USEFUL INFORMATION AND IDEAS FOR A HARMONIOUS TIME
The Camp ABC is a collection of our (the organization team’s) ideas for a harmonious time during the Climate Camp Leipziger Land and the Sommerschule. As long as we don’t agree on anything else by consensus, we hope that the Camp ABC will be respected by all participants. For us the Camp ABC is an unfinished open process, in which everyone can participate.
We are all guests in Pödelwitz and are very thankful that we can organise the Climate Camp here. Due to this special situation, the Climate Camp Leipziger Land is not a self-contained space. Instead, it is part of the village community and the village community is a part of the Climate Camp. We want our behavior at the camp to be compatible with the daily life of the village inhabitants and hope that they don’t feel limited through us.
ACCESSIBILITY
We want to make it possible for all people to participate in the camp and to feel welcome. Of course, you can contact us in advance to settle questions concerning accessibility (e-mail: barrierearm@klimacamp-leipzigerland.de).
On the camp itself, you can contact us at the info tent. We kindly ask for your support, concerning the removal of barriers, and for helping each other out – as far as your capacities reach.
The campground is on a meadow and normally passable with the wheelchair – although conditions could become difficult in case of long-lasting rain. Barrier-free tent and parking possibilities are signposted or you can ask at the info tent for information. There is also a barrier-free toilet and an almost barrier-free shower. If you need medication (eg insulin) that needs to be refrigerated, feel free to contact the info tent.
Language can also be a barrier (for example subcultural jargon or academical speech). We want to collectively try to avoid such barriers. We suggest to proactively ask your surroundings if you think your, or someone else’s vocabulary might be difficult to understand for others.
AWARENESS
We envision a culture of awareness and respect in the camp and expect all camp participants to follow this vision. The confrontation with topics such as discrimination, privileges, hierarchies and violent behaviour should not be restricted to so called experts or the directly affected people. You can find more details on this concept of “awareness” in our info sheet, which is available at the info tent.
On the camp there are contact people that you can talk to at any time if you or somebody around you is affected by discriminating, transgressive or violent behaviour. These contact people will listen to you and will not judge or question your experience. They will support you. From 8 am until the end of the events at night you will find them at the awareness tent. In addition, and during the night you can call them: 01525/1934227.
Participants who behave in a discriminating or violent way towards other people, will be excluded from the camp.
CAMP FEE AND DONATIONS
The camp is mainly financed through donations and your camp fee. The camp fee is collected at the info tent. In rare occasions you can also transfer the money to our donation account (info below), but sadly people often forget about this when the camp is over. We suggest you to pay between 3 and 5 € per person per day to finance the infrastructure. The money for food is not included and will be collected separately. You will find more information on this at the kitchen. The participants of the summer school who have already signed up and paid, only have to pay for their food. The general idea is that everybody pays as much they can afford. Lack of money should definitely not be a reason not to participate at the camp.
In addition we are supported by the Patagonia and Lush foundations. The Degrowth summer school is also supported by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. You can get more information on our sources of money and our spendings at the daily financial briefing which will be announced at the info tent. Thank you very much for your support!
Donations account: Recipient: KiB e.V. Reason for payment: KC Leipziger Land IBAN: DE93 8609 5604 0307 1799 54
CAMPING
There will be assigned areas for camping. Stay clear from all other areas, particularly from the rescue routes. If you have or need a free place to sleep in a tent, please let us know at the Info-tent. Please set up your tents as space-saving as possible, so that everyone, even the ones joining later, will find a free spot. Parking cars, busses and campervans are generally not allowed on the campgrounds. There are more accessible camping spaces for people with disabilities, with close by parking spots.
CREATIVITY TENT
There will be a creativity tent with a lot of materials and possibilities to decorate the camp, prepare actions and spread our political message in a creative and colourful way. It’s open for everyone regardless of experience or so-called “skill”.
