Experienced activists will talk about and show footage of organisational structures of a series of important movement: the women’s movement, the squatting movement, the solidarity movement and the beginnings of the alter-globalisation movement. They are all examples of “organisations” that worked from bottom-up, stood strong in themselves and put complicated issues on the political agenda as well as being able to stand up to heavy repression. But how were they able to create these structures and why did so many people join them?

Join us for the 3rd Maretje Arents Quiz! Last year’s winning team has prepared 20 questions on the political struggle, there will be cocktails and the necessary entertainments. Form a team or come on your own. 8-9pm: entry and ping-pong games, 9-10 quiz, followed by a screening of the film ‘Brad’ about a US activist filmmaker who was killed last year in Oaxaca and about the movement he was active in.

Which organisational models are currently existing that offer a structural change in the Dutch ‘polder’? Are the old organisational models (trade unions or political parties) a thing of the past? Do the often-cited ‘networks’ offer any alternatives, or the affinity groups that seem to be on rise again? What are the strengths and weaknesses of these different models? More programme details to follow…

October 2007, Amsterdam

After having organised weekly info-nights in the Plantage Doklaan in Amsterdam for some time now, the Broeinest will slow down a little. There will still be incidental events taking place but not every week.

The coming time we will spend contemplating our future activities.