A 5 days gathering to think about collective mediation practices at PAF.
As a self-organized space, PAF has a long herstory* in figuring out ways of calling each other in and keeping its users accountable for their actions in a shared environment, including the active dismantling and counteracting of harmful behaviours that we all carry forth and wish to end.
For the past 5 years accountability and mediation practices have been further developed with the help of many hearts and brains to establish other ways of dealing with conflict, violence and difference at PAF.
With the dynamic to make mediation and accountability a more structural aspect of PAF, these efforts are now creating new problems: PAF neither has the resources of an institution nor wants to be an institution or reproduce logics of policing and cancel culture. Moreover, PAF is intended to be organized around a transitory community. This transience means that typical collective accountability processes can be challenging or unfit for purpose.
This gathering is an invitation to anyone interested in mediation practices within self-organized collectives.
How to engage mediation as a collective endeavor and a shared responsibility at PAF? Can mediation and non-violent conflict resolution be more embedded in the general practice of a shared space? How to collectively cultivate awareness and skills?
How to define clearer protocols and resources for when incidents happen in and around PAF without creating institutional frameworks which are not desirable or which PAF cannot live up to?
How to commit to mediation processes that do not endorse cancel culture and/or carceral logics, but rather engage with accountability and reparative processes that reduce harm on a long term, and invite for a deeper learning of the violences that structure society and form our interactions daily?
How to prevent from burning the capacities of the individuals stepping into a mediation role, and instead create an environment for mutual growth and restoration, so that the mediation processes can be accompanied with all the care needed?
How to generate a more sensitive and politically aware practice of mediation and accountability at PAF by having more people involved with different positionalities, histories and knowledge?
How to collectivize this necessary work while respecting the needs for confidentiality when dealing with transmission and collaboration?
The gathering will be organized in morning and afternoon sessions to define and practice helpful tools that could be embedded in the ethos of PAF:
Morning sessions will function as self-organized working groups. Afternoons will be dedicated to learning through trainings and workshops.
If you have specific skills, interest in organizing or resources relevant to the gathering, please reach out via mediation@pa-f.net
༼;´༎ຶ ༎ຶ༽ Concrete needs: Self-organized mediation / transformative justice tools for transitory collectives / accountability process tools for collectives.
Practical details:
DRAMA will take place on 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8th of March, 2025 (arrival 3rd – departure 9th). Participants are invited to come for the whole gathering. To come earlier or stay longer is of course possible. The meeting will have a cap of 35 participants.
Kitchen will be organized. We will reach out once the group is formed regarding dietary needs.
PAF has 52 bedrooms. We have sheets and towels, duvets and pillows in the house for you to use. ☾･ﾟ
To attend DRAMA:
Sliding Scale Fees: PAF has implemented a sliding scale payment system as part of a more extensive effort at making PAF more accessible to persons that are at the intersection of racialization and precarisation. All contributions above 18 euro per night will go to the Mattress fund.
PAF will not ask you about your financial situation, you will evaluate the price to pay by yourself - all of this can be figured out onsite.
Sponsoring fee
⭒ 25 euro/night (or more) for those who can afford it
Suggested fee
⭒ 22 euro/night suggested price (for less than 4 nights)
⭒ 20 euro/night suggested price (for more than 4 nights)
⭒ 18 euro/night for a month
Basic fee
⭒ 20 euro/night for less than 4 nights
⭒ 18 euro/night for more than 4 nights
⭒ 16 euro/night for a month
♡ If you come with children: nightly fee is age X 1€ + daily food is age X 1€. No membership is needed but a disclaimer must be signed.
Pricing for less or more nights: pa-f.net/basics
We realize that the cost of attending may still be prohibitive for some, so please let us know if it is for you, and we will do our best to help. If you are eligible to Mattress, you can reach out to mattress@pa-f.net to plan your stay.
Accessibility notes
Here is the state of our accessibility rider working document.
Please let us know of your accessibility needs (if you come with children, if you have mobility requirements, or acute allergies…) as this help us better organize the event to work for everyone. We will try to accommodate your needs as best we can. Get in touch at mediation@pa-f.net if you have more questions beyond what you mention in the application form.
Coming to PAF
Check pa-f.net/basics/directions
xoxo
The Drama department (;´༎ຶٹ༎ຶ`)
Frida, Magda, Fallon, Noï, Kate, Annick, Dimitri & Simon (for now)
* To give an account of this work would only be incomplete as mediation and accountability processes have taken place at PAF in myriads of ways and by many PAF residents.
Some documents and resources, however, are worth mentioning:
The guidelines and resources developed by the Accountability Working Group between 2018 and 2019 in the form of collective intentions for an accountability practice and an understanding of consent at PAF. Of these conversations emerged the Mind Asymmetry 4th principle in 2019.
The bibliography of the Asymmetry Study Group formed to further the work of accountability by addressing anti-racist, anti-imperialist and social justice strategies.document
The document drafted by Corin and Lyor, as part of their firefly mandate as dedicated Mediation and Accessibility volunteers (2022-23), to articulate the role of mediation as a politically informed practice.