Week 31 • 31.07.2010-07.08.2010

Homepage for the International week

Pictures from the International Week 2008 are available here

Into the great wide open…

Women from near and far gather in this unique experience of sea, sand and sharing the personal and the political. Together for a week we will make the camp run smoothly, cook, wash up and prepare the gatherings in the evenings in the big common tent. A team of women bridging borders and seas has joined to organize the week's practicalities and background and will be happy to welcome you to this year's international week.

Together with up to 80 women you can participate in all kinds of activities and workshops, learn new songs, play the drums, do sports (kayaks, surfboards and wetsuits are provided) dance, start a talking group or just relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Everyone can offer a workshop or start a talking group. If you feel you want to teach or share something, let us know and we will announce it here. Workshops and talking groups can also be offered spontaneously at camp.

The International week 2010:

"Bridging borders, seas and times - the matter of travelling"

… this is the motto of this year’s international week.

Lesbians, feminists and radical women have been travelling for centuries to meet their friends, lovers and political or artist companions and to carry messages and ideas between communities. These networks, and also the Femø community, have always been highly important for personal support and fun, but were also of significant political and cultural importance. This year's motto is an invitation to reflect on the women before us, look at their strategies and successes and maybe adopt some of their wisdom. And then there is always the present, haunting us with financial crisis, recession and social cuts, what would Olympe de Gouge have done?! And after the present: The future! An option for utopia!?!

In this week there will be room for at least one talking group to pick up on these issues. If you have material (books, pictures.... ) and knowledge of the past, please bring it. If you have strategies for today, pack them to. Also carry your dreams for tomorrow!

Special activities in 2010

The activities announced here give only a present overview on the programme of the international week 2010. Some more activities at camp might come spontaneously into being.

WenDo Workshop
This year you can take part in a WenDo workshop given by a woman from the Czech Republic. WenDo is a kind of self defence developed especially for women and girls. It combines physical self defence techniques with mental strategies. You will learn how you can react in case of physical or verbal aggression and harassment. And you may experience that WenDo is not only about self defence but also about self empowerment.

Femø Choir
The Femø choir is a workshop offered by a woman from Berlin. You will learn to sing well known Danish "Femø songs" like "Lige så mange" or "Kvinder kom her" in two and three different voices. All women who love to sing are welcome!

Singing Workshop - Let's sing international lesbian and feminist songs!
In this workshop we will sing English (and maybe some German) songs from lesbian and feminist musicians. Music has always been an important part of the women's movement. Women expressed personal experiences and social criticism in beautiful songs. Let's sing these songs and let us reflect what they mean to us today. The workshop is for all women who enjoy singing. If you play an instrument, please bring it along! The singing workshop is given by a woman from Austria.

Outdoor and Sports
There is outdoor equipment available such as kayaks and surfboards. Often we also find someone who teaches the basics of kayaking and windsurfing. Moreover, we have soccer, volleyball and other sport activities almost every day. If there are enough women keen on running and jogging in the mornings or evenings, we will have a running group. Of course, it’s always a pleasure to go for a walk on the beach or across the hilly island.

Talking Groups: Let's talk - the Femø way
Since the camp's beginnings in the early 1970s the "talking groups" on Femø have been a special way of sharing thoughts and experiences with each other.
Coming from the tradition of feminist "consciousness raising groups" in which the personal and the political were no longer separate, they offer a unique atmosphere for the exchange of feelings and ideas. Being close to the elements, the sky, the sand, the sun and each other, the participating women speak about their individual experiences and views on the topic they have chosen, taking rounds without interrupting, criticising or discussing each others statements controversially. Any woman can come up with a topic she would like to talk about: Ranging from the personal to the political, life in the female category, sex, love, feminism, future and past, theory and practice and everything in between and beyond. The topics are introduced at the common meetings on Saturday and Sunday and will be announced on the message board. A good number of women to be in a group is 5-8, allowing enough time for each to speak. The time the groups are held is traditionally between breakfast and noon, leaving the afternoons free for other activities.

Acting / Comedy
In the common meetings and at the two parties there is always the opportunity to perform short plays, sketches and other show acts. If you feel your performance skills have not been used way too long, you are more than welcome to gather some women and prepare some entertainment.
 
Costume Party
Following the successful tradition of the previous years we will have a big costume party in the middle of the week. The motto of the 2010 costume party will be announced on this website or send to you via mail before the week starts. We are still in the process of evaluating: Everyone is invited to suggest a costume motto for 2010! Just send us an e-mail.

Activist positions and Practicalities
As every year we need women who organize kitchen and bar,
drive the truck, take care of the economics and of the children. For 2010 we still need two women who organise the kitchen!!! This job does not include cooking but activities such as ordering and organising the food supply and instructing the cooking teams. Of course you can as well become activist without running one of the activist jobs. It is a great opportunity to get to know the camp better and contribute to the organisation of the international week. Everyone is welcome! Just send us an e-mail.

A lot of the women who come to International week identify as lesbians, but those who don't are equally welcome! Some women bring their children, the camp is a lovely place for kids! The food we prepare together is really delicious! It will be mainly vegetarian, but at breakfast and lunch some meat will be provided.

For the latest information please keep yourself updated by visiting this site. After registration you will receive a welcome letter explaining all organisational questions (journey, recommended camping equipment etc.)

See you on the island!

Contact and information

For requests in German language: Eva - eva-achilles[at]web.de and for requests in English: Karin - karin[at]villa.at