The name refers to conferences that are combined by walking in group setting in historical and natural surroundings, to build common understanding and trust through dialogue, while focusing on deep understanding of important issues. In this context, we focus on the learnings of civilizational change by leading macro-historians, and how this may apply to the opportunities around the self-infrastructuring of crypto communities.
Project Date: First iteration: Mid-April 2024
Two date ranges are currently in discussion
Project Program
The program so far, comprises
- As speakers: Michel Bauwens, Neal Gorenflo, Rebbeca Rachmany (TBC), Scott Moore (TBC), Prof. Adam Arvidsson; local guide: Alex Giordano.
- Visits planned to Paestum, city walk in Amalfi or Positano, the legendary path of the gods, coastal path around Paestum
Project Description
Today’s general climate is dominated by very polarized debates which lead to ‘common enemy’ dynamics rather than ‘common humanity’ dynamics. At the same time, the classic formats of political discourse are highly disembodied. Walking conferences are designed to counter these dynamics by congregating small groups of people in historically significant and nature-rich environments, where their minds and bodies are engaged simultaneously, and the longer term sociality of the event creates high-trust friendships. The planned events are aimed at mutual enrichment and pluralistic in nature.
The event is proposed and organized at first by Michel Bauwens, founder of the P2P Foundation, researcher at the Civilizational Research Institute and research coordinator at the Global Chinese Commons and double attendee of Zuzalu in Montenegro and Istanbul; and Neal Gorenflo, publisher and editor in chief of Shareable, the magazine about the collaborative economy. The project is support by Adam Arvidsson of the Southern Centre for Digital Transformation in Naples, by local expert Alex Giordano, Maysam Daboul GCC assistant, and Scott Moore.
The event, confirmed and in preparation, will be held mid-April in Paestum, a ancient Greek community preserved in Southern Italy, which combines historical interest in natural surroundings close to the Amalfi Coast.
The event will be a first experiment, that will be reiterated in Athens, Greece; Kas, Turkey and Chiang Mai, Thailand. The latter planned for Zuzalu 2024.
The formula of walking conferences comprise one framing talk in the morning, free peer discourse during the day time, and a round table in the evening, during 5 days. The walks cover historical sites, nature trails and city walks, with plenty of time for individuals to deepen their understanding.
The event will be on the basis of cost for the participants, and very small fees to cover organizational expenses, and it explicitly not meant as a for-profit venture.
It’s aim is to create a high-trust network of deeply thoughtful and communicating practitioners of decentralized digital frameworks, from the Ethereum, Zuzalu and other existing networks; to create a deeper personal, and eventually collective, understanding of the change dynamics set in motion by the self-infrastructuring of the crypto communities.