Transition Towns WIKI

Transition Conference 2009

Workshop write-ups and Open Space output photos now available

Check out the twenty one workshop write-ups. Although it's not the full complement - the missing ones may dribble in during the next decade or two - we're sure there's something there for everyone.

Major thanks and kudos to all of you who transcribed the workshops and to Asha Bee for pulling them all together.

We also have the available for download pics of the output from 40 Open Space sessions. Of the 90 sessions, some weren't recorded, some weren't really legible, others are undoubtedly gracing the walls of Westminster, so we've only got 40 available for download. There are some real gems among them, and just about all of them will have a certain amount of relevance to most people.

Take a look at the programme to remind yourself of the full smorgesbord that was laid out for that weekend.

"Official" conference anthem

A few people have asked for the lyrics to this mad musical moment, so here they are. And to you nukeheads, please excuse the artistic license claiming that nuclear has an EROEI of <1 - we know it's probably a bit more, but when Uranium-238, the most prevalent isotope in uranium ore, has a half-life of about 4.5 billion years, we may have to wait a bit to include all the energy involved in making the nuclear waste safe, or clearing up all the impacts of accidents.

So, to the raspy tune of Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz":

"Transition Everywhere" Evening Events Now Ready for Booking

Just for clarity, if you're booked in for the main conference, you're automatically booked in for these events (at no extra charge).

The largest Energy Descent Action Plan EVER for Transition Towns Anywhere in 2 HOURS

Tickets £10 (free to people coming to main conference), to book call Battersea Arts Centre on 0207 223 2223.

Catch this major one-off UK Transition Initiative: as dramatic and gi-normous as the Grand Hall itself.

Transitioning Tooting, Brixton, Totnes, Haringey, Kingston, Camden, Bristol, Sheffield (with extra help from Burst artists and 300 additional transitioners from Forest Row, Wandsworth Town, Llandeilo and elsewhere) will attempt the impossible: From Awareness Raising to Unleashing to Building Bridges with Local Government and Honoring the Elders a complete EDAP in 120 minutes.

Can they achieve this task and a half? Only with your help. Come along, cheer them on and find out!

The perfect way to find out more about Transition Towns, what they are and how they work.

Lucy Neal (Tooting) and Duncan Law (Brixton) bring together key individuals from Britain's Transition Town Initiatives to explore the 'transitioning' challenges and opportunities faced in local contexts.

A Dynamic Immersion in the Transition Concept

Tickets £10 (free to people coming to main conference), to book call Battersea Arts Centre on 0207 223 2223

The Transition movement is a fast-growing, bottom-up response to peak oil and climate change. There are now thousands of communities around the world using this model, and it is being widely acknowledged as a positive, solutions focused approach, “more like a party than a protest march”. This public event is part of the 2009 Transition Network Conference and features:

Rob Hopkins, co-founder of Transition Network and author of ‘The Transition Handbook’, will speak on the theme of ‘Transition Everywhere’, looking at what is happening around the world in this extraordinary movement.

David Strahan, author of ‘The Last Oil Shock’, offering an update on the peak oil issue, and why it is still vital

Dr. Stephan Harding of Schumacher College and author of ‘Animate Earth’, on the power of a Gaian perspective on the world.

Mary-Jayne Rust, an eco-psychologist, will look at the inner aspects of Transition, how do we build inner resilience and support communities through the transition?

The evening will offer an inspiring introduction to the Transition concept, and to its various aspects, both for those already active within Transition and for those coming to it afresh. It will be an opportunity to meet others who are involved and to get a sense of the huge possibilities that these challenging times present.

Conference Training programme now set

The 2009 Transition Network Pre- and Post- Conference Trainings are now ready for booking! For more information, here's the link:

Training schedule, details and booking instructions.

About the Conference

The Conference will be held at the Battersea Arts Centre, Lavender Hill, London, SW11 5TN. The conference will run from noon on Friday 22-May through to 14:30 on Sunday 24-May.

Purpose of Conference

This is the main event in the annual Transition calendar and is the opportunity to immerse yourself in what is happening in Transition initiatives around the world. The 2009 conference will be our biggest yet, keeping the best of what has gone before and adding many new and exciting special attractions!

