FAMA 2018: Report of the self-organized activities
The European Water Movement and its members contributed to the self-organised sessions of the FAMA, on March 17 and 18.
In particular the European Water Movement was involved in four sessions: three co-organised by the EWM and one organised by a member of the European Water Movement (CICMA) and its local partners, in collaboration with the EWM.
The most significant component of the session “Against water commodification-privatisation at both local and transnational level”, on March 17, was that in spite of differences, there are elements common to Europe, India and Latin America. The core element of the session was to exchange experience in order to identify commonalities and learn from each others’ challenges and struggles. A few key elements have been identified, such as the importance of a circular and non-hegemonic approach to process of mobilisation and the crucial role played by democratic and participatory decision making. The debate also included an analysis of the idea of public and its different nuances, which are strongly influenced by the context. Broadly speaking the most important outcome was the importance of creating connections among water movements worldwide.
On the same day the seminar "Water as a human right and as a common good: strategies and resistance against privatization" was organized by the Brazilian Caritas and CICMA, in collaboration with other organizations (see document) including the European Water Movement. The session focused on how to ensure the recognition of the right to water and facilitate convergence of struggles against privatsation. It produced a document, which was shared with all the participants and disseminated inside and outside the participating organizations as a working document. Its aim was to stimulate future activities with the hope that it could contribute to the construction of synegies and future political agendas and action of the water movement.
On the following day, March 18, a session on the “Preservation and remunicipalisation of water as commons from a citizens participation and sovereignty perspective” created the space for an in depth exchange between activists from Europe (Spain and Greece) and Latin and Central America (Mexico and Ecuador). Beyond the actual experiences of struggles the session focused on the mobilisation of citizens and the challenging interaction with national and local authorities. It clearly emerged that while strategies might vary the role of mobilisation is crucial to raise awareness among communities and challenge the attempts to privatise water.
The very last session promoted by the EWM, which intended to focus on success and challenges in the struggles against water corporations was eventually merged with a sister session on remunicipalisation promoted by the TNI, Blue Communities and Brazilian organisations. The session analysed examples of fights against privatisation and for remunicipalisation from different countries with the aim of exchanging experiences and reinforce global solidarity and mutual support.