Winter Meeting 2013

(Berlin, MAR 22-25, 2013)

12 people form all over Europe met recently in Berlin, to begin planning Biketour 2013. Below is the agenda and a summary of what was discussed (the longer version is 20 pages!!!!) The topics will continue on this wiki and on the BT Orgisers list. Announcements will be made via the blog (main website) and the Main Mailing list.

Email info@ecotopiabaiketour.net if you want to join the main mailing list.

You can also see some pics from the weekend here: [1]

Topic 1: Theme: “Borders...”

• WHAT; Migrant Struggles; Fortress Europe; physical borders and ownership of space; social; psychological; on and offline borders; the virtual and cultural borders.

• HOW; by having a strong focus(s) on what we can achieve; being sensitive to local border perception.Visiting historical and modern day border struggles and traces.

• Action suggestions raged from joining up with existing actions such as the Berlin Wall / East Side Gallery or refugee protests; creating moc border control points; bespoke passports; comparing policies; finding commonalities and sharing skills and cultures, stories; recording and documenting them as radio / video / blog posts and e-activisim tactics.

Slogan words brainstorm: commons / community / borders, boundaries and beyond / recycling borders / rethink borders / cultural exchange /granica, hranic, Granit, Grenze, granični / mapping, remap borders /reclaim / open (your borders, boundaries) / identities / identify your borders/boundaries / .. of the commons / geh an deine Grenze(n)! / Allmende / iron wheels / limits / crossing / terre / pedal movement / paddle / libre (freedom) / movement (body, social)

We have a consensus about 'Borders, Boundaries and Beyond' as a (broad) theme, but are yet to find a snappy slogan and focus our campaigns

Topic 2: Legacy

Question of what we want to achieve on the tour and leave behind: With the people, places and regions we visit, as well as our with own participants.

Brainstorming: support specific campaigns; helping projects physically; learning; skills sharing; doing extraordinary things together

HOW : spontaneity; balance chaos and organisation; space for new people; ensure there is buffer time; dealing with a specific topic or focus at different places; propaganda; kick off workshops and a finale / psychological end goal.

Topic 3: Ethos

Agreed to continue with a vegan common diet and suggestion for 1 week minimum tour participation.

Added an additional Biketour Ethos - to aim towards using Free, Libre and Open Source Sofware as much as possible and support anti-e-capitalism.

Topic 4: Communication

Discussed current BT communication methods including design, language issues, a BT video and current online communication tools. (related: Topic 4 point 3)

Language: Discussed language issues on the Main mailing list & BT in general - currently mainly in English. Aim to translate texts to ‘at least’ the languages of the countries we pass through plus French & Spanish.

BT Video: Discussed BT footage from 2012 and the plan to make short films using FLOS software; the potential to use video in 2013; and how to deal with requests from external filmmakers and privacy issues.

Other Online Tools: (this discussion was as a sub group of 4 pple)

Discussed current use of online tools and apps for the BT (See topic 4: BT Morals, anti E-Capitalism). Outlined what tools the BT currently has and began brainstorming for FLOS Alternatives to be continued on the Wiki.

http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Suggestions_for_FLOS_biketour_IC_tools

http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Arguments_for_FLOS_biketour_ICTs

Agreed to push this as an agenda for 2013; to be sensitive to the high traffic gained through facebook last year; and to test the alternatives and agree collectively before switching them.

Topic 5: Coordination / BT Orgs

Discussion about how to ensure good communication with local coordinators when they are not personally known; how to support 2013 coordinators; and how to communicate within BT Org list.

Support to the 2013 coordinators: Discussed whether to have specific ‘mentors’ in replace of EVS and monthly / bi monthly VOIP meetings within BT Org list.

Topic 6: Route

Updated existing collected projects from a list to a hand drawn borderless map of Europe. Discussed route possibilities, dream routes and possible start / end points. Broadly agreed area of interest ((north)/northeastern Germany to somewhere in the region between the adriatic and the carpathian mountains, between the tatra and northern dinaric alps), from early or mid July for 2 - 2.5 months) Agreed to come to a decision re start / end point in roughly 1 month

http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/2013_route_page

Topic 7: Safety: Heavy shit going down on the chosen route

Discussed sensitive nature of border crossings, border regions and activities / staying close to borders. Since other people/collectives/activists have been dealing with these issues for years, we should not treat them lightly and prepare ourselves well.

Research more!

Topic 8: Money

Summarised what we still have in the kitty, what is owed and how to get it back. Discussed using banked funds for the coordinators until EVS issues are confirmed. Agreed to aim for a 1000euro minimum fundraising target and look into fundraising options, especially as this is the last year with (or without) EVS funding. Used some BT funds to refund those that needed help towards travel cost for the Winter meeting.

The issue was raised of how BT would ideally like to be sustainable / funded in the future - ie in a Degrowth way? It was decided to leave this wider discussion to a separate meeting - possibly in Autumn 2013.

Topic 9: Visas

Participants might require visas for all or differents parts of the tour. Organising the bike tour as such will already require all the exisiting capacities. BT will try to support anyone who wants to participate, but cannot mainly focus on this work. For people to have enough time for solving visa issues, the approximate route should be announced soon.

Topic 10: 2014 Greece...

One of the BT 2013 participants who applied last year to be coordinator formulated a proposal to the bt-org list, sketching to base the 2014 BT in Greece. He recently went to Greece for research and networking, which included finding two possible EVS host organisations.

Arguments for GR: GR (and CH) as one of the (bigger) european countries where BT has never been. Contacts in Thessaloniki to become EVS host organisation. They would also be interested in (a continuation of) this year's "border" topic, for which GR in general is a hot spot, too. Since EVS (in its current form) will run out as an EU programme, next year, we would have to act quickly to get another application through (deadline: MAY 1st, 2013. Or even another one on OCT 1st?). That's why it is discussed on this WM already and in detail.

Discussions about how to make choosing next coordinators democratic and transparent & Who is responsible to write applications? Decision to send the proposal to the BT org list for 2014 to be based in Greece; and for the second coordinator to be chosen this year during or at the Autumn meeting after the tour.

Topic 11: Autumn Meeting

Proposal to have an Autumn Meeting, after the tour to discuss longer term Biketour issues and allow old and new coordinators to begin planing for the following adventure!

This is the end of the minutes!!!!