FIRE
Private campfire and barbecue is prohibited due to the high fire hazard. Let us keep an eye on that on the camping area and also in the surroundings, e.g. the lake. Fire extinguishers are to be found in the Info tent, the kitchen, the circus tent, the bar, the entrances/exits and the camping areas.
FIRST AID AND EMERGENCY
In case of a medical emergency please contact the first aid tent, where you will find a first aid kit. There, and in the info tent, you can also find information about nearby doctors, hospitals and pharmacies.
In case of extreme weather events such as storms or heavy rain we ask you to stay calm. In case of an urgent situation we’ll come together in a spontaneous plenum in order to discuss the further course of action.
FOOD AND DRINKS
For ecological and political reasons, the kitchen is cooking vegan food for everyone (with few exceptions that will be marked). Donations for the food will be collected at the kitchen. We recommend an amount of 5€ to 8€ per day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The kitchen is in need of helping hands for chopping veggies and washing the dishes. If you have any food allergies or intolerances please tell the team at the info tent. At the bar you can buy drinks in the afternoon and during the night. Please disinfect your washed and dried hands before getting your meals served, and remind your neighbours to do the same.
GRASSROOTS CAFE
The Grassroots Cafe is an open space for networking and exchange where we can discuss our ideas and wishes for life at the Climate Camp and beyond. There will be various reading material and information about participation on the camp. Every early afternoon the Camp Factory (see grassroots democracy) takes place at the Cafe.
GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY
At the Climate Camp we try to live the concept of grassroots democracy. This means for example that every person shall have the possibility to contribute to the Climate Camp with own ideas and wishes and that the taken decisions regarding camp life are passed on to everybody.
At the Opening of the Day after breakfast, important information for the day and information regarding the camp processes will be spread. Besides, it is possible that questions or topics emerge which we would like to further explore.
After lunch, the Camp Factory is taking place at the Grassroots Cafe. It is a space for discussions on important topics regarding camp life and for the creation of new ideas in small groups.
At the same time, the working groups are meeting in order to speak about relevant topics for their tasks at the camp. The working groups welcome interested people who want to join their meetings and bring in their ideas.
During The Plenary in the evening, we collect the topics of the day and make decisions on the principle of consensus. Delegates from the working groups and the camp factory as well as all interested parties participate at The Plenary. The outcome of The Plenary will be passed on to all participants of the camp during the following Opening of the Day.
You can find the exact schedule in the programme and at the info tent.
INFO TENT
The Info tent is your first contact point: here you can find information about the Climate Camp, the area, the programme, lost and found, as well as the cash box for the camping fee. Besides, there is several reading material, flyers and a lot more to explore. Next door in the Hands on!-Tent we hang out the shift plans, where everybody can sign up to help out and participate in the camp process. Furthermore, you can buy useful things such as toothbrushes, tissues, tampons, earplugs ecc. You can call the Info tent at: 01528498559.
INTERNET and ELECTRICITY
We will mainly be powered by solar energy. There will also be public wi-fi. Both is only limitedly available. Camp operations will have priority. You can charge your phone or the like in the Info tent.
LAKE
The lake is part of the public space and is used by many different people. It is possible to bath naked in it. Be aware that people might feel uncomfortable when confronted with nudity. There is an official public bathing beach where you are less likely to be confronted with nudity.
Keep in mind that also the usage of biodegradable soaps and shampoos pollutes the lake. This should be avoided.
LEGAL TEAM
In case of problems with the police, the legal team or rather the committee of inquiry is contactable by phone around the clock during the entire time of the camp.The phone number will be announced at the camp, and you can ask for it at the info tent. If you are arrested or you witness incidents of police violence or others being detained, please ring the legal team directly, they will take care of it. Do not make a statement and do not sign anything. Please inform us when you have been released.
You can as well contact the legal team if you require legal advice for actions (the specific times for legal advice can be found outside the legal tent).
LOST AND FOUND
We have a box with lost property at the info tent. Once the Climate Camp comes to an end, we will store these things for one month. If you miss something, please contact us until the beginning of September via info@klimacamp-leipzigerland.de. After this time has passed, we will give the left things to a free shop.
