The People’s Summit that will take place on January 25 through 27th of 2013 will focus on four main topics for reflection, exchange, and proposals for convergence.

The idea is to invite independently organized activities that have these topics in mind so that their activities could make contributions, in their overall diversity, to the themes dealt with in the Convergence Assembly and at the same time we could project our peoples’ gathering and action strategies.

The 4 themes are the following :

1. Democracy, participation and the sovereignty of the people in face of the power of the corporations.

Based on resistance to corporate power and the subordination of the States to their interests, we are seeking to articulate strategies for the construction of political models that would guarantee the sovereignty of the people, by strengthening democracy and on a constitutional basis that arises from a broadly participatory and engaging process.

Topics of interest : Constituent Assembly ; the Militarization of Latin America ; Diversity ; Free Trade Agreements ; Migration ; the Criminalization of Social Protest ; Rights.

2. - Human and workers’ rights facing the privatization of common goods.

We would like to put together strategies to recover the common goods usurped under the neoliberal model through privatization, deregulation and the withdrawal of public funding : education, healthcare, housing, work ; and ensure universal access, with dignity and quality for all, as the minimal foundation of a system based on respect, solidarity, inclusion and social justice.

Topics of interest : Education ; Healthcare ; Housing ; Governance and territories ; work ; Communications.

3. - Living Well and the rights of Mother Earth, against the commodification of nature and of Life.

We, the social movements jointly and resolutely eject the neoliberal model’s latest big attack, this time seeking to commodify the common goods of nature and the environment, putting a price on biodiversity and the forests, water, seeds and food supply, the atmosphere, natural processes and even the cultural identity of the peoples and communities that historically inhabit the territories.

We reject all forms of violence, especially those from which our people are made to suffer to give up their land, water, and energy into the hands of private interests to be exploited.

Through this resistance, we seek the collective and sovereign construction of Living Well, paradigms for just and sustainable ways of living and sharing territory, in balance and harmony with nature and where Mother Earth would be a Subject of law.

Topics of interest : Food sovereignty ; Biodiversity ; Climate change ; Agricultural reform ; Energy and water.

4. - Integration and solidarity between the peoples against injustice.

We reject international integration as defined by the rules of the free market and transnational investment, a model that places relationships between countries squarely at the service of big, private multinational interests, increasing illegitimate financial debts imposed by the global north and international financial institutions, as well as the social and ecological debt that wealthy nations and multinationals accrue at the cost of the peoples and territories that seizure and sacrifice of their lands and their common goods.

Based on our own experience working together, the social movements demand a model of international relations and governance that would promote just and solidary economic, social and cultural relations between the nations and peoples, and that would promote equality and sustainability in the development of societies and settlements, emphasizing local economies and respect for cultural diversity.

Topics of interest : de Equality ; Solidarity ; Development models ; Habitat and the city.

Cross-cutting Topics to the Central Themes of the Convergence Assemblies of The People’s Summit.

INVESTMENT. "Transnational corporations continue to commit their crimes with the systematic violation of the rights of people and nature with total impunity. Likewise, they advance their interests through militarization, the criminalization of livelihoods of people and social movements promoting deterritorialization in the field and in the city.

Likewise we condemn the historical environmental debt that disproportionately affects the oppressed peoples of the world, and should be assumed by highly industrialized countries, which, after all, were the ones who caused the multiple crises we are now experiencing." (Final Declaration of the Peoples’ Summit in Rio +20 p.2)

GENDER. - "Our alternatives and proposals are based on equality and contemplate equality between women and men, the right of women to a life without violence and autonomy over our bodies and sexuality. Our alternatives are also based on a feminist economy, the de-commodification of our lives and our bodies, the separation of sexuality from motherhood and overcoming the sexual division of labor. For this, we propose real changes that redefine and broaden the concept of work, recognize women’s work and the responsibility of men and the State in providing care." (Conclusions Plenary 5 - "Work..." "Our Solutions" The People’s Summit Rio+20 - June 2012