Some background
In recent years, a positive and hopeful process of awakening is taking place among a growing number of people who wish for change, in the face of the ongoing crisis besetting Israeli society . However, most of them cannot not find a place to express and realize this desire for change. In the absence of clear vision and positive leadership , widespread public indifference allows the decision makers to continue harming the natural and human environment. So, a fundamental and essential part of the process of this ongoing change is the creation of public spaces that allow for personal empowerment, learning, and cooperation.
There is a need for an open space that would enable a shared learning encounter. It would be a space where different people and organizations can exchange views and ideas, plan cooperative work, expand their areas of activity, and mainly, draw encouragement and strength from one another. From 2002 until 2005 , a "Festival of Activism" was held,, which served as a meeting space for various activist individuals and organizations . During the years since then, several attempts were made to continue activity in the spirit of the festival, such as a "Sustainable Festival"" and conferences of the "Awakening Movement", as well as several other attempts to revive the "Activism Festival". None of these attempts could provide enough significance and continuity, The void remains as is.
To meet present needs , and to implement lessons learned from the past, we have decided, as a group of activists from a variety of fields, to renew again the "Festival of Activism", and to help bring new blood into the activist community. The festival this year will be the starting point in a continual process, which will include events and meetings during the year, based on an active network of social-environmental organizations and activists. This network, the various events, and of course the festival itself, are aimed at establishing, encouraging and strengthening the community for social and environmental change, and through this community, to effect change in our entire society.
Presentation showing the idea of the festival
