QUOTES FROM OBR COORDINATORS
“ The pandemic exposes the moribund capitalist system , a system that has taught and created a mindset of mindless consumption , individualism , destruction and profiteering . Gardening , on the other hand , teaches us the basics of patiently caring for everything that contributes to and provides life – seeds , plants , soil , water , air , sunlight . The same way that we unlearn individualism and capitalist consumption , we have to get rid of the systems and structures – capitalism , patriarchy , discrimination , racism , imperialism – that are keeping our communities apart , and destroying our environment . We will only be able to do this by building solidarity and common unities among individuals , communities and countries , by planting and nurturing a movement that will build new economic , political , socio-cultural systems that are not exploitative and oppressive .”
— FROM JOAN ( GABRIELA / PHILIPPINES )
“ From the earth comes life and we must take care of it . From the earth we learn to change , to evolve , to take care of all living beings and then of each other in a mutual exchange . Care , respect for the other and what surrounds us must be at the center of our lives . We need to implement a solidarity-based living system .”
— FROM NICO , SILVIA AND LUISA ( ITALY )
“ Rising Gardens campaign is an amazing campaign . We as African women , women of the soil , do not own land . We work the land , but it ’ s never ours . This campaign gave us the opportunity to also advocate for land , land to sustain us , but also land that will give us an opportunity to survive .”
— FROM LUCINDA ( SOUTH AFRICA )