F.E.S.C.: the 1st fair of solidarity economy in Catalunya

[Michel Bauwens]

via the 

BARCELONA #15M Newsletter nr 31

URL = http://acampadabcninternacional.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/barcelona-...

F.E.S.C.: THE 1st FAIR OF SOLIDARITY ECONOMY IN CATALUNYA 

On October 27th and 28th Sant Andreu (a district of Barcelona) celebrated the 1st edition of the Fira d’economia solidaria de Catalunya (Catalonia’s Solidarity Economy Fair).

The main objectives were:

• To present and show how the solidarity economy is not just a theorical alternative to capitalism, but also a real option that can solve most of life’s material necessities in many sectors;
• To involve more people in the initiative as consumers, savers, starters of new projects, collaborators with the Solidarity Economy Networks, and so on.

As the organizers describe, a Solidarity (or supportive) Economy is made by all those organizations with economic production, distribution, comercialization, consumption and saving activities that are being developed under democratic, participative, environment-friendly and socially responsible criteria. Indeed the exhibitors were cooperatives, all kinds of cooperatives: banks, self-managed spaces hosting social projects, food productors and sellers, alternative energy providers, craftsmen, weavers, publishing houses, hosting houses, turistic services, health care services, schools, and cultural associations.

The event had also performances and artistic activities that attracted more than 4.500 visitors.

At the fair you could buy books, food and artefacts, but only by using “Ecosol”, an alternative currency used for commercial activities among the different organizations and companies in the network.

The aim of the event, even being catalan-wide, is to became a statal and international reference in Europe and the Mediterranean Area, for many other similar and regular meetings.