via OccupyNationalGathering.net:

We, the National Gathering Working Group 2013 (NGWG2013), propose a National Gathering of the Occupy Movement, and peoples’ movements worldwide, in Kalamazoo Michigan, to collectively assemble and embrace our different ideologies and perspectives; to find our common visions; to share our strategies and actions; and to leave this gathering with steps we can all take in both agreement and diversity; for ourselves, our communities, our nations, and for all of us all over the world.

We further propose that our convergence begin on Aug. 21 and continue for five days of Community and Movement building exercises including speakers, teach-ins, and free-flowing open discussion at a location to be determined by the Occupy Kalamazoo General Assembly. We believe it’s time the people of the world spoke to each other about how to make a better world. We ask you to converge with us, to bring your ideas, your struggles, and your voice and come to Kalamazoo! We already have networks on board with these broad areas of interest and welcome and need your suggestions, participation and contributions:

1. Fixing Fossil Fuels and Creating an Environmentally Sustainable Future.
2. Economic and Trade Justice, Equal Access and Ending Corporate “Personhood”, Asserting the People’s Sovereignty.
3. Making and Supporting Free, Unfettered Media.
4. Ending War and Our Police State, Building Peace and Cooperation.
5. Renew Kalamazoo and your community. Homeless Bill of Rights.

We also encourage the creation of local, national and global processes to communicate, organize and converge. We are meeting more and more on the internet, on mumble, on conference calls. Global infrastructures are appearing, to bring more people together and able to participate worldwide. We are able as a people to organize worldwide protests and actions. We envision a day of concerted worldwide actions focused on very local issues that expose those local issues as part of the worldwide fight against systemic injustice. We will gather and share this worldwide action through all the media tools and networks we continue to build through voluntary people power.

We embrace the value derived from face-to-face contact, and understand that no single gathering can be representative of our entire movement. We recognize that attending in person will be challenging, or impossible for many, so we also commit to pursuing an online component through which anyone can participate via the Internet. We encourage the creation of local, national and global processes by which movement resources could be directed towards funding travel for active movement participants that otherwise would not be able to attend.

In keeping with principles of the Occupy Movement, the NGWG2013 will continue planning this gathering only if this proposal is ratified by a preponderance of General Assemblies from across the Movement. We are committed to operating in an open, inclusive, and transparent way. Therefore, most planning will be done via direct democratic conference calls, hubs and collaborative tools through the InterOccupy.net platform. All are welcome to participate. We endeavor to convene an historic gathering that will require a great deal of organization, so we invite participants from all Occupys and friends to join us in the planning and facilitation of this effort.

We invite you come to Kalamazoo Aug. 21 – 25. We ask for your endorsement, and would be honored if you would join us, live, online or in solidarity actions, and become part of this beautiful expression of our collective will!

The National Gathering Working Group 2013

The NGWG2013 is comprised of Occupy Kalamazoo on the ground, and other Occupiers from across the Globe online, hopefully to soon include you! Please send your endorsement or intent of solidarity to natgat2013@gmail.com or comment on our website. We hope to soon have a form on the website!

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More Info:

• NGWG Website: http://www.occupynationalgathering.net
• NGWG Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OccupyNationalGathering?ref=ts&fref=ts
• Twitter: @Ng2Kzoo #NatGat2 #natgat2 #NatGat2013 #natgat2013 #Natgat2@thezoo
• Occupy Carnival of Social Change: http://www.facebook.com/events/458980454155941/
• National Gathering Hub on InterOccupy: http://interoccupy.net/natgat2/

Join our Planning Call! Register here. We convene every Wednesday at 8 PM ET!