The World Transformed

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The World Transformed festival in 2018

The World Transformed (or TWT) is a political festival which takes place in September, at the same time as the Labour Party conference.[1][2] Beginning in 2016, organisers describe its purpose as "to create a space in which ideas can be freely exchanged and collectively developed".[3][4]

Background[edit]

Matt Zarb-Cousin and journalist Ash Sarkar at The World Transformed 2017

The festival was created with an aim of bringing together the activist and intellectual parts of the left together, and was inspired by the Dialectics of Liberation Congress held in 1967 which took place at the Roundhouse in London.[5] It was originally organised by the left-wing campaigning organisation Momentum, though is independent and still receives support.[6][7] Some of the festival's original organisers were Andrew Dolan, Joseph Todd and Sasha Josette.[3][8][9] With the first festival in 2016, Todd said he wanted the presence of the festival to take over the city it was happening in, much like the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.[8] Voices in the media, such as Guardian columnist Zoe Williams, had echoed its similarity to the Edinburgh fringe festival and labelled it "a festival of ideas".[10] Through this festival, discussions around political education and municipal socialism – considered by the New Statesman's George Eaton to have been previously dormant – were said to be revitalised.[11]

The second festival in 2017 based in Brighton was successful, incorporating 9 different venues and had between 5,000 and 8,000 attendees. The organisers considered incorporating the Brighton Dome into the festival.[9][5] In 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn endorsed the festival, describing it as "a powerful new space on the Labour Party conference fringe for people to debate policies, exchange ideas, and expand our political horizon with arts, music and culture."[12][13] The attendees were largely young people who had previously taken little interest in party politics before the election of Corbyn as Labour leader in 2015 and were coming together to discuss how to build on Labour's advances in the 2017 general election.[14] Its development has led to delegates from left-wing organisations and parties from across Europe and the USA.[15]

Following the 2018 World Transformed event, many local events not directly organised by Momentum or TWT began to emerge. The events have been seen to foster political education, active participation, skills training, critical thinking and intellectual curiosity.[16][17] Whilst some are one-day events, others such as the events in Bristol and Birmingham are multi-day festivals.[18]

The 2020 festival took place online as a pay what you want festival due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown that ensued. It spread over the entire month of September rather than over four days.[19][20][21] In 2021, the festival returned as a physical festival in Brighton with additional online access and— while using local venues and community centres— used its first purpose built festival space,[22][23] which was built in Old Steine Gardens park.[24]

The 2023 festival will take place in Liverpool from 7 - 10 October 2023.[25]

List of events[edit]

Date Location Guest speakers Music performers Details
September 2016 Liverpool – – The first festival was hosted at the Black-E arts and community centre.[26] Conversations at the first TWT led to a series of "Take Back Control" events being organised for 2017.[8] Jackie Walker, Momentum's then vice-chair, caused controversy as she suggested Holocaust Memorial Day only commemorates the Jewish victims.[27] She was suspended from Momentum and the Labour Party.[28]
September 2017 Brighton The festival hosted over 5,000 attendees with events in 9 different venues.[5][12] The venues include Synergy Centre, Komedia and Fabrica.[13][9] There was a stand-up comedy performance from Ava Vidal and a art display from Kennard Phillips.[30]

In October 2017, Labour MP Clive Lewis was criticised for language used at a fringe event of the conference in which he told the actor Sam Swann to "Get on your knees, bitch!". Swann later described the incident as "jovial".[31]

September 2018 Liverpool –

The venue chosen had a capacity for 10,000 attendees.[2] Momentum had banned journalists from The Sun newspaper from having access to the festival due to its reporting of — and subsequent lack of apology for — the 1989 Hillsborough Disaster.[1] One of the events hosted by TWT was a "Radical Bus Tour with Dan Carden". Carden, the MP for Liverpool Walton, gave a bus tour covering the key locations of protest, struggle and social progress in Liverpool.[36]

September 2019 Brighton –

Over 5,000 people attended the festival which used 10 different venues,[42] including setting up a hub in the Old Steine Gardens.[38] Several Labour MPs hosted sessions as part of the "Radical Variety Show": such as Ed Miliband as a gameshow host, John McDonnell spinning a wheel of public ownership and Diane Abbott acting as an agony aunt.[43]

The festival trialled its own "policy labs" during the festival, leading to the organisation compiling these ideals and publishing a "Manifesto for the Movement".[44][45][15]

