From August 3rd to 17th, the Comandanta Ramona Zapatista Seedbed in Morelia, Altamirano, hosted the event “Gathering of Resistances and Rebellions: Some Parts of the Whole.”
The Zapatistas had issued a worldwide call for two weeks of exchange and dialogue. Around 2,000 Zapatistas and some 800 people from 37 countries attended. In Germany, preparations began months in advance, driven by the Rebellion Network, and a delegation of 30 people from various groups and initiatives traveled to Chiapas.
Much of the gathering consisted of presentations and reports on the work and realities of the participating collectives and organizations, as well as exchanges with Zapatista support bases. One Zapatista explained:
‘’Many of us cannot read or write, nor have we studied political theory. But we can see and feel injustice. This empathy transforms into a dignified rage, which we transmit from generation to generation. Now we have also heard others’ pain and will share it with each other.’’
The inauguration, on August 3rd, featured an EZLN march, each carrying a Palestinian flag on their backs. In a sign of solidarity, Sub-commander Moisés, EZLN spokesperson, declared:
‘’Today, the capitalist system is committing genocide against the Palestinian people in a part of the Earth. We cannot forget it, we cannot ignore it. We are all Palestinian children. Today it is the people of Gaza, tomorrow it will be us.’’
Solidarity with the people of Gaza remained a recurring theme throughout the event.
The Zapatistas presented their contributions in the form of multi-day theatrical performances, rehearsed for months by hundreds of young participants.
There as also self-criticism, pointing out the shortcomings of their civil structures: over the past decades, the pyramids of oppression and inequality inherent in the capitalist system had been reproduced, in part, in their own autonomous governments. Examples included corruption, failure to comply with their own rules, theft, abuse of power, and dependence on small councils.
At the same time, another play recalled the positive aspects of the Good Government Councils and the autonomous communities. Not only had they confronted problems, but they had also served as schools of autonomy:
‘’We have learned a great deal about governing ourselves and have made significant progress in education, health, and justice. We implemented the Revolutionary Women’s Laws of 1993. We have learned to work together.’’
Another play, “The Living of the Future,” represented as eggs and sperm, described strategies for resisting the pyramid. Much emphasis was placed on reviving ancestral practices and transmitting traditional knowledge. The future was invited to continue the rebellion and to respect and protect Mother Earth.
What was remarkable about this process of self-criticism was both its transparency and the determination to act accordingly: the Zapatistas announced a complete organizational restructuring of their civil structures to ensure that decisions come from the bottom up, are articulated horizontally, and avoid the concentration of power. In one performance, a wooden pyramid was burned and torn down, a symbolic representation of the dismantling of hierarchies and mechanisms of domination.
They call their new phase The Commons—the essence of life—making explicit reference to the customs of their ancestors. “Only if we organize will we have a chance when the storm hits,” they declared, adding: “We share with you our proposal, what we have discovered and found useful. If it works for you, you should try it in your own regions. We don’t have a recipe. In time, we will see.”
Education emerged as a central theme: the grassroots must be able to analyze their own problems and find solutions. In the future, all decisions will be made within the grassroots communities themselves. Another key step in this new phase is opening up to non-Zapatistas. Joint projects are planned, especially in the areas of health, education, and collective agriculture. Already, “brothers and sisters” (those who live in the region but do not belong to the Zapatista movement) can cultivate Zapatista lands free of charge for their own sustenance.
A concrete example of this joint collective work is the construction of a hospital in the Dolores Hidalgo Caracol, where Zapatistas and non-Zapatistas work side by side.
In his closing speech, Sub-commander Moisés emphasized that we must all recognize and tear down the “pyramids of oppression and capitalism” in our own contexts and geographies. “We must understand that within this pyramid, no real change is possible,” he stated.
The meeting was also a call to action and to learn from mistakes. Or, as one elderly Comandanta put it: “We are lighting a small revolutionary flame. If everyone, all over the world, lights small flames, something greater can emerge from them.”
Original article at ANF News, Septemer 1st, 2025.
Translated by Schools for Chiapas.