2007-03-01

Convergence Center Hamburg

Expecting the G8-Meeting close to our city a local anti-G8-structure developed during the last years (particularly after the G8-summit in 2005 in Scotland) and led after the Camp Inski in summer 2006 to the idea of a Convergence Center in Hamburg in the Rote Flora. Based on the concept of decentral actions as well as the countrywide demand to use the anti-G8-protest for putting local political struggles into a global context, the Convergence Center Hamburg (CCH) can be another step towards a local political continuity, which enhances structures in Hamburg and transnational networking even beyond this year's summit. Activists can arrive from the week prior to the summit to get organized and be mobilized to Heiligendamm for the days of the summit. Because of the new police law of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern we cannot eliminate the possibilty of "Gebietsverweise" (being expelled of the area), which could force many acitivists back into Hamburg or Berlin. Therefore the CCH will not close with the end of the summit, but stay open for a few more days and enable a wrap-up of the days of protest. Of course we hope that the Convergence Centers generally offer spaces to react solidly on repression.

An important factor for choosing this time-period is also the ASEM-meeting of EU-mininsters of foreign affairs with their counterparts from 16 asian countries, which will take place in Hamburg on th 28th and 29th of May. This meeting - like other EU-meetings- is directly connected with the G8-summit, which amongst other things can be seen in the topics of the meetings: Privatisation, extension of the fortress europe, preparation of wars, cutback of data protection, patents and and the renaissance of nuclear power. Fitting into the context of local struggles and anti-G8-protest, the planned days of action in Hamburg and a big demonstration in those days can also be understood as a warm-up for the G8-summit.

As part of the Anti-G8-Mobilisation there will be several caravans passing and stopping in Hamburg. The bicycle-caravan will already arrive in the CCH on the 23th/24th of May. So how will it look like here? An infopoint connected with Rostock and Berlin will inform you about actions, camps and demonstrations. You can find places to sleep in the beds-bourse, have food for action in the 'vokü', recover in a relaxation room and find First Aid support. Furthermore there will be several workshops of which "paramedic" and "legal support" are already organized. Indymedia will supply technical equipment to spread and translate news and interpreters of preferably many languages will provide information and plenaries for everyone.

For all of this we need your advice, contacts, ideas and help from now on. The preparation takes a lot of energy and work and it has become clear that criminalization cannot be ruled out. Even more important it seems to us, is that many different political groups and individuals join this project.

The Convergence Centers play a basic role in the coordination of protests. They are not only a solidary contribution especially for international activists, but are themselves spaces in which protest and another form of collectivity can be experienced. The legitimate resistance against the G8-policies has a global claim and cannot be halted through local repression. As an open space organised autonomously and democratically the Convergence Center offers room for discussions on chances and problems of the protest-movement, motivation and direct exchange with people we cannot meet every day.

We still need: • Action-Food-Groups • Interpreters (for internet and during the summit) • places to sleep • donations of material (textiles, pencils, colours, umbrellas, dishes, bicycles etc) • Transport for Shuttle to Mecklenburg Vorpommern • people to placard and spread flyers • Workshops for the CCH • Donations of money on the account: Netzwerk Selbsthilfe e.V., Konto 740 388 7000, BLZ 100 900 00, Berliner Volksbank IMPORTANT: Subject "Convergence Center" Please contact us • www.hamburg.dissentnetzwerk.org • Email: convergence-hh[AT]nadir.org • Or put messages in the CCH-Postbox in the Rote Flora

Every 2. sunday of the month the Anti-G8 Info-Café takes place in the Hafenvokü (Hafenstraße). Different themes and forms of protest concerning the G8 are introduced and discussed, there is an information-wall of the CCH and there is space for exchange whilst having coffee and cakes.

So join in and contribute, help us with the preparation, ask us, be solidary and come together...good night G8!

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