Report back from the St. Imier Congress, Switzerland, August 2012
by Miss Noire (no relation to Espace Noir)
From August 8 to 12, 2012, thousands of anarchists from all over the
world gathered at St. Imier, Switzerland, to celebrate the 140th
anniversary of the St. Imier Congress at which the Anti-Authoritarian
International was founded, which many believe to be the historical
beginning of the anarchist movement. Among the fifteen delegates who
attended the original meeting was Mikhail Bakunin, who also stayed in
St. Imier for a little while. St. Imier is a small town of less than 5000 inhabitants. The
anarchist space Espace Noir, which has been going since the 1980s, can
be found on the main road in the middle of town. It hosts a restaurant,
bar, infoshop, cinema and concert venue, as well as a gallery. Walking
around town, one can see several plaques discussing the anarchist
history of St. Imier, some complete with pictures of Bakunin and
Kropotkin. It certainly is a very special place and it was already so
140 years ago when the Jura Foundation, made up of watchmakers (highly
skilled artisans), had its stronghold there.
The gathering of 2012 is said to have been the biggest anarchist
gathering in 20 years. Anarchists from all over the world attended,
including some from as far away as Japan, South Africa, South and North
America and, of course, from all over Europe.
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