The Coordinating Committee of the RIPESS-Europe met at the headquarters of the House of artistic and cultural networks in Paris, on 5 and 6 April 2013. The meeting was devoted almost entirely to address the essential points of the Organization of the 2nd Congress of RIPESS-Europe, planned for the month of July in Lille, France.

A first draft of the program was established on the basis of a provisional budget. Thus, it is envisaged to organize two plenary meetings entitled “The role of local authorities in the development of the SSE” in the presence of elected French and European representatives, whom each organization will be responsible for contacting, and ‘The future of the SSE in Europe’ in the presence of European deputies and Social Economy Europe. In addition, six concurrent workshops – with interpretation into English and the French – will be developed on responsible consumption, popular education, learn from each other, the State of the art of the SSE, employment and the SSE, and identity perimeter of the SSE, to create a framework for theoretical reflection.

The statutory General Assembly will be held on the afternoon of Saturday with the following agenda: the accession of new members; the debate, vote and approval of the activities’ report and the financial report; the renewal of the Coordination Committee and the election of the two members of the Committee representing the RIPESS-Europe within the RIPESS intercontinental; as well as the debate on the direction of the RIPESS-Europe.

The official program and the online registration will be available soon. A system of solidarity accommodation will be organized, but places will be limited. So, hurry up to register!

Pol Vidal

RIPESS-Europe’s executive secretary