On Sunday 12th November 11am-2pm in the Abbey Room, at Wynn’s Hotel in Dublin city, Financial Justice Ireland hosted a participatory workshop & presentation of the results of the project “Time to Fresh Up: Cultivating Economic Literacy for Resilient Work in Europe”, No. KA220-ADU-50D9401E. The title of our event, based on module 2 of this project, was ‘How to fund a democratic just transition – The powerful role workers and communities can play in remaking the future’. Our module was inspired by Trademark Belfast 2020 report ‘Financing a Just Transition in Ireland’ and developed with the support of our advisory group of community and trade union organisers and educators, Julia Marciniak, Rodrigo Souza Silva & Mags O Brien. The module integrates power analysis, embodiment practice and organising tools.
Our event was aimed at adult educators, community organisers, and people affected by climate change and interested in understanding the just transition movement and different approaches to funding democratic transitions. We had lively participatory activities and discussions from a range of different perspectives, and participants shared experiences of migration, socio-economic challenges, employment uncertainty, eco-anxiety. Our event facilitated a broad range of expertise and knowledge. Participants who teach at university level shared experiences alongside community activists attempting to build democratic just transition agendas in their locality.
The event was structured in four parts as follows.
- The Justice Bus activity to explore what justice means for our transitions
- Overview of the history and typologies of the just transition movement
- Power analysis of the 6 conditions needed for our democratic just transitions
- Finding connections and common ground
Our event was very successful in disseminating the results of the project “Time to Fresh Up: Cultivating Economic Literacy for Resilient Work in Europe” and participants shared great enthusiasm to learn more about how to use the project website.