As the world struggles to find ways out of multiple global crises (ecological, climate, inequality, health), we need to heed myriad voices emerging from Indigenous Peoples and other local rural and urban communities. There are thousands of alternatives, grounded in specific ecological and socio-economic contexts, and based on diverse worldviews and ethics that are profoundly different from the currently dominant system. These alternatives cover the full range of human concerns, including food, water, health, education, livelihoods, governance, culture, justice, while attempting to sustain all life on earth.

They are, however, often isolated and fragmented. There is a need to build more bridges amongst them to enable cross-cultural and cross-sectoral collaborations, mutual learning and critical engagement, collective envisioning of possible futures, and a critical mass for macro-change. The Global Tapestry of Alternatives (GTA) aims to be a non-hierarchical process, seeking to weave together myriad networks of alternatives across the world. Though formally initiated in 2019, it builds on much longer experience of related work by its constituents.

The webinar will present this vision, illustrated by real-life experiences from various parts of the world, and the kind of actions being undertaken or proposed by GTA to achieve its objectives. The list of speakers from GTA includes Arturo Escobar (Colombia), Marta Music (ex-Yugoslavia); Alejandra Jiménez Ramírez (Mexico); Ashish Kothari (India) and Vasna Ramasar (South Africa).

• Event in EDGE's website