PETS AND ANIMALS
If possible, please leave your pets at home. The Climate Camp can be a really stressful place, especially for dogs. If there is no other way, take responsibility for your animal friend. Be aware that there are people who feel really uncomfortable or frightened around animals. That means: Dogs should be kept on leash, and poo needs to be cleaned up right away. Assistance dogs are of course welcome. Also, please respect areas marked as “dog-free”.
PHOTO, FILM AND PRESS
We think a sensitive handling of photography and film is important in order to make everyone feel safe and comfortable. There are various reasons why people might not want to be photographed or filmed.
That means: Whenever you want to take a picture or video, inform and ask everyone who will be identifiable beforehand. Same rule for the press, of course.
If you feel violated in your rights by press representatives, you can come to the press tent. If you feel violated in your rights by other participants you can come to the Awareness tent. We can not prevent all eventualities but we want to make sure that nobody feels left alone and try to find solutions together.
Between 10am and 12am, 2pm and 3pm and during the evening events we have official press time slots in the “public areas” (e.g. Info tent, Circus tent, bar…). Spontaneous long shots will be possible at that time. More “private” areas like the workshop tents, the legal tent, the designated areas for young people, the sanitary facilities, the kitchen, and the sleeping areas are not included here. This applies in the same way for press and participants.
If you ever feel unsure about the situation, ask the people around you.
The Press Team oversees the press representatives on the Camp. Since the team cannot be everywhere at all time, we kindly ask you to refer the press representatives to the Press tent. If you happen to give an interview, please answer explicitly as a private person (and not as “Climate Camp”).
POLITICAL PARTIES
Please consider: the Climate Camp is independent of any political party and is not a place for election campaign events. We welcome variegated and creative banners in order to decorate the camp with political messages. If you bring flyers you can place them at the info tent.
PÖDELWITZ
We ask for thoughtfulness if local residents are unfamiliar with codes and behaviour patterns or the Camp ABC and encourage you to exchange views on that respectfully.
Do not enter premises that are not signed as part of the camp. The vacant houses are private property as well. Entering premises sold to MIBRAG can be used to criminalise the camp and opponents of coal production.
Please keep especially quiet on the church grounds and the graveyard, do not camp there and keep the bus stop accessible.
We furthermore ask for not spraying, tagging or putting stickers onto the remaining infrastructure in Pödelwitz.
RESTING TIME
It is important for us to respect the needs of the locals and the participants. For that reason there will be a resting time starting at 10 pm. There are exceptions for the bar (12 pm) and the party evenings (12 pm). For families and other people with a higher need for sleep, there will be a camping area with earlier resting time (8 pm).
SAFE SPACES
There are a number of designated safe spaces in the camp. These include the awareness tent and a BAME safe space (black, asian, minority and ethnic). Guidance for using these tents can be found at the entrance. Please respect that these spaces are for people who wish to take a rest away from the camp.
SANITARY FACILITIES
There will be dry toilets, gutters for urinating (squatting and standing up) and showers. In addition there will be barrier-free sanitary facilities. Please be aware of the separation of drinking water points and wash basins (epidemic prevention!).
Please use water consciously and only use biodegradable soaps, shampoos and recycled toilet paper (all of which will be provided for you).
Please follow the instructions for the dry toilets. We clean the toilets together. It is important that as many people as possible sign up for cleaning shifts (at the info tent).
There will be a seperate shower for FLINT* (Female-Lesbian-Inter-Non-binary-Trans* people) and another one for all gender. There are also single and communal showers.
SECURITY
Not everyone dreams of the immediate coal exit and shares our vision of a harmonious cohabitation. For this reason we have to be prepared for camp disturbances from outside. On the public areas it is also possible to come in contact with the security services of MIBRAG (the regional coal mining company) or police officers. To encounter and react to these cases there will be a security team and a security concept. They will be available around the clock via phone: 01520/4021365. To make that work we urgently need your participation in night shifts and alike. More information on that at the info tent.
