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• Thousands of volunteers trained as Arrestee and Emotional Supporters prepare to arrive in London en masse
• More than 1,300 regenerative workshops and activities already planned throughout the rebellion

As the opening ceremony for the International Rebellion – London gets underway from 5pm today, we wanted to take this moment to tell you what the Rebellion is really about. It is not just neon pink boats, buckets of blood on Downing Street, 91-year-olds in the arms of police, or outstretched hands super-glued to towering financial institutions.

As we move into a pivotal and unknown period of uncertainty, we know that by facing our fears – in an emergency moment of our democracy and our global ecosystem –  we can find a true and deeper love for life that allow ourselves to lean into the furthest edge of our courage. 

We hear history calling to us from the future. We catch glimpses of a new world of love, respect and regeneration, where we have restored the intricate web of all life. 

It’s a future that’s inside us all, and so we rise in the name of truth and withdraw our consent for ecocide, oppression and patriarchy. We rise up for a world where power is shared for regeneration, repair and reconciliation. We rise for love in its ultimate wisdom.

At the secret heart of Extinction Rebellion is our bedrock commitment to regenerative culture. Since inception, we have experimented with tools drawn from ancient and modern wisdom to put this intention into practice. Regenerative Culture is a founding principle and value – a commitment to a future where our cultures are resilient, built on love and respect for one another, all other forms of life, and the planet that sustains us. [1]

This is how we feel we can begin to stop harming and start repairing. This is where we learn – challenging ourselves and making mistakes as we go – to talk and walk the beginnings of a more regenerative world.

This rebellion – set to be at least five times larger than what was seen in April – is our moment to rebel, above all, in the name of repairing the wounded organism that is our planet, our communities, and ourselves. During this rebellion we will try to demonstrate the change we want to see in society – to show how we can nurture a new culture that is resilient and robust. 

There is no single concept to be defined and followed. No two people define regenerative culture identically, yet a chorus of voices interact and inform each other. People disagree, and learn. 

During the Rebellion

Hundreds of regenerative teams will be supporting rebels behind the scenes and around the clock. They will be providing emotional and practical support for those newly released from police cells after having sacrificed their liberty – a potentially traumatic experience – welcoming them with a warm smile and some hot chocolate. They will offer first aid and active listening to hold space for grieving, mediating conflicts as they arise. Plus there will be yoga, meditation and massage, if that appeals to you.

The Regenerative Action Cycle

Whilst our actions disrupt, they can also often create space for us to cocreate a regenerative vision for the world. They are based on natural cycles that we find in the world around us – the hours of the day, the seasons of the year, the cycles of a lifetime – allowing people to pause and rest, reconnect and debrief, alongside periods of intense action on the street. More about this here. 

Regenerative Culture at the Rebellion 

Specifically in terms of wellbeing, arrestee support, climate grief, sanctuary spaces, consent awareness and healing, this is what we have planned so far:

• Wellbeing Hubs at each site – spaces where we look out for each other, particularly in moments of high tension. Wellbeing Hubs will be calm and quiet spaces, equipped with warm drinks, snacks, blankets, first aid kits and shoulders to cry on
• More than 1100 trained Action Wellbeing volunteers, professional first-aiders and therapists including our partners at the Climate Psychology Alliance, providing emotional and physical support for those in need. Look for their blue sashes

• 120+ Arrestee Support groups:
  • More than 1000 trained Arrestee Supporters, backing up our courageous arrestees, working closely with legal observers to inform rebels about their rights and the consequences of arrest
  • Police Station Supporters positioned around the country so that no rebel leaves custody alone
  • Post-arrest Liaisons providing practical guidance through the arrest-to-court process
  • Court and Trial Supporters assisting defendants at court
• Daily “Decolonisation PLUS” workshops – acknowledging that addressing this is at the root of the healing justice we need to face the on-going crisis, together. 
• Grief Tending Teams at each site, positioned to listen and facilitate the climate grief process for rebels and passers-by
• Rebel Sanctuaries holding more than 1300 regenerative workshops and activities. Spaces to gather, ground, practice gratitude, and explore how we can better nurture our society and ourselves
• Resources on how to aid a person harmed by harassment or assault distributed throughout all information points

• Consent Awareness Teams travelling between sites, distributing flyers and enforcing healthy consent practices throughout the rebellion
• 200 Heart Openers comprised of professionals in healing work to costumed mythical creatures, doctors, teachers, children and elders, interweaving in and out of all twelve sites day and night and coordinated by the elements: water, fire, earth and air

Notes

[1] All are welcome who want to adhere to our principles and values

1. We have a shared vision of change – Creating a world that is fit for generations to come.
2. We set our mission on what is necessary – Mobilising 3.5% of the population to achieve system change – using ideas such as “Momentum-driven organising” to achieve this.
3. We need a regenerative culture – Creating a culture which is healthy, resilient and adaptable.
4. We openly challenge ourselves and our toxic system – Leaving our comfort zones to take action for change.
5. We value reflecting and learning – Following a cycle of action, reflection, learning, and planning for more action. Learning from other movements and contexts as well as our own experiences.
6. We welcome everyone and every part of everyone – Working actively to create safer and more accessible spaces.
7. We actively mitigate for power – Breaking down hierarchies of power for more equitable participation.
8. We avoid blaming and shaming – We live in a toxic system, but no one individual is to blame.
9. We are a non-violent network – Using non-violent strategy and tactics as the most effective way to bring about change.
10. We are based on autonomy and decentralisation – We collectively create the structures we need to challenge power. Anyone who follows these core principles and values can take action in the name of Extinction Rebellion.

About Extinction Rebellion:

Time has almost entirely run out to address the ecological crisis which is upon us, including the 6th mass species extinction, global pollution, and abrupt, runaway climate change. Societal collapse and mass death are seen as inevitable by scientists and other credible voices, with human extinction also a possibility, if rapid action is not taken.

Extinction Rebellion believes it is a citizen’s duty to rebel, using peaceful civil disobedience, when faced with criminal inactivity by their Government.

Extinction Rebellion’s key demands are:

1. Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change.
2. Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.
3. Government must create and be led by the decisions of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.

Extinction Rebellion International Rebellion 

Activists will be taking to the streets in over 60 countries from 7^th October 2019 to demand governments tell the truth and act urgently on Climate change.  Many ordinary people from all walks of life will join the cause. This follows record numbers on the streets across the world  the Strike for Climate last week.

What Emergency? | Extinction Rebellion in Numbers |This Is Not A Drill: An Extinction Rebellion Handbook

Get involved:

• In the UK, come to one of our events, join the Rebellion Network and let us know how you can help out.
• Start a group where you are: in the UK or around the world.
• Find your local group.
• Check out the International XR website, with links to the French, German, Italian and UK websites.
• And while your time and energy are of most importance, if you are financially able to donate money, see our crowdfunder.

About Rising Up!

Extinction Rebellion is an initiative of the Rising Up! network, which promotes a fundamental change of our political and economic system to one which maximises well-being and minimises harm. Change needs to be nurtured in a culture of reverence, gratitude and inclusion while the tools of civil disobedience and direct action are used to express our collective power.