When/Where
Friday, 19 January, 2024
19:00-21:30
Saturday, 20 January, 2024
10:30-19:00
Volkshaus Zürich
Stauffacherstrasse 60, 8004 Zürich
Solidarity Party
On Saturday, starting at 9 pm: Food and drinks at Provitreff, Sihlquai 240, 8005 Zürich
Childcare
On Saturday at Spielbaracke on the Kanzleiareal.
Full German Version of the Other Davos Programme.
DONATIONS FOR THE OTHER DAVOS
Crises of Capitalism and Our Responses
In February 2022, the Russian invasion of Ukraine made it clear that wars are once again possible in Europe. Since then, colonial invasions and ethnic displacements (Bergkarabach, Rojava, Palestine) have multiplied rapidly. Are we currently experiencing a kind of turning point? At the same time, right-wing populist and openly extremist parties and movements are strengthening within many states. It is troubling that these movements manage to establish themselves as representatives of the “common people” and as “true advocates” of democracy, even though their policies will further exacerbate class inequalities if they come to power.
We live in a world where the powerful exploit and oppress the weaker. We can see examples for this in all areas of life: global inflation drives prices for basic needs skyward, yielding enormous extra profits for some capitalists while real wages decline. Property owners drive rents to new heights while many people cannot find affordable housing. Imperialist governments compete for spheres of influence and invest massively in armaments, while people suffer from wars and are forced to flee.
The responsible parties for all these upheavals, the representatives of big corporations and powerful states, gather as they do every January at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.
At the counter-event to the WEF, the Other Davos, taking place on 19/20 January, 2024 in Zürich, we bring together activists from the other side of the barricade. Under the motto “Crises of Capitalism and Our Responses”, we discuss anti-colonial, feminist, ecological, and abolitionist resistance to present an alternative to the current system that is based on solidarity.
Guests include, among others, a Palestinian abolitionist, Argentine feminist Lus Sbriller, Tithi Bhattacharya (author of “Feminism for the 99%”), antifascist journalist Miquel Ramos from Valencia, Russian socialist and Putin opponent Ilya Budraitskis (Russian Socialist Movement), Ukrainian unionist Artem Tivda (Sotsialnyi Rukh), and Ukrainian activist Hanna Perekhoda living in Lausanne (solidaritéS), activists from the Kurdish women’s movement, co-author of the IPCC report 2023 Yamina Saheb, economic geographer Christian Zeller (author of “Revolution for the Climate”), Simon Pirani (author of “Burning Up: A Global History of Fossil Fuel Consumption”), anti-gentrification activists from Germany (Deutsche Wohnen & Co. enteignen), Denmark (Almen Mostad), and Switzerland ((Linkes Seeufer für alle), and many other activists.
The conference is organized by the Movement for Socialism (BFS/MPS) and takes place at Volkshaus Zürich. The discussions will be translated into German, English, and French and partially live-streamed. All information regarding the programme, procedure, and streams can be found at sozialismus.ch.
Programme Overview
Friday, 19 January, 2024, 19:00-21:30
Perspectives of Solidarity from Below Against War and Imperialism
Imperialist wars, ethnic displacements, colonial expansion policies, and oppression have recently increased significantly. The revanchist Kremlin regime continues its imperialist aggression against Ukraine. The Azerbaijani dictatorship expelled the entire Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Turkish regime intensified its goal of expelling the Kurdish population in Rojava with a military offensive in October 2023. The Israeli state, in response to brutal anti-Semitic massacres by the far-right and religious fundamentalist Hamas, not only seeks to dismantle Hamas but also to forcibly displace the Palestinian population through a brutal military campaign from the Gaza Strip.
abolitionist activist of Migrantifa Berlin.
Artem Tivda, union representative of the Ukrainian socialist organization Sotsialnyi Rukh.
Simon Pirani, author of „Burning Up: A Global History of Fossil Fuel Consumption“; honorary professor at the University of Durham.
Activists of the Movement for Socialism.
Saturday, 20 January, 2024, 10:30-13:00
What’s Next for the Feminist Strike? International Perspectives
In the last ten years, the feminist movement has grown in strength and size. Worldwide, millions of women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, trans, and agender individuals (FLINTA) advocate for better living and working conditions – re-embracing the strike as a political tool and making it their own.
Lus Sbriller, activist of Ni una menos in Argentina.
Tithi Bhattacharya (online), activist of the International Women’s Strike (USA) and author of “Feminism for the 99%.”
Activists of the feminist strike movement in Switzerland.
Saturday, 20 January, 2024, 10:30-13:00
Rojava: The Revolutionary Practice of Building a Civil Society
In recent years, Rojava – the self-managed, feminist, democratic region in the northern and eastern parts of Syria – has mostly come into focus when Turkey’s attacks intensify and the humanitarian situation deteriorates.