September 2020 Online –

Owing to the lockdown, the festival was completely online and took place over a month, during which dozens of events took place.[7] A revitalised Left Book Club provided a reading group guide during the festival.[47] Transatlantic strategy for the left was a big topic of conversation,[48] with one segment including a conversation between Ash Sarkar, Diane Abbott and Ilhan Omar.[6] There was also sessions that covered issues such as Black Lives Matter to rights of tenants in the private rented sector.[7]

September 2021 Brighton -

Festival organisers stated there was 2,000 people attending the festival and thousands more joined the talks online live[24]

With the change in Labour party leadership and its political shift, it was noted by various writers the difference of atmosphere between The World Transformed and Labour Party Conference. The party conference was described by some as fractious and tense; whilst TWT was seen as vibrant and good humoured.[51][52][53]

Various Labour MPs on the party's left and in the Socialist Campaign Group (SCG) caucus- such as Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell, Clive Lewis, Zarah Sultana, Nadia Whittome and Beth Winter-[54][55][49] took part in different panels such as the Green New Deal discussion.[56] Sultana hosted a pub quiz during the festival.[57]

An incident occurred when Corbyn was speaking on a climate change panel and his brother Piers Corbyn, a well known climate change sceptic and COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy theorist, interrupted the panel alongside another anti-vaxx activist to spread conspiracy theories about vaccines and climate change, to which they were dealt with by the panel.[58][59]

List of locally organised World Transformed events[edit]

