Program

On this page we will publish (and update) all relevant information about the program of the event. If you have questions or proposals contact us via e-mail: bab2023(at)riseup(dot)net

Final Program for discussions and workshop is now published here.

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We will try to organize the program of BAB2023 in a way that can help materialize the political agenda of the gathering as expressed in the first call for participation:

“We want to organize a strong international anarchist gathering – one where we can address important questions of our time in a collective manner and with a perspective of future organizing and struggle. The concept of BAB was never only about the books for us. We always understood it as a tool for strengthening our groups, organizations, relations and networks on local, regional and international level. We understand it as a space where we exchange our ideas, analysis, perspectives and confront our practices, models of organizing and experiences of struggle, of our participations in social movements and of inserting our ideas in them. All with the intention to form meaningful proposals for future steps that can help us tackle the challenges our movements and societies are facing in the context of political, economical and social realities as well as that of revolutionary potential.”

As well as:

“We believe that anarchism as a political expression of the interests of the exploited and oppressed can offer many answers to the questions of our time but we can also see that the movement is lacking fundamental influence on the mechanisms of history. We would like to use BAB gathering for reflection on this and other topics, to develop strategies that can bring our agendas forward and give us new energy for our future organizing and mobilisations.”


First things first: Balkan Anarchist Bookfair is a common project of the anarchist and anti-authoritarian movement in the Balkans and is organized by it. While the local organization team is responsible to facilitate this process and arrange the infrastructure needed for it, it is the participants coming from all around and their contributions that are at the core of the gathering. On all levels BAB is organized in accordance with anarchist principles of anti-authoritarian self-organization and solidarity. There is no space for discrimination of any kind or violent behaviour in any sense.

The program of BAB2023 will take shape in different forms. For the main topics to be discussed we will try to organize moderated common discussions (so-called cluster discussions) that can create space where different speakers (from different groups/organizations and geographies) can express their ideas, views and proposals; all with the agenda to synthesize them in a common position and proposal that can be a driving force and reference for our future organizing and struggles (on local and international level). This is why we encourage articulating clear proposals for the movement that can be communicated with the public in a form of statements after the event. There will also be space for different presentations, workshops and meetings. In evenings there will be counter-cultural program organized in Autonomous Cultural Center Metelkova mesto with exhibitions, concerts, DJ program etc.

All days of the gathering:

  • Bookfair: stalls/stands with books, newspapers, magazines, zines and other materials of participating groups, organizations, publishers, distributions and other projects of the international anarchist and anti-authoritarian movement. You can check the List of participants at BAB2023 to know who will be present.
  • Info-point: space where you can get all information about the gathering from the local organization team and where you can address your proposals and needs.
  • Open space: space where spontaneous meetings, workshops or discussions organized during the gathering itself can take place.
  • Secure communication stall: space where local group focusing on educating and providing tools for secure (online) communication for activist communities and beyond will share their knowledge.
  • General Assembly of BAB2023: as the event is organized on anarchist principles of anti-authoritarian self-organization we want to create a space where all participants have opportunity to contribute to the common process of the gathering. In this way we can also distribute needed tasks and responsibilites beyond local organization team. The General Assembly of BAB2023 will take place every day of the event.
  • Volunteers meetings: will be a tool of self-organization of the event and give opportunity to participants of BAB to help with infrastructure. Meetings will take place every morning to distribute tasks such as cleaning, cooking, safety etc.

Discussions, presentations, workshops:

Below we are publishing the titles of some of the events that will take place during BAB2023 (details and other titles to be published soon):

Counter-cultural program aka BAB2023 After Dark:

In evenings there will be counter-cultural program organized in Autonomous Cultural Center Metelkova mesto with exhibitions, video-projections, concerts, DJ program etc. All the details will be published soon.

Exhibitions

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There will be a no-photo and no-video policy at the gathering which means that taking photos or videos at the venues will be limited (no people on photos or clear consent of those). The organization team will take care of making visual material for the needs of reports and archives. No personal identity of participants will be shared publicly.