Ashik Krishnan
2 min readAug 18, 2023

Participated in the first general assembly of the Global Tapestry of Alternatives (GTA) in Nanyuki, Kenya, representing Vikalp Sangam, a gathering of around 70 people from 20+ counties.



GTA was formed as a response to the converging crises; centralisation of power and models of development that are threatening wellbeing of the planet diverse ways of living, being and doing that are rooted in the ecology. Building livelihoods that nourish and nurture and take care of the humans and the rest of nature alike are essential in retaining and regaining community autonomy and sovereignty. And there are several grassroots initiatives, movements and networks that are already working on them and offering hope through constructive alternatives in a world of crisis.



GTA is thus a space to enable the weaving together of alternatives to build collective strength, exchange learnings and work in tandem to build a more inclusive and just world. For me, through the four-day gathering, it became more apparent that the challenges are same or similar across the world, from Africa to Latin America to India to South-East Asia to any other part, forms of extractivism and subjugation threatening the dignity of life. And the gathering leaves me with greater hope in continuing the work I/we do at Travellers' University and other spaces with an increased conviction that change is possible.



More on the GTA on: https://globaltapestryofalternatives.org

Sign up to discover human stories that deepen your understanding of the world.

Free

Distraction-free reading. No ads.

Organize your knowledge with lists and highlights.

Tell your story. Find your audience.

Membership

Read member-only stories

Support writers you read most

Earn money for your writing

Listen to audio narrations

Read offline with the Medium app

Ashik Krishnan
Ashik Krishnan

No responses yet

Write a response