Who can come?

As of right now, the conference is open to any interested Transitioners until we max out at approx 320. We'll hold a few places back for partners and journos.

Conference programme

The Conference programme as well as all the other documents referred to in your Conference information email, such as the Workshop descriptions, travel information, and food and refreshments document, are now available online!

For those of you having difficulty with the link for the required reading document for the Transition Training and Consulting workshop on Saturday afternoon, please try and use this one here

The conference will be a smorgasbord of fascinating workshops and open spaces - sessions that cover "outer work" and "inner work"; deep analysis and creative outpourings; bruised shins and soaring voices.

We're also going to be holding 1 and 2-day training courses before and after the main programme - here are the Training course schedule, details and booking instructions.

During the conference, we're also holding two public evening events on Friday and Saturday, including the premiere of the Transition Movie, the Southbank hit "EDAP in two hours", and some truly inspirational speakers.

Conference costs

The all-inclusive price for the conference is just £85 for Friday lunchtime to Sunday lunchtime.

The £85 includes:

• all workshops and open spaces (Fri/Sat/Sun)
• morning refreshments (Sat/Sun)
• lunch (Fri/Sat/Sun)
• afternoon refreshments (Fri/Sat)
• Friday night's public event:
  • Transition movie premiere
  • Rob Hopkins talk
  • EDAP in 2 hours by Tooting, Brixton and other transitioners
• Saturday night's public event with some exciting speakers and discussions

A small number of concession prices are available. Give Kristin a call on 0117 963 8323 or email conference@transitionnetwork.org to discuss. Just for clarification, there are no "single day" tickets. We want you there for the duration!

Booking a place

Just for clarification - your place isn't confirmed until we've received a cheque or online transfer of the appropriate amount.

If you have not received an e-mail invitation, please email us at conference@transitionnetwork.org (make you tell us your firstname, lastname, email and location) and we'll send you an online invitation.

When you have submitted the booking form please send us your payment, either by cheque made out to "Transition Network" to:

You can also transfer the money online - just make sure you do it by 10-May and please use the following:

• your name: DON'T FORGET THIS!!! We currently have 10 payments that we can't match to attendees. Please nclude your name in the transaction to avoid adding to our confusion and anguish!
• a descriptor: "TNConf-YourFirstName-YourLastName" very important!!!
• account name: "Transition Network"
• account number: 65253737
• IBAN number: GB55-CPBK-0892-9965-2537-37
• BIC number: CPBK GB22
• bank name: The Cooperative Bank
• sort code: 08-92-99

Note: International surcharge - our bank is charging us an extra £6 for international transfers, so if you're paying that way you'll need to add that to the overall payment.

Food

Lunches and tea break refreshments are included in the booking prices. In response to requests to cut down on packaging, we are inviting everyone to unleash their culinary creativity and bring home-made biscuits and cakes for sharing during tea breaks. For evening meals, there is a cafe at the Centre and also an endless array of eateries close by.

Accommodation

Accommodation is not included in the booking cost. In order to help you make arrangements there are a number of options that are listed below. Please make your own arrangements directly with the hotel/hostel/Londoner for these options.

Travel and how to get here

We encourage people, where possible, to lift-share or use public transport. We've set up a lift-share forum to facilitate those conversations.

Here's a map and directions from the BAC website, as well as other travel information.

Press protocol

Members of the press are very welcome to participate in or observe all and any aspect of the conference, as long as they sign up (by email or on a sheet at the conference) to the following protocol:

1. All press must register through the normal channels, paying full price
2. All press must state which publication (or freelance) they represent on their signup form
3. All press must make themselves known to a Transition Network person on arrival
4. Transition Network will provide press with an identifiable badge with name and publication
5. Press must wear the badge at all times
6. Any press person engaging a conference participant in conversation must explicitly convey whether the conversation is on the record or off the record
7. All participants will be told that if they feel uncomfortable talking to the press that it is their responsibility to express that (politely) before the conversations start

Dress code for conference - if you're in a suit, you'll be the only one :¬)