Action trainings | Demonstration law | Tastings

Activisme is not for everyone. And that is fully okay. For people that are slightly interested or sincerely critical we organise tastings:

Get aquainted with the topic in an accesable way or join a strong debate. Tastings are very much suited for festivals or during theme nights.

The goal of tastings in not to convince eachother but to connect. Not by looking for simularities but by connecting betweenb authentic differences.

Tastings are available in different lengths and formats. Also for different sizes of groups. Here you find a few different elements that can be part of a tasting. More extended explenations further down.
- Inpiration session: 'What fits me?'
- Inspiration session: Bjeno's personal journey.
- Performance with Singer-Songwriter songs.
- A beginners level about the how and why of disruptive action, and what not to do.
- An exploration of legal bounderies

And for the Christians among you:
- an exploration of theological, biblical and/or spiritual scope

There is always a right mix that would fit your group. And it is always an option to make it ad hoc and leave it open to the audience. Beneath you will find a further explenation of the elements. Feel free to contact if you want to brainstorm about it.

Inspiration session 'what fits me?'

Activisme may not be for everyone. Besides that 'acvisme' is a very broad and loaded word.

But everyone is able to do good. The question: how do I know what is true and what is good. And how can I contribute?

Where your talents meet the need of the world, there is your calling. It doesn't have to be perfect nore all at once. Try to do just slightly better today then yesterday and tomorrow slightly better then today. That is the beginning of a beautifull world.

Bjeno's personal journey.

I have not always been an activist. I started reasonably late.

My natural way is to live by the rules. That is in my personality and I was raised that way. I have been taught to ‘obey the once that are above you‘. Parents, teachers, the church (raised in right wing bible belt), the government.

When I first got aquainted with activisme, first via the climate movement, that did however not feel in conflict with my core believes. It felt like the practical rendition of the things that before that I had been considering theoretically and conseptually.

Performance with SingerSongwriter songs.

I am quite verbal. And sometimes that is really handy. But being verbal has als been a wall between me and my feelings.

One day (during the 40 days of Lent) I have challenged myself to write one song daily. About love and all things that touch the heart.

Although I don't write daily anymore I haven't stopped writing. After 300+ songs I lost count. Needles to say, a big part of my songs are not for the public. But between those I have found some gems/

When I learned about climate and climate justice I also started writing songs about that.

The how and why of activisme?

There are quite some people for which activism does not feel right. Here you get a peek into the what and how of activism Why do we think it works? And how do we do it? What does it take considering preperation and emotions?

An exploration of legal bounderies

Protesting is a constitutional right. Also the disruptive variations are protected within demonstration law

It is quite possible that you like neither the message nor the methods. It is important though that you can see the distinction between your moral bounderies on the one side and the legal bounderies on the other side. Also, to quickly it is assumed that something is not allowed. But within demonstration law there is quite some nuance.

A mayor is allowed to take you of the road when you block it. And the prosecuter can also prosecute you But at the end the judge will in most cases give a not guilty verdict.

Civil disobedience is a lawfull tool. You brake some laws in the confidence that higher laws will set you free

That something is legally allowed does not mean you should do it. But does that mean we have to change the law? And if so, how easy would that be? Where the bounderies and balance lie is something we are going to investigate together. Spoiler alert: there will be no end conclusion.

For the Christians among you

Like I mentioned before, I was raised as a Christian. And I still am one. The people who are familiar with that tradition may hear that in some of my songs. Besides that I have been studying theology for a few years. One of the elements of the tasting may be an exploration of theological, biblical and/or spiritual scope.

Whether you read the Bible literally or as a metaphor, in both cases I come to the conclusion that it is overflowing with a repeated call to practical forms of justice.

Even God (at least according to the story) didn't do much more then turning the light on on the first day.

But maybe recognising the chaos is the most important step. That in itself is already good.

And from there you can search for your calling, in steps that you can persist in. That will turn earth into paradise.