020WeRiseUp will conclude towards the end of this year, with the European strategy conference being the last one they’ll organise. The conference will begin an important conversation about the future of collaboration in the European Climate Justice movement and a direction of travel to get it started. Together we’re stronger!

Use the button below to join the online conference on the afternoons of Friday the 27th and Saturday the 28th of November. The deadline to register is the 22nd of November.

CAMPAIGN SURGERY

If you’re stuck on an issue while planning a campaign/action or would like to get feedback from experienced activists, use the form below to join our Campaign Surgery, where we give you access to the collective knowledge, links, and expertise of our broad network.

We’ll bring together experienced people in the field to draw on their wealth of knowledge and help answer any burning questions you might have.

That’s it for now but you can always check our website www.europeanchangemakers.org for stories, webinars and tools.

Karl and the rest of the Changemakers team