Reclaim the initiative with the 2025 Peoples’ Platform
Europe!
The Peoples’ Platform – Europe (PPE) will gather delegates of grassroots democratic movements and
organizations across Europe on the 14-16th February 2025 in Vienna, Austria for three days of discussion
to develop a common ground of understanding for collective political action. The PPE is co-organized by
the Academy of Democratic Modernity and more than 20 organizations from across Europe that
participated in the preparatory process.
Around 700 delegates of more than 160 organizations, political groups, campaigns and networks from
more than 40 different regions of Europe will participate in the PPE.
In a time of deepening social, ecological, and political crises, where dominant systems of power and
governance are unable to provide viable solutions to societal issues, the PPE’s proposal “Reclaim the
Initiative” stands as a call to grassroots democratic movements and organizations to strengthen
connections and develop their own political agenda in order to develop alternatives and lasting solutions.
Participants will divide into nine workshops, to discuss key themes relevant to the European political and
social context: (1) War and Peace: Understanding and Resisting European Militarism and Imperialism (2)
Antifascism: The Rise of Fascism & the Condition of Democratic Forces in Europe, (3) Ecological
Resistance: Defending Life, (4) Women’s Democratic Confederalism: Women Weaving the Future, (5)
Youth identity and Resistance: Deepening on the Need of Autonomous Youth Organisation, (6) Building
Autonomy: Self-governance, Self-sufficiency and Self-defense, (7) Activism and Organization: For a
Long-term Struggle Rooted in Society, (8) Against Genocidal Politics: Opposing the Genocidal Politics of
Capitalist Modernity, (9) Democratic media: The battle for hearts and minds.
Noteworthy speakers participating in the PPE include:
Silvia Federici: Italian-American feminist scholar and activist known for her work on labour, gender and
capitalism, author of !Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body and Primitive Accumulation. Her
presentation is titled: !for an International Feminist Movement Against Capitalist Patriarchy and its
Ongoing War on Social Reproduction”
Mirielle Fanon Mendes-France: French psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, political activist, daughter of
renowned philosopher and psychiatrist Franz Fanon, and professor at the University of Paris Descartes.
She’s known for her work on the psychological effects of colonialism and racism. Her presentation is
titled: !The 100th Anniversary of Franz Fanon: Between Race and Class”.
William I. Robinson: Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His research
interests include: macro and comparative sociology, globalization and transnationalism, political
economy, political sociology, development and social change, immigration, Latin America and the Third
World, and Latina/o studies. His speech will be on: !the Epochal Crisis of Global Capitalism – Challenges
for Popular Resistance from Below”.
John Holloway: Irish sociologist and political activist known for his critical work on capitalism and
social movements. Holloway’s research focuses on the nature of power, resistance, and the potential for
social change within the context of global capitalism. His speech is titled !Perspective in the Storm”.
Mahmut Şakar: The lawyer of Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan and co-chair of the association
MAF-DAD. Şakar’s speech will commemorate and analyze the 26. Anniversary of International
Conspiracy against Öcalan that led to his capture on the 15th of February, 1999. This presentation will be
particularly timely, as it is expected that Ocalan will release a statement on the 15th of February outlining
a proposal to a political solution to the Kurdish question.
In addition to the 160 participating organizations, renown activists including Juan Pablo Gutierrez (Yukpa
Indigenous People!s Organization – Colombia), Greta Thunberg (representing the European „Fridays for
Future“ ecological movement), members of the ILPS, members of Progressive International and an
invited delegation from Latin America will participate in the PPE.
The Academy of Democratic Modernity, the main organizer, with the perspective of developing World
Democratic Confederalism, understands its strategic task as to connect existing struggles and create
networks of exchange and solidarity. Through this dialogue the Academy aims to overcome ideological
divisions, to bring the shared values and interest into the forefront and to create mutual understanding in
order to help struggles worldwide gain new strength.
The process of the Peoples!“ Platform Europe is a step forward for developing a collective discussion on
the broadest possible basis of democratic and revolutionary organizations, movements and collectives to
find the answers to the questions of our time.
Members of the press are warmly invited to attend the general sessions of the platform, press conferences
organized, or to follow online. There will be opportunities for to organize interviews with participating
organizations and noteworthy speakers.
For further information and to follow the PPE online:
Twitter: @PeoplesPlat
Instagram: @peoplesplatform_
Website: peoplesplatform.net
Youtube: @Peoples_Platform