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Matt Honeycombe-Foster (19 September 2018). "Momentum bans The Sun from The World Transformed festival over coverage of Hillsborough disaster". Politics Home. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  2. ^ a b Allegretti, Aubrey (23 September 2018). "The World Transformed: How Momentum festival is challenging for the 'mainstream' Labour conference". Sky News. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  3. ^ a b "It's not a distraction – The World Transformed is part of Labour's renewal | LabourList". LabourList | Labour's biggest independent grassroots e-network. 19 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Momentum's The World Transformed festival is almost fun". iNews. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d e Yohann Koshy (28 September 2018). "What we saw at The World Transformed". New Internationalist. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d Cowburn, Ashley (17 September 2020). "US congresswoman Ilhan Omar to address Labour activists at Momentum-backed event". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Burnell, Emma (21 August 2020). "The World Transformed in a world transformed". Left Foot Forward. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  8. ^ a b c Julia Rampen (25 November 2016). "Momentum's The World Transformed to launch "Take Back Control" Brexit events". New Statesman. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  9. ^ a b c "Momentum building in Brighton as grassroots group goes mainstream". The Guardian. 24 September 2017. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  10. ^ Williams, Zoe (26 August 2020). "Keir Starmer's conference challenge is to avoid the shadow of past leaders | Zoe Williams". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  11. ^ a b Eaton, George (4 December 2019). "Inside Momentum: "We're going to be here long after Jeremy Corbyn and I are dead"". New Statesman. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  12. ^ a b c d "Ken Loach and John McDonnell to headline Momentum's politics festival The World Transformed". New Statesman. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Ben Bailey (23 August 2017). "The World Transformed, 23th–26th September". Brighton Source. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  14. ^ Khomami, Nadia (25 September 2017). "'People are using the word socialism': Momentum activists hail a world transformed". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  15. ^ a b Seb Cook (26 September 2019). "Review: The World Transformed 2019". RS21. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  16. ^ a b c d Sabrina Huck (4 June 2019). "Lessons from organising The World Transformed in our community". Labour List. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  17. ^ a b Solomon Hughes (7 June 2019). "See you at Southampton Transformed". Morning Star. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  18. ^ a b c Saltmarsh, Chris (1 September 2019). "Building socialism: Political education for the many". Bright Green. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  19. ^ Burnell, Emma (21 August 2020). "The World Transformed in a world transformed". Left Foot Forward. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  20. ^ Jafri, Kulsoom. "The World Transformed 2020: Normal wasn't working. Let's shape the future". LabourList. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  21. ^ Worsdale, Hope (10 August 2020). "The World Transformed is back – and it's never been needed more". Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  22. ^ Trinder, Matt (4 August 2021). "World Transformed festival 'to act as rallying point for the left'". Morning Star. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  23. ^ Chappell, Elliot (4 August 2021). "Unite, Young Labour and the Socialist Campaign Group back TWT festival". LabourList. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  24. ^ a b Rielly, Bethany (27 September 2021). "'Don't be disempowered. There is an appetite for progressive politics across the UK'". Morning Star. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  25. ^ "The World Transformed // TWT23". theworldtransformed.org. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  26. ^ Ewen MacAskill (22 September 2016). "Labour & Liverpool: the city that reveals the cracks in the party". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  27. ^ Ashley Cowburn (29 September 2016). "The World Transformed: A look inside the Momentum movement that helped secure a second Corbyn victory". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  28. ^ "Labour suspends Jackie Walker over Holocaust comments". The Guardian. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  29. ^ "George Monbiot: How we get out of the wreckage caused by neoliberalism". The Independent. 29 September 2017. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  30. ^ Nathan Akehurst (27 September 2017). "Why The World Transformed is the future of British politics". Huck magazine. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  31. ^ Khomami, Nadia (20 October 2017). "Labour MP Clive Lewis apologises for 'get on your knees' comment". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  32. ^ Angelique Chrisafis (23 September 2018). "Jean-Luc Mélenchon to speak at pro-Corbyn event in Liverpool". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  33. ^ a b c d e f g Rodgers, Sienna (8 August 2018). "The World Transformed reveals full line-up ahead of Labour conference". LabourList. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  34. ^ "Labour conference: Fringes hear call for ideas on how to resist years of oppression". Disability News Service. 27 September 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  35. ^ Ameen Kamlana (8 February 2019). "I'm a GP. To stop NHS privatisation, we need a global healthcare movement". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  36. ^ David Singleton (21 September 2018). "Labour conference 2018 – guide to the biggest and best fringe events". totalpolitics. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  37. ^ Josiah Mortimer (26 September 2019). "McStrike Movement: How retail worker walkouts are leading wage changes". Left Foot Forward. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  38. ^ a b c d e f Ben Smoke (26 September 2019). "What we learned from The World Transformed 2019". Huck magazine. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  39. ^ Aamna Mohdin (20 September 2019). "Palestinian activist to miss Labour conference as visa delayed". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  40. ^ "Labour party conference: Pledge to scrap education watchdog Ofsted". BBC News. 20 September 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  41. ^ Juliet Jacques (2 October 2019). "The World Transformed 2019: How to Rebuild Socialist Culture". frieze. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  42. ^ Laura Parker (26 September 2019). "Conference showed Labour is ready to win and transform the country". Labour List. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  43. ^ Aamna Mohdin (26 September 2019). "Mojitos with Diane Abbott: Labour's fringe parties on". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  44. ^ "Outrage won't work. Only a people-powered movement offering radical change can defeat Boris Johnson". The Independent. 28 September 2019. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  45. ^ Rabyah Khan (1 October 2019). "Transformative policy-making means listening to the 'average' person". Labour List. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  46. ^ a b c d e "TWT Opening Rally: The Struggle for a Socialist Future" (PDF). The World Transformed. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  47. ^ Barry, Robert (5 September 2020). "The Quietus | Features | Tome On The Range | Radical Reading List: The Past & Present Of The Left Book Club". The Quietus. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  48. ^ Guinan, Joe (15 September 2020). "In and against, and outside, the party". Red Pepper. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  49. ^ a b c d e f g h Chappell, Elliot (27 August 2021). "The World Transformed unveils programme for 2021 festival". LabourList. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  50. ^ Smith, Mikey (25 September 2021). "Bernie Sanders urges Keir Starmer to follow Biden's example and embrace the left". The Mirror. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  51. ^ Mason, Paul (30 September 2021). "Labour has become two parties. Can anybody make it one again?". New Statesman. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  52. ^ Butcher, Matthew (1 October 2021). "The Greens are perfectly poised to become a major force on the British left". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  53. ^ Barrett, Liam (October 2021). "Are the Labour party's internal battles just beginning?". Left Foot Forward. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  54. ^ "The World Transformed returns to revive UK left". Dorset Eye. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  55. ^ Topple, Steve (29 August 2021). "Zarah Sultana says the world needs 'transformative solutions' ahead of the real Labour conference". The Canary. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  56. ^ Reilly, Bethany (26 September 2021). "'The Labour leadership has no interest in the Green New Deal,' Zarah Sultana says". Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  57. ^ "Corbynites rally at Zarah Sultana's pub quiz". 28 September 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  58. ^ Scott, Geraldine (26 September 2021). "Piers Corbyn heckles brother Jeremy at climate event". Evening Standard. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  59. ^ Diver, Tony (26 September 2021). "Climate change denier Piers Corbyn heckles his brother at rowdy hard-left event". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  60. ^ "Three-day political festival of ideas set to takeover Brum this weekend". I Am Birmingham. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  61. ^ Gavin Cordon (28 June 2019). "Bristol MPs join calls to sack Chris Williamson from the Labour Party". Bristol Post. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  62. ^ Isaac Kneebone-Hopkins (1 April 2019). "Let's harness the power of political education". Red Pepper. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  63. ^ "Cardiff Transformed: Leanne Wood and Mick Antