Access the report of the event in this link

This encounter occurred from February 1-6, 2025, on the Wild Coast of South Africa. This gathering, organised by the Global TapestryThe weaving of networks of Alternatives of AlternativesAre activities and initiatives, concepts, worldviews, or action proposals by collectives, groups, organizations, communities, or social movements challenging and replacing the dominant system that perpetuates inequality, exploitation, and unsustainabiity. In the GTA we focus primarily on what we call "radical or transformative alternatives", which we define as initiatives that are attempting to break with the dominant system and take paths towards direct and radical forms of political and economic democracy, localised self-reliance, social justice and equity, cultural and knowledge diversity, and ecological resilience. Their locus is neither the State nor the capitalist economy. They are advancing in the process of dismantling most forms of hierarchies, assuming the principles of sufficiency, autonomy, non-violence, justice and equality, solidarity, and the caring of life and the Earth. They do this in an integral way, not limited to a single aspect of life. Although such initiatives may have some kind of link with capitalist markets and the State, they prioritize their autonomy to avoid significant dependency on them and tend to reduce, as much as possible, any relationship with them., WoMin African Alliance, Academy of Democratic Modernity, Jineoloji, and hosted by the Amadiba Crisis Committee, seeked to bring together leaders, activists, and representatives from diverse movements dedicated to grassroots democracy, community autonomy, and collective self-determination. We believe your participation would greatly enrich our discussions and contribute to the collective advancement of our shared goals.

The multiple, interconnected crises the world faces today – ecological, socio-cultural, economic, and political – demand a holistic transformation in our ways of being, thinking, and acting. Currently most formal institutions of governance are failing to make progress towards such transformation and in some instances actively working against it. Across the globe, collective movements are striving to create and sustain alternatives that embody justice, equity, and ecological sanity. These initiatives range from ancient traditions of Indigenous peoples and local communities, to innovative practices emerging within (and challenging the foundations of) industrialised, capitalist societies, all united by a common vision of self-governance and collective responsibility.

Our gathering aimed to explore and amplify the diverse forms of radical, grassroots decision-making that centres communities and collectives over centralised state power. We draw inspiration from movements like the Zapatistas, Kurdish autonomy the village republics in India, and movements, and Indigenous nations' as well as nomadic pastoral community self-determination efforts in different parts of the world. By sharing experiences and strategies, we hope to strengthen our collective capacity to resist authoritarianism and neo-colonial socio-cultural hegemony.

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1. Abahlali baseMjondolo, South Africa
2. Amadiba Crisis Committee, South Africa
3. Capulálpam de Méndez, Oaxaca, México
4. Community Cherán, Michoacán, Mexico
5. Dzumsa system, Sikkim, India
6. Kurdish alternative adjudication processes & general social organization, Kurdistan
7. Misak indigenous people, Resguardo of Guambia, Colombia
8. Proceso de Comunidades Negras (PCN-Colombia), Colombia
9. Sámi Village Assemblies, Scandinavia
10. Salween Peace Park, Myanmar
11. Rojava Autonomous Administration, Kurdistan
12. Makoko community, Nigeria
13. Buliisa community, Uganda
14. Ogiek community, Kenya
15. Jineology Academy
16. WOmin, South Africa
17. Makoko Community, Nigeria
18. Buliisa Community, Uganda
19. Ogiek Community, Kenya
20. Goba Association, Ladakh, India
21. Teduray and Lambangian Peoples, Philippines
22. Academy of Democratic Modernity, Kurdistan
23. Kuna Community, Panama
24. Taiwan Indigenous Conserved Territories Union, Taiwan
25. Rendile Pastoralist Community, Kenya
26. CFLEDD, DRC
27. Association des femmes transformatrices de poissons, Senegal
28. Concordia, Northern Cape, South Africa
29. Green Development Advocate, Cameroon

• Publication "Reclaiming Power: Comprehensive report from the RaDSAD Meeting"
• Video testimonies of some of the participants
• Dialogues on Radical Democracy and Autonomy (regional webinar series)
• A dialogue between the World Assembly of Struggles and the Global Tapestry of Alternatives on Radical Democracy
• Launch of the Declaration on Radical Democracy, Autonomy and Self Determination

• Read the text of the Joint declaration