Meet the family

21 March 2011

Like Friends of the Earth EWNI, Friends of the Earth Netherlands is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

As part of this, Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie) are inviting our local group members to their annual Conference.

The Conference will be held on the weekend of 21-22 May at the lovely seaside location of Wijk aan Zee in the Netherlands.

It'll be a chance for local group members from both organisations to:

• share stories and skills
• learn about each others campaigns
• get inspired
• have fun
• learn more about how Friends of the Earth works at a local, European and International level.

It's also an opportunity to make connections with another group - and potentially to build on this after the Conference - so you can continue to share ideas and tactics after you've gone home.

Who can go?

We're able to subsidise the travel costs of up to 8 local group members to attend the Conference. Here are some possible travel routes.

Once you're there, accommodation is provided either in communal sleeping tents (10 people per tent) or you're welcome to bring your own tent and camp. Vegetarian food will be cooked on site, with a small voluntary donation being asked for to contribute towards costs.

All sessions will take place in English.

How do I get involved?

If you're interested in taking part, then please email Jess Dolan via localgroups@foe.co.uk. As places are limited these will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Travel costs up to £250 can be funded. Travelling as a group may be cheaper, and where possible, we'll try and link you up with other Friends of the Earth EWNI group members. Friends of the Earth EWNI won't be able to arrange your travel for you. But we'll provide information on possible routes, as well as general information about the Conference.

If you're interested but would like to know more, pleas email Jess.

What's the format of the weekend?

The agenda is subject to changes but a draft is below for guidance:

• 12 noon - Start of the Conference, with lunch for all participants
• 13.00 - Twinning sessions begin - chance to share updates on what your local group is like and your current campaigns and to hear from other groups from the Netherlands and EWNI
• 14.45 - Short break
• 15.00- Group members share ideas, lessons learnt and top tips.
• 17.30 - Drinks and informal networking
• 18.30 - Dinner for everyone
• 20.00 - Sharing key learning from the day - then socialising and informal networking

On Sunday morning there will be a follow-up session for group members who wish to keep in touch, to explore ways of linking or sharing communications and ideas sustainably.

Later on Sunday, the preconference (prior to the Friends of the Earth Europe AGM) will begin which our group members are very welcome to attend. Again, all sessions will be in English.

The preconference will explore "North and South: how do we connect in a united struggle for a sustainable world?". Sessions will include:

• Tar Sands in Madagascar
• Shell in Nigeria
• Corporate Power and the link to people's daily lives
• Workshops on working together locally, across Europe and internationally.

The main activities on Sunday will finish by 5pm.

Tell us all about it

If you're one of the lucky people attending this, we'd like to make sure that other groups can share your experiences - whether this is a story in Change your world or a blog for the Friends of the Earth website, we're keen to hear your ideas about how to share what you've learnt too.