The Commons Heard ‘Round the World
Interest in the commons as a solution to global economic,
political and social challenges is growing.
OTC Fellow David Bollier is forging ties with new
groups emerging around the world.
• The Brazil-based World Social Forum, the organization
sponsoring an annual large-scale gathering
of global justice advocates, has issued a manifesto
on reclaiming the commons (sign it here)
and intends to explore commons themes at upcoming
events attended by activists from many nations.
•The commons was cited prominently in the Barcelona
Charter on Creativity, Innovation and Access
to Knowledge, drafted in November by participants
from around the world at the Free Culture Forum.
The Barcelona Charter boldly addresses large media
corporations’ attempts to expand copyright law,
control the Internet and limit user freedoms. (More Information)
• Strategists and activists
associated with Germany’s
Heinrich Boll Foundation
a think tank growing out of
the green movement have
issued a call to “Strengthen
the Commons. Now!”
The broad political manifesto
appears not only in German
but English and Spanish as
well. (More information.
com/2009/12/17/commons-
manifesto-strenghtenthe-
commons-now)
• A number of global commons
organizations in the
U.S. are exploring new ways to bring a commons
agenda to the attention of the United Nations, especially
the UN Development Programme. A group
of two dozen commons advocates, including David
Bollier, met in New York City during December to
develop plans and coordinate future strategies.
• A strong message that water is a commons to be
shared by all was voiced at the World Water Forum
in Istanbul last March and the People’s Water
Forum going on at the same time. Daniel Moss of
OTC’s Our Water Commons program was among
the many justice advocates helping draft a pro-commons/
pro-human rights declaration that was issued.
• In June 2009, twenty leading commons thinkers
and activists from ten countries Brazil, South
Africa, India, Austria, Germany and others converged
on Crottorf Castle, near Cologne, Germany,
to take stock of the emerging international movement
to create a commons-based society. The meeting
broadened international understanding about
commons-based work. See David Bollier’s report at
OnTheCommons.org (search for “Crottorf ”).
For more information contact David Bollier