Activists of the Movement for Socialism and the Rojava Committee Zurich.
Saturday, 20 January, 2024, 10:30-13:00
Strategies in the Fight Against Gentrification
Gentrification is one of the most pressing social issues in 21st-century Europe. The profit-oriented upgrading of residential buildings and neighbourhoods leads to housing shortages and the displacement of the local population.
Deutsche Wohnen & Co. enteignen, citizens’ initiative in Berlin for the socialization of major real estate corporations.
Almen Mostad, activist grassroots group from Denmark opposing the racist ghetto laws of the Danish government.
Linkes Seeufer für Alle, collective from Zürich fighting against the loss of alternative cultural and free spaces in Zürich.
Saturday, 20 January, 2024, 10:30-13:00
Climate Crisis, Energy Supply & Degrowth
Global warming is progressing faster than previously thought, with devastating consequences. Critics accuse the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of relying too much on conservative scenarios and not questioning economic growth. It is necessary to develop scenarios for reduced energy and resource consumption and address the inequality between the Global North and South.
Yamina Saheb, engineer and economist for energy and climate policy from Algeria. As a co-author of the IPCC report of 2023, she advocates an economy of sufficiency.
Christian Zeller, professor of economic geography in Salzburg and author of “Revolution for the Climate. Why We Need an Ecosocialist Alternative.”
Simon Pirani, professor of history in Durham and author of “Burning Up: A Global History of Fossil Fuel Consumption.”
Lunch Break
Saturday, 20 January, 2024, 14:30-17:00
With Neighbourhood Work Towards the Revolution? The Politics of Migrantifa Berlin
A large part of the working class, especially in precarious low-wage sectors, is comprised of migrants. In addition to the exploitation at the workplace, migrant workers face a variety of other problems: everyday discrimination, structural disadvantages in education and when looking for housing, state violence, and murderous attacks by right-wing extremists.
Abolitionist activists of Migrantifa Berlin, along with other activists from Migrantifa Berlin.
Saturday, 20 January, 2024, 14:30-17:00
Ukraine: Resistance Against War and Neoliberalization
The imperialist war of aggression by the revanchist Kremlin regime against Ukraine will soon mark its second anniversary. Since then, the Ukrainian population has faced a dual challenge: the military aggression of Russia on one side and the liberalization course of the Ukrainian government under Selenskyj on the other.
Artem Tivda, union representative of the Ukrainian socialist organization Sotsialnyi Rukh.
Hanna Perekhoda, from Donetsk, political scientist at the University of Lausanne, activist of SolidaritéS and the Committee Ukraine-Switzerland.
Saturday, 20 January, 2024, 14:30-17:00
Fascist Dangers in the 21st Century and the Left’s Responses
The normalization of right-wing extremist ideology is alarming. Right-wing populist and fascist parties have become socially acceptable and are achieving worrying election results in many parts of the world.
Miquel Ramos, antifascist activist and investigative journalist from Valencia, author of numerous texts on the extreme right and the history of antifascism in the Spanish state.
Ilya Budraitskis (online), historian and exiled activist of the Russian Socialist Movement (RSD), contributor to the anti-war magazine Posle.
Saturday, 20 January, 2024, 14:30-17:00
Football Fans as Revolutionary Subjects?
For many people, and particularly intellectuals, football is considered a product of the entertainment industry, nothing more than the opium of the people. However, ultras, organized fans, for example, in Turkey and Egypt, have co-organized and led uprisings. They have been significantly involved in political upheavals and have enabled societal changes. Many states actively combat the Ultra movement.
Lara Schauland, political scientist and football fan from Berlin-Köpenick.
Raphael Molter, political scientist, football fan from Berlin-Köpenick, and author of “Frieden den Kurven. Krieg den Verbänden.”
Break
Saturday, 20 January, 2024, 18:00-19:00
Plenary: Feminist and Ecosocialist Responses to Capitalist Devastations
Outbreaks of war, ethnic displacements, fascist electoral successes, and severe environmental destruction are accumulating at an alarming rate. The bourgeois-capitalist system is evidently incapable of providing wage earners with a life of safety and dignity on an intact planet.
Miquel Ramos, antifascist activist and investigative journalist from Valencia.
Yamina Saheb, engineer and economist from Algeria and co-author of the IPCC report 2023.
Lus Sbriller, activist from Ni una menos in Argentina.
Activists of the Movement for Socialism (BFS).
Solidarity Party at Provitreff (Sihlquai 240, 8005 Zurich), from 9 pm. Admission ~ 15 CHF, cash only