Humanity Project

This weekend, 70 of us from the Humanity Project network came together to connect, learn, and plan our next steps to achieve our vision: a new kind of democracy, built from the ground up - by us, for us, where we live. This was our first in-person national gathering and it was an incredible experience. We explored how assemblies can counter division, how listening builds empathy, and how to design spaces that are safe, joyful and powerful. Here are some of the awesome humans who took part from communities across the country. Their warmth and strength beautifully captured by our talented friend, @camerazoe . This is the start of something so exciting. Thanks to all who joined us. Curious about assembly culture? Sign up for our emails. Link in bio. #assemblyculture #popularassemblies #humansofhumanityproject

The Guide to Popular Assemblies is here! — A practical handbook to help communities come together to listen, connect, and act on what matters most. It’s full of ideas and tools for anyone who wants to start or grow popular assemblies where they live. Link in bio. Please share. #HumanityProject #PopularAssemblies #AssemblyCulture #CommunityPower #Democracy #Listening

✨ We’ve just released our short film Bigger Than One ✨ It captures the spirit of assembly culture growing across the UK – people coming together to listen, connect and act. A reminder that none of us can change things alone… but together, we can move mountains. We’d love to know what you think. Watch & share.

Ffair Cymru, Swansea 📍 🎨Through crafts, workshops, and performances, we came together to celebrate community, creativity and public participation. It was a chance to hold conversations around some big questions: how do you envision a fairer, more peaceful Wales? A comment that really resonated with us was "Peace is more than just the absence of war…" It starts with knowing each other as people, building the relationships that make stronger, more peaceful societies possible, through communities of practice, difficult conversations, and active hope. Events like this are central to this vision. If you’ve not checked out @thefeteofbritain yet, make sure you do to keep up to date with all their amazing events. More Wales based events are on the horizon 👀 @volcanotheatreuk @urbanhqswansea #Ffaircymru #community #communitycohesion #celebrations #fairerWales

“Folkmoot” comes from the old Germanic words folk (people) and moot (meeting or assembly). In Medieval Northern Europe, folkmoots were gatherings where ordinary people came together to discuss issues, settle disputes and make decisions about community life. In other words: assemblies aren’t new. People have governed themselves this way for most of human history. As we quoted in our Guide to Popular Assemblies: “The holding of assemblies of elders, fighting men, or people of a tribe, community, or city to make decisions or render opinions on important matters is doubtless a custom older than history.” [Robert + Others] From Mesopotamia (4000 BC) to ancient Athens, Panchayats in India, Folkmoots in Northern Europe and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, people have long gathered to listen, deliberate and decide together. Representative democracy and elections are actually relatively recent in comparison. I was re-introduced to the word “Folkmoot” last week thanks to my friend Urfan Ali @urfster as part of his brilliant Phrontistery Project work at the @arnolfiniarts exhibition in Bristol – DIASPORA! Out of Many by @diverseartistsnetwork . Go see it if you can. Image from Urfan’s Phrontistery Project, shared with permission and thanks. Find out more in our Guide to Popular Assemblies — link in bio. #AssemblyCulture #PopularAssemblies #ParticipatoryDemocracy #DemocracyBeyondElections #HumanityProject

Hope isn’t something we wait for. It’s something we organise and build together. Earlier this spring we gathered at beautiful @brazierspark for Grabbing Hope – a two-day immersion into Assembly Culture. This is a new form of local democracy, a movement that makes life better where we live, driving change from the ground up. 30 organisers joined us from across the UK and beyond. People working on food, climate, housing, local democracy and community life, all coming together to deepen their skills in listening, facilitation and assembly organising. This short film by @camerazoe features reflections from @clarefarrell and @rubyforbrixton on the possibilities of assemblies, and why this work matters so much right now. This is what Assembly Culture looks like. And it's definitely not politics as usual! Big thanks and love to everyone who joined us, and to all those working so hard in their communities to bring about change. We hope this inspires more people to gather, listen and organise together – because a different kind of future starts locally, with us. If you'd like to know more, please get in touch. #AssemblyCulture #PopularAssemblies #CommunityOrganising #CommunityPower #HopeInAction #HumanityProject

Be the first to A must-read post for anyone struggling to make sense of – and find hope after – the local elections. Because beneath the noise, frustration and polarisation, something else is happening too. In this powerful and timely new essay, Lee Jasper reflects on democratic fragmentation, organised hope, and the urgent need for renewal from below. He also reflects on the work of Humanity Project and the growing movement for assembly culture: spaces where people come together to listen, deliberate, build trust and shape decisions together. Not politics done to us. Politics built by us, for us, where we live. As Lee writes: “The ground is breaking. That is frightening. But broken ground can also be planted.” Read his full essay on Substack via the link in bio 🔗 @jasper_talk #LocalElections #DemocraticRenewal #AssemblyCulture #CommunityPower #HumanityProject

Look what our partners @oswestryclimateactionhub are up to in the town today 🫖 🛋️ 🩲 They’ve been setting up their first pop-up Public Living Room outside the hub, with more planned. We love this initiative from @camerados_org - spaces for connection, care and conversation. Who doesn’t need some of that? As founder Maff so rightly says: The answer to our problems is each other 💙 At a time when so much pushes us apart or keeps us isolated, places where people can slow down, talk and feel human together really matter. Wonderful to see this growing in Oswestry and across the UK.

A new coalition has formed in Greater Manchester around a shared ambition: building a stronger, more participatory democracy beyond elections. Bringing together: @cooperationmanchester @gmcitizensassembly @humanityproject.uk Manchester is already home to a rich landscape of initiatives building deeper local democracy and working to heal divides caused by polarised politics. Across the region, communities are creating new ways for people to come together, deliberate, and shape the decisions that affect their lives. From neighbourhood assemblies and solidarity economies, to long-term visions for citizens’ assemblies embedded in the region, this work is about creating a more participatory democracy rooted in everyday life. Join us on 21st May to find out more about this work, connect with others and build solidarity around proper democracy beyond elections. 📅 Thursday 21st May 🕕 6–8.30pm 📍 Collier Room, Central Buildings Oldham Street Manchester M1 1QJ Hot food provided. 👉 Ticket link in bio #AssemblyCulture #ParticipatoryDemocracy #PeoplesAssemblies #CitizensAssemblies #Manchester #CommunityOrganising #LocalDemocracy #DemocracyBeyondElections

Here’s what’s been happening in our network over the last couple of months >> 🌸 Assemblies blooming across the Uk from Wrexham to Sheffield, Islington to Oswestry, Manchester, Brixton, Haringey, Luton and beyond. We’ve been out on the road filming and it’s been brilliant to see what’s happening. This is just a snapshot of activity across our network, with more assemblies planned over the coming months. We can’t wait to share the stories. Here's to all the organisers, and to everyone who has showed up and taken part. #assemblyculture #peoplepower

This film captures the energy and positivity of Marsh Farm’s first people’s assembly so well. Nice one, @marshfarmpa 💛 150 residents coming together to listen to each other and collectively decide how to make Marsh Farm a better place. Inspirational. This is people-led democracy in action. United we stand, together we rise. This is just the start. #assemblyculture #peoplepower #marshfarmluton

Too often, politics feels done to us, not with us. We want to see that change. Across the country, we're supporting communities to come together in popular assemblies, gathering to listen, share experiences, set priorities and shape the future together. This new assembly culture is rooted in a simple belief: people have the right to be listened to, and to shape the decisions that affect their lives. By us, for us, where we live. Because hope isn't something we wait for. It's something we build together.