Summit Hopping -
Fun, Fad, or Catchy Buzzword.

Since Seattle there has been a lot of talk about this increasing trend of 'summit hopping'. i.e. Anti-capitalist organizing focusing mainly on large summits of international 'leaders' and their friends, and then inviting everyone on the continent to come to their town and get busted for the revolution.

Rightly so, reflection has brought about a number of criticisms of 'summit hopping', as it's been dubbed. Some of these criticisms have included:

• The ability to mobalize and continent hop is a very clear reflection of the privlege and comfort zone of western activists.
• Massive mobalizations against these symbolic meetings diverts energy and resources from local struggles and community building.
• The focus on 'days of action' since Seattle, ignores the very real resistance and struggle of millions of people around the world.

These discussions have not focused around ending 'summit hopping' however, but about making sure that these anti-capitalist mobalizations are tied directly to community building and global solidarity, and stressing that it only be a part of the organizing we do. If we keep these things in mind there can be some excellent benefits from 'summit hopping', including :-)

• Networking of resistance movements around the world and building stronger ties between these organizations.
• Mobalization and outreach to people who have had little experience in social movements.
• The strengthing of the fight against capitalism and the very real realization that we are growing, and can win. :-)
• The stregthening and creation of community organizations that will continue building alternatives after the summit has passed.

With all this in mind, here's a page to help folks go summit hopping in Europe for the summer of 2001. In regards to community organizing, don't come to these 'days of action' as part of your activist work, stay home and continue building in your communities. But if you're taking a holiday anyway, might as well tie it into the days of action. (and here's the bullet points why :-)

• You can learn lots about organizing from seeing how people do it in different towns and countries.
• Coming to a 'Day of Action' where you have little organizing responsibility is a good chance to reflect and see the action from a different angle.
• Again..networks of resistance. Make friends and learn about the struggles happening in different parts of the world and how it's all connected in the fight against capitalism.
• Bring your own propaganda and experience. Let people know whats going down in your community and how you deal with issues like sexism and racism. (without assuming you know all).
• You're not breaking probation if you get arrested in a different country :-) (i think!)

So make use of this page if ya go summit hopping, and let me know if you have other things that can go on here. Also take a look at some of the resources on this page to help you in your reflections about community organizing and summit hopping.