Ada_L
18 July 2024 13:59
1
The fifth edition of OFFDEM took place, like the first OFFDEM, at VSP (Voix des Sans-Papiers) in Brussels.
Demilitarisation: a free/libre concern?
Awareness of war-ness calls wariness. While battlefields tend to multiply, governments from all countries are increasing their military budget to levels unseen since the Cold War. These industrial investments are not only engaging armies into massive killings but are also threatening/repressing civic movements and dissident minorities.
The military-industrial complex is not a foreign space, it is the means of existence of Occident. As technologist we know its not so far and: if we dig a little into our network and resources we quickly encounter military affiliation.
We can be concerned in two main ways. In solidarity with the people aimed by both the software and hardware ±high-tech weaponry developed in weatlhier countries. Then in consideration for our own safety and our capacity to face potential aggression from inside and outside those. In the shadow of highlighted international binarism (“Either you’re with us, or you’re against us.”), a vast complex irrigates both sides of every battlefield, taking profit in return of their spreading.
In this context, growing strong bonds, sharing intelligence and joyful care between communities is getting vital. While the industrial economy is accelerating its destructive course against our environment, killing all forms of life for the sole profit of the capitalists, improving both our knowledge and our cohesion contributes to disarming our enemies, towards emancipation.
Whatever the walk of life that brings you addressing those concerns, let’s face them together!
Themes
Here’s a list of more specific topics suggestions to confront during this edition.
Local Organization
Don’t look up! What is here and around directly contributing and benefiting to the military industry?Look around , what are the points of weaknessSafer places , where and how do we take care of each others around frontlinesProtecting life essentials: water and air
Collective Data Sovereignty
Removing functionality : serene minimalism to save energyJoining forces to compose programs that work well together
How do we bring together useful information and data
Interoperability & Power Relations
Right to connect : surviving internet shutdownsPublic interoperability poisons and remedies
Internet from the military to a public digital infrastructure, what public agency?
OFFDEM is a special event with a specific OFFDEM methodology . Please read it and understand where you’re heading!
There’s a single “track” along different themes and rooms, so that everyone can take the time to meet each other and share transversal perspectives. This year’s transversal topic is demilitarization: a free software concern – sharing means of technological resistance towards a liveful world.
OFFDEM Tetraoxygen wanted to consolidate the OFFDEM collective methodology to work together with an introduction General Assembly (GA), self-organized Working Groups (WGs), restitution GA in the evening, and follow-up WGs as much as possible.
OFFDEM Ourstory : OFFDEM | OFFDEM H₂O | O₂FFDEM | O₃FFDEM | O₄FFDEM