SET-UP AND DISMANTLING
We are a self-organised camp which also means that we have to facilitate the set-up and dismantling of the camp ourselves. This is a great opportunity to get to know the organisational structure of the camp, improve technical skills or to slowly find an end to the camp. The setting up phase starts one week before the camp on 28 June. Dismantling takes place from Sunday evening until Wednesday 14 August. Further information is available at the info tent or on our webpage.
SMOKING, ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS
We ask you to pay attention everywhere if other participants in your direct surroundings are okay with the consumption of (e-)cigarettes, alcohol and other mind-altering substances and that the consumption is not getting out of hand. Furthermore, we suggest you to mainly consume those substances at the bar. In front of the bar there will be an explicitly signed smoking area.
For reasons of health and fire prevention it is absolutely forbidden to smoke on all the lawns. Please keep the camp area clean and be aware and considerate of non-smoking people. We ask smokers to bring a portable ashtray or to make one at the camp and to empty it at the trash station.
The awareness tent is no place for drug use, but a place of retreat that is open for everyone, especially if you are not feeling well.
TOP(LESS) AND NUDITY
We imagine the Camp to be an engaging place to reflect privilege and power and the possibilities of how to deal with nudity. At past Climate Camps the compromise that everybody dresses their upper bodies during the camp was applied. We want to stick to this compromise for now. A box with bikini tops is available for everyone at the info tent. We hope that the debate on nudity of the upper body is going to trigger a learning process in all of us, and especially make Cis*-men refflect on this subject, and that a lively exchange about privileges will take place. Of course this proposal does not apply to young people, they (or their caregiver) should decide themselves on how they want to dress. You will find further information on this topic in the info tent.
*”Cis” refers, as a counter term to “trans”, to persons, who identify with the gender assigned to them at birth.
TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING
To reduce language barriers, we try to have as much as possible of the programme interpreted/translated. The majority of the workshops will be held in German, some in English (have a look at the programme). Please organize whisper interpreting autonomously if necessary, so that everyone can participate. People who are willing to be visible as potential “whisper-interpreters” can come to the info-tent and label themselves. During the main events in the circus tent we will provide simultaneous interpreting English German, and maybe other languages depending on necessity and capacity.
Please bring your on earplugs and, if possible, a radio of your own! Many smartphones are capable of receiving radio signals as well. That saves us a lot of stress and we don’t have to waste as many resources on cheap headphones.
TRASH
Sustainability is obviously a priority for the Climate Camp. Part of that is to produce the least waste possible. Please join our efforts, avoid producing trash and separate your waste accordingly.
WORKING TOGETHER
The Climate Camp is a self-governed space. That means, everybody’s help and participation is necessary. Tasks that have to be done reach from chopping vegetables to facilitating plenaries. Most tasks don’t demand any specific knowledge. We also encourage you to consider more complex tasks as an opportunity to accomplish new knowledge! You can find shift schedules and How-To’s for the different tasks in the Hands on!-Tent. Let’s pay attention to keep a gender-balance in the shifts, especially regarding care work (e.g. accompanying young people, cleaning, cooking…).
In addition to the possibility of actively participating in the camp through shifts, there are many other possibilities for participation (see grassroots democracy)
YOUNG PEOPLE (CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS)
We want to underline that we see children and teenagers as fully individual people. We would like to open up a discussion referring to them as young people here. Adults will be called more experienced people or caregivers.
We explicitly welcome young people at the camp! The aim is to enable them and their caregivers to participate in the programme.
In the open space for young people there will therefore be an organised companionship during the workshop times from 10am to 12.30am and from 3pm to 5.30pm.
We would like to give young people easy access to many topics of the climate justice movement. In particular, the workshop tent for young people is a place that invites them to participate in an easily accessible programme. Further workshops with low-threshold access are marked as “basic” workshops in the programme.
You are welcome to participate in accompanying young people, gain experience in care work and reflect on the connection with degrowth (see working together). Together, we want to create a framework in which good agreements can be made between the persons to whom we relate and the caregivers.
