Feminist International Radio Endeavour

 IX Feminist Encuentro, Playa Tambor, Costa Rica, December 1-6, 2002

Opening Statement of the Organizing Committee  (translation from Spanish)

Welcome to the IX Latin American & Caribbean Feminist Encuentro. 

Welcome to the Latin Americans and the Caribbeans.

 Welcome to all our friends from other countries, friends who are close to the reality of Latin-America and the Caribbean. 

We also send infinite greetings to women who in one form or another communicated with us to express their desire to participate in this Encuentro, but for various reasons were not able to join us here, but they are with us through a variety of communication venues. 

Women from all backgrounds: of different ages, of different occupations and political practices, witches, heterosexuals, bisexuals, lesbians, black women, indigenous women—we represent the rich diversity of feminism. 

We come together united for the debate, the criticism, the proposals, the silences, the happiness, and the desires to make real OUR reality that recognizes profound transformations.

 After three years of an intense organizing process, we are here this evening at Playa Tambor, Costa Rica.  We are 835 women who with our energies celebrate the opening of the IX Latin American & Caribbean Feminist Encuentro. 

Three years ago this day was a dream.  But through our visions, passions, anger, transgressions and creativity, we have developed an ethical and political consciousness that has enabled us to dare to reformulate strategies of resistance to the patriarchal framework. 

We began the organizing process for this Encuentro with a negotiation among us as organizers.  The definition of an ethical framework and accompaniment in our process with psycho-social support, enabled us to work through our times of crisis, and even to enjoy the process, and to grow. 

We have worked in a strategic planning process that integrated methodological concepts, new communication technologies, journalism and media, the arts and spirituality. 

Our organizing experience involved construction of an interactive space that we managed together. 

The main funding sources for this Encuentro are: Agencies that share our feminist perspective, contributions from each one of your timely payments to participate, and the many feminist organizers and collaborators.  Without this great synergy, it would not be possible to be here. 

We are inspired by the roots of contemporary radical feminism: rethinking contexts, cultures, concepts and languages.  This has evolved into the central theme of this event: “Active Resistance Against Neoliberal Globalization.” 

We are here at this Encuentro with a legacy of eight previous Latin American & Caribbean Feminist Encuentros and also at the bequest of global feminism. 

Each Encuentro has advanced the political development, trends, and boundaries of feminist thought and theory.  Examples include: November 25^th, which is now the “International Day Against Violence Towards Women;” also, saying ‘NO’ to all forms of oppression, exploitation and discrimination; the political recognition of the free sexual choice; the right to our bodies; the creation of theories about the exercise of power and spaces to take action; and the fight to visibilize lesbianism in the feminist agenda.  Overall, these issues have evolved through debate, to symbolic and eventually concrete actions.

Also, since the growth of the feminist movement, we have accomplished many things, including: the recognition of women’s rights as human rights; and the struggle for equality in the development of full citizenship of women.  From the inspiration of Marxist and socialist feminism we were able to enlarge the concept of fundamental rights, reaffirming cultural, economic, and social rights; the questioning by feminist pacifists about the most dehumanizing form of violence, that of war; the eco-feminists with their contributions of integrating social and ecological environments; and so many of our individual positions that have been synthesized into our collective consciousness. 

Thus, the feminist movement has contributed to a new form of looking, feeling, thinking and dreaming about human and social relations. 

We want to thank our companions who have comprised our support networks and provided collaboration for the IX Encuentro throughout different moments in the process and who have assumed multiple responsibilities along with the Organizing Committee. Thanks to those who are in Costa Rica; and also to the Latin-Americans and Caribbeans who have been advisors for our methodology, communications and journalism. 

 Thanks to all who, through different means, such as through national and international forums; you have been with us Central Americans-- half interactive and virtual, who participated in the preparation process of the Encuentro. 

This Encuentro is for all of us and for all who wanted to be here but could not:

A personally renewing and transgressive experience for all who are here. 

We unite our voices and energies, we say ‘no’ to neoliberal globalization, and ‘yes’ to a globalization of creativitgy, of love, of defiances, of contradictions, of the expression and the celebration of our differences. 

The organizers of the IX Feminist Encuentro want to welcome you all: 

Ana Zamora: Based on real possibilities of participation, she has contributed to the process a conciliatory attitude, while at the same time learning from her companions and the work of the group. 

Sara Patricia Portuguez: Completes her work without limits, and always with a smile.  She helps build the confidence of the group with her tenacity. 

Ana Mercedes Rojas: Contributes to the group with her happiness, her poetry, her sharp thinking, and in the right moment a precision and a commitment to the construction the dialogue. 

Roxana Arroyo:  Contributes to the collective with passion, character and strength of commitment, as well as her critical and political vision.

 Roselyn Mills: Characterized by her companionship, her growing interest, courage, and openness to the critical and feminist process.

 Emma Chacón She is transparent and self-critical, with a great energy and the ability to recognize in others an organizing capacity and to change when necessary. 

Ivonne Gómez:  She has energy that is channeled in her subjectivity and an ability to make things happen; she always has great solidarity and is able in the moment to guide the process.

 Inés Delgado: Contributes with her commitment to feminist practice, and her capacity for analysis and transformation. 

 Marcela Jager: Brought to the group her capacity to facilitate discussion and coordination, and her sense of humor.  She also brought to the group her strength of not wanting to be the center of attention, but to contribute and to grow. 

Gabi Cob: Is sincere, contributes solidarity, a critical consciousness and reflexivity, and artistic creativity in the new communications technologies. 

María Suárez: Brings a strong integrated vision, is analytical and critical, with with an excellent sense of the humor; she brought to the group leadership and communication. 

Ana Rose Ruiz: Contributes to the team her attitude toward change and her analytical capacity.

 Translated by Margaret Thompson, RIF-FIRE/Communications IX Encuentro Feminista