Earth First! Summer Gathering 2006

international | environment | press release Saturday May 20, 2006 12:38 by ef summer gathering 2006 - Earth First! efgathering at aktivix dot org

The earth First! summer gathering will take place between wed 16th august and sun 20th august in west wales. The Earth First! Summer Gathering is the place where people involved in radical ecological direct action - or those who want to be involved - get together for five days of time and space to talk, walk, share skills, learn, play, rant, find out what's going on, find out what's next, live outside, strategise, hang out, incite, laugh and conspire.

The gathering site this year is nearer to many people in ireland then in theUK. It is not Very far from fishguard ferry port.

It would be great if anyone from Ireland wanted to come over. It would be an ideal place to makr better links between irish activists and those in the uk. Also if anyone wants to run any workshops let us know.

What is "Earth First"?

Earth First! is not a cohesive group or campaign, but a convenient banner for people who share similar philosophies to work under.

The general principles behind the name are non-hierarchical organisation and the use of direct action to confront, stop and eventually reverse the forces that are responsible for the destruction of Earth and its inhabitants

The first workshops start on Wednesday 16th August, but people will be on site setting up several days earlier, so please arrive early to help if you can. Help is needed setting up before the gathering and packing away afterwards.

From Wednesday lunchtime to Monday there will be a series of workshops and Gathering-wide discussions relating to ecological / direct action issues, and to the Earth First! movement / network / community. In the evenings there will be entertainment to suit all tastes (no banging party though!).

Over 90 workshops which will focus on sharing ideas and skills, talking about what we are and where we are going as a movement, how we connect to other forms of resistance in the UK and globally, planning campaigns and networking for all aspects of ecological resistance.
Round-ups of national and international radical activity - find out what groups around the country and further afield are up to.
Practical activities, skill-sharing and training, such as climbing, self-defence, wild food foraging and arrest role-play.
Evening entertainments to suit all tastes, including films, speakers, a quiet café, ceilidh, comedy and an open mic night.
A kid's area, where it will be possible to leave children during workshops. See the Kids section for more information.

The Site
On the site there will be a reception, a comfy library where you can read and relax, a quiet sleeping area, compost loos, running water, spaces for spontaneous workshops and discussions, a healing space and a stall selling books and pamphlets. We're trying to make the site and programme as accessible to disabled people as possible