What is this project about?
We are finding ourselves in times of multiple overlapping crises, huge amounts of power being accrued by private businesses and nation states and rampant political and social polarisation. At the same time we are also seeing a great amount of individuals and groups with a wish to contribute to regenerating the social, political, economic and ecological systems on this planet. People are getting engaged, some very intensely, others just a bit. With a diversity of topics being brought to the collective attention, it can seem as though there is too much that needs to change in too short of a time. We can feel as though we need to be part of 5 different groups to satisfy our own need for making a contribution and feel in integrity with our values. We also notice that this way of doing things doesn’t check out. People get overwhelmed, exhausted and drop out of political engagement just as regularly as new members join. Civil society is stagnating in a time where we desperately need it to thrive.
“Wherever there is uncertainty, there is a possibility.”
Joanna Macy
At CAN, we believe this turbulent moment presents an opportunity: by collaborating across different causes, civic initiatives can strengthen their individual efforts. This doesn’t require unifying around a single goal, but rather being strategic with resources and having a clear plan to convert them into the power needed to achieve their specific objectives. Each group can then approach others with clarity about their needs. This collaborative mindset -considering resources beyond one’s own group in planning – may be unfamiliar to some and could take some practise to master.
Additionally, we envisions this space as a catalyst for self-organised collaborations, where people from different organisations discover synergies and concrete ways to work together or share resources, even outside the Open Space sessions. Beyond this event, CAN offers various forms of support to help groups or collaborations in their engagement. Whether you’re stuck or have an idea you want to bring to life, we may be able to provide assistance or guide you in the right direction. Through these efforts, we aim to foster the flourishing of a vast network of active groups and individuals, contributing to the unification of civil society’s strengths.
Hard Facts
Target Group: Active citizens, initiatives and groups
Content: The agenda is co-created via Open Space Technology
Location: Venue in Vienna
Frequency: Every 3 months
Duration: Saturday and Sunday, usually from 10am to 6pm with a long lunch break
Costs: no costs for participants
Current version
previous versions of cross-movement open space
This cycle of events started in November 2023. Within one year 4 editions of the event took place, each with 40 to 80 participants. We are establishing this space as a long term presence in Austrian Civil Society, because we believe that structure can liberate dormant potential.
Questions?
If you are interested to hear more or would like to be part of the Cross-Movement Open Space team reach out to team@civilaction.net.
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