Asian Alliance for Solidarity Economy

The Pactes Locaux are a collective of actors, founded in 1998.  In 2005 they became an officially registered NGO. Between 2007 and 2009, they worked on the approach of open capitalisation based on the broad theme of “Democratic participation and territorial anchorage”. This was the preparation for the International Forum of Lux’09, the IVth Meeting for the Globalisation of Solidarity of RIPESS  (workshop 7), organised in Luxemburg by INEES, the European Institute for Solidarity Economy.

The Pactes Locaux mobilised on a voluntary basis, over and above the members’ own individual activities to reach a specific objective. Their contribution to both French and European discussions has been original, and is based on their significant territorial achievements in dealing with key issues of today’s society. They held five regional meetings supported by a European working Platform. Expert practitioners presented their work at territorial level: work and employment issues in Poitou-Charentes, responsible tourism in Auvergne, local development and solidarity economy in Luxemburg, social cohesion and well-being in the urban environment of Fontenay-sous-Bois, rural/urban solidarity and the associated economy in the metroposiation of Nord-Pas-de-Calais.

This contribution has now been duly recognised. It is an element that allows the members to propose the “learning journey” approach as a tool for learning from each other in a variety of contexts. It is a horizontal practice that helps build bridges between generations and develop an understanding of stakes as well as constructing responsible territorial actions. The meeting that was held on December 1st in Poitiers (France) ended the Lux’09 cycle. It also helped to confirm that our projects resonate with other territories.

This process jointly served the following ends:

-    The Lux’09 Forum (cross-cutting and internationalisation of Workshop 7)

-    The FPH (dissemination / discussion of a new approach to œconomy, territories as actors, institutional connections)

- Of the members and associate partners

- The people responsible for developing the dynamics of Asia 2013 have adopted the territorial anchoring of solidarity economy; they now consider us as partners.

The positive evaluation of Lux’09 provides a lever for the future. The Pactes Locaux are a small, open collective. They are not party-political affiliated or members of any institutional organisation. Their recognition reaches beyond what they represent in terms of membership. They remain a small dedicated team, united by what they have learned and their determination as civil society, to  take on reposnibility and change the system..

The Pactes Locaux intend continuing their work on European territorial cohesion. They hope to work on themes and in areas where their members and associate partners and those interested in taking part in the future, can work together. They hope to do this by demonstrating how reality and the expertise gained from practical know-how can help to illustrate, discuss and propose new ways of organising solidarity that can have a considerable impact and help open doors to solutions to the current crisis.

8.5 million jobs have been lost in Europe since 2008. In France, 1 million people will lose their job-seekers allowances in 2010. Exclusion is becoming the rule rather than the exception. The institutions are not supporting those actors involved in hands-on work. Things are becoming increasingly difficult. The Pactes Locaux will not succeed on their own. The question is how to preserve our individual freedom, while supporting each other and serving the interest of all? Learning to work as partners involves a legitimate confrontation of ideas and genuinely working together.

This means being realistic and taking stock, the better to position the collective. The members of the collective have decided to:

- Continue the commitment to work in those territories and networks that make sense to them, and where they are already present

-    Provide each other with mutual support in their respective activities, with priority support for the in-depth projects

- Promote the “Learning Journey” approach as an awareness-raising framework for learning, co-operating and bringing together local actors

- Jointly work on developing means of paid work

- Specifically aim to contact elected local representatives: future local councillors, intercommunal elected representatives, members of collective approaches such as Districts, Agenda 21s, social networks…. The current context favours a return to things local, which is fundamentally important to sustainable development, employment, peace etc… It also shows what a huge deficit exists in the ability to accompany progress and pull together as a system, rather than pulling strings from above or the outside. This is true in all fields: economic, political or alternative approaches. This missing link, the interface between branches and different levels has yet to be created if we are to reach a better understanding and effectively implement an operational approach to restructuring our territories

- Become and remain, active partners in FPH, RIPESS Europe and in French and European territorial networks,  activities and events

- Continue working on consensual aspects of Workshop 7 “Democratic Participation and territorial anchorage” (Forum Lux’09, April 2009) in Europe, and prepare for the Asian Solidarity Economy Forum in Kuala Lumpur in 2011 and “The Road to Manila 2013” (the Vth International RIPESS Meeting).

Contacts.

-    President : France Joubert: +33 (0)6 70 001 467; francejoubert@wanadoo.fr

-    General Secretary: Martine Theveniaut: + 33 (0)4 686 99 288; martine.theveniaut4@orange.fr. Extended in-depth projects: project leaders.

-    France Joubert: +33 (0)6 70 001 467; francejoubert@wanadoo.fr. Employment and activities, social territorial dialogue: what alliances in/between territories?

- Alain Laurent:   +33 (0)5 61 624 68 ; beira.cfp@wanadoo.fr. Tourism and responsible territories: How can they converge?

- Bruno Racine: +33 (0)6 70 160 489; brunoracine@free.fr. What governance for developing territorial cohesion?

Martine Theveniaut: + 33 (0)4 686 99 288 martine.theveniaut4@orange.fr. «The road to Manilla 2013»: solidarity and territory, an international process.

- Peter Wollny: +33 (0)4 68 318 729; pw@base-sur-audois.fr. ICTs – a vector of democracy and initiatives for collective territoiral  projects

Headquarters: 5 rue de Cadène F – 11580 Alet les

Asian Forum for Solidarity Economy
Tokyo, November 7 2009

Yvon Poirier, Martine Theveniaut

Workshop 7 Task Force – Atelier 7 – Results and Continuation.

Martine Theveniaut

Sociologist

Coordinator of Pactes Locaux since 1998

Pactes Locaux is a member of the European Steering Committee -RIPESS since 2007

Practitioner member of BASE Sud Audois (Bureau pour l’Action Solidaire dans l’Espace Sud Audois) South of France since 2000.

Yvon Poirier

Chair International Committee of the Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNET)

RIPESS North America

Involved in working with Martine since 2001 on local development

Co-Editor with Martine in publishing a monthly Newsletter since November 2003

International Newsletter on Sustainable Local Development

1- Preparation and results: Martine Theveniaut

Pactes Locaux (Local agreements)

Pactes Locaux was created in 1998, supported by the Foundation for the Progress of Humankind. This French network of people and organisations involved in local development, has adopted a solidarity and cooperative approach in addressing socio-economic concerns through sustainable initiatives.

Pactes Locaux assumed the mandate for preparing a Workshop for the 4th Meeting of Globalisation of Solidarity, held from the 22nd-25th April 2009 in Luxemburg.

A majority French working group, thinking globally, and led by Pactes Locaux, prepared this meeting.

Common learning methodology: The experience takes shape.

In the current context of deep crisis of democracy and the growth model, Pactes Locaux, devised a mobile, learner-centered capitalization process, which involved a broad working platform at the European level.

December 2007 the group preparing for Workshop 7 “Democratic participation and territorial anchoring” agreed to hold 5 regional meetings.

A lot of material, many questions, valuable ideas and proposals were collected through this sharing process .The five meetings concluded in January 2009 and the results can be seen on the website. www.pactes-locaux.org

What lessons have we learnt that will help the future?

To put the economy back on its feet, we need

• to start from concrete reality, needs, aspirations and human inventiveness rather than at institutional level, with its power-based logic and fragmented, biased vision.
• to affirm that the new economy is one of shared responsibility: What is my responsibility within the economy, society, culture and nature? And how can I create links between these fields and my own life?

The lessons were enriched and enlarged at international level (February / April 2009).

Using presentations prepared by the speakers and other guest contributors from around the world who were members of workshop 7: Europe, Georgia, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, Madagascar, Quebec, Chile, Malaysia and the Philippines.

A learning journey in Aude (South of France)

Hosting an international delegation in the Aude before the Lux09 meeting, from April 16 – 21: Yvon Poirier and Jacques Fiset (Quebec), Denison Jayasooria (Malaysia) and Ben Quiñones (the Philippines), President of the CSRSME Asia (Coalition of Socially Responsible SMEs).

April 20, Terménès (France)

The conclusion of Workshop 7 is that the idea of territorial anchoring is of central importance.

The gravity of the current crisis provides an opportunity to revise fundamental aspects of the economy by connecting them to the other dimensions at the most relevant level.

This means at local territorial level. It implies that people are the central starting point for both analyses and action. At this level it is possible to adopt a holistic vision.

Territorial anchoring makes it possible to adopt a transversal, across-the-board approach, and achieve joined-up thinking (environment, social, culture, finance, governance etc.).

It also allows for the involvement of all social groups, especially the excluded.

This approach is a pillar of the solidarity economy and will be placed at the heart of the 5th meeting of RIPESS

A provisional steering committee to carry out this process (June 2009) based on exchange between practitioners or catalysts, is formed of:

• Ben Quiñones (Asian Alliance for Solidarity Economy).
• Denison Jayasooria (Asian Alliance for Solidarity Economy)
• Yvon Poirier (International Newsletter on Sustainable Local Development)
• Martine Theveniaut (Pactes Locaux).

At the end of July 2009 the internet Forum opened an initiative of:

• the Asian Alliance for Solidarity Economy, the principal partner of the 5th meeting of the Globalization of Solidarity in Asia in 2013
• and Pactes Locaux who accepts the responsibility to implement the consensus of the Workshop

The forum is hosted on site by ALOE (the Alliance for another economy) to benefit from their experience in facilitating intercultural dialogue at a distance.

Thinking «locally» is becoming a major force in the organization of solidarity.

As this way of thinking is not usual, the approach is one of proof, we must: illustrate, discuss, compare how to make proposals on the basis of a diagnosis.

It is a must to convince that solidarity economy has the capacity to become a sustainable and responsible alternative in the context of globalization process

It is a must … to engage together in strategies for change.

This Forum was in three languages: English, Spanish and French.

We agreed that : « In this Forum, we assume that we are all, to varying degrees, practitioners of an economy with more solidarity, all rooted in a particular territorial context, but living and sharing many issues and values that we agree upon”.

Participation: about 150 people; 30 contributions – illustrative and theoretical.

The contributions served to produce a synthesis and are the basis of reflection for the future work program on “territorial anchoring” in 2013.

2 Territory in a global approach: Conclusions and proposals for the Future.

Yvon Poirier

Many contributions linked «territory» and «sustainable development»

A-Access to land and the production of food for local territories

Examples

- A land Trust in France «Terre de liens» for buying farmlands to settle young farmers An Association of 25 villages in Ivory Coast (West Africa) working in a long term perspective so strengthen the villages though farming

- Seikatsu Club Co-operative Union in Japan (300 000 members). Linking directly famers and consumers in cities

B- New forms of organisations and social innovation

In most contributions, people share initiatives they have built over the last 20-30 years

Examples

• Employers groups in Europe to create full time jobs in regions with seasonal or part-time jobs
• Networking in Agriculture Supported by the Community (ASC) with an international network called URGENCI
• Transition Towns to adapt to a world of sustainable communities (less use of energy)

GLOBAL PERPECTIVES

Two papers presented a global perspective

Pierre Calame (FPH) proposes the idea that the «territory will become the key actor of the 21st century» He suggests that territories are better place to face the «Four major challenges of our time: the integration of human activity in the biosphere, the search of a new equilibrium, social management, reducing energy consumption and the economy of knowledge»

Michael Lewis from the Canadian Center for Community Renewal and Pat Conaty from the New Economics Foundation (NEF) in the UK say in their paper: “The Great Transition: Navigating social, economic, ecological in turbulent times.” The global challenges we face demand a radical transition from a globalised growth economy driven by escalating levels of debt to a federation of decentralised, social, and ecological economies. This paper is not merely a theoretical discussion, however. The thesis proposed for SEE (Social, Ecological, and Economic) Change builds upon historic and contemporary efforts by co-operative organisations to end usury, advance local land reform, reconstruct local food systems, and forge energy solutions that can decrease our dependence on fossil fuels. The dynamic and complementary innovations introduced in this paper explicate strategic pathways that need to be interconnected to shape the social and ecological system. »

The analysis and perspectives of these authors help us link the territorial approach with the global picture; especially since papers both place the territory in a central position.

MAIN CONCLUSIONS (from the synthesis paper)

1 – The global vision of solidarity economy contributes to the “great transition” with other currents of thought and action, including those of sustainable development. They have a common purpose is: “put the economy in the right direction and its rightful place: a means to serve the purposes of living together on the same premises in a liveable world for all – a world of finite resources, shared fairly, and deliberately democratic. “

2 – The territorial approach opens the possibility to balance the excesses of thematic and sectoral inputs towards a comprehensive approach.

“When the focus is placed on the sector (fair trade, social currency, finance, social, ethical consumerism, food sovereignty, etc…) Solidarity Economy, as an approach, treats the constraints of territory as one parameter among others.»

A NEW DEFINITION OF TERRITORY

As we concluded this first initial step (Luxemburg to Tokyo), we came to realise that we had a more precise knowledge of different aspects of the concept of territory.

In the conclusion of the Synthesis, we said:

· We must continue discussions on this territorial approach: what is a territory? What is territorial anchorage? what are the meanings of these words (vocabulary) in different languages?

· We received many comments after sending the synthesis.

· We are now ready to suggest a revised definition. These proposed changes come from friends in France. We acknowledge that we will need to continue to improve the definition to take into account other languages and cultural contexts.

What do we mean by «territory»?

This term has different meanings dependent on languages and cultures.

For us, a territory is an action system geographically based, where are organized social, cultural and economic relations:

· between inhabitants that share a common heritage, a past and a future in a same area, that they inherited and gas a destiny (whether native born, of adoption, migrants or visitors);

· between organizations with multiple features (enterprises, local authorities, state, networks, mutual aid, sectors of production, etc,)

· between these individuals and the organizations with a specific bio-geographical environment;

· between all these components and larger ones (macro) of smaller ones (micro).

These systems of territorial relations are necessarily open and connected to the outside. For in today’s world, interdependence has increased. Solving concrete problems as housing, food, development, infrastructure, services, employment, use of natural resources, the allocation of resources, etc., must take into account:

Constraints and opportunities of production and distribution of globalized goods and services;

Shortcomings of current international governance in the organization of a fair, just and appropriate territorial management of natural and cultural resources «the global common goods and shared values» and the flow of all kinds that are appropriate to the diversity of different situations (ecosystems, overcrowded metropolitan areas, vulnerable territories, etc.);

Territorial governance must also create new types and forms of organization (institutional, economic, social but also cross-cutting, financial, fiscal, technical, etc…)

NEXT STEPS

Continue our learning journey:

• listen to the practitioners
• links with researchers,
• knowledge exchange with others pursuing alternative approaches
• overcome the challenge of intercultural and language barriers

ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE…. AND NECESSARY|

A final thought:

Gandhi once said « the world has enough for everyone’s needs but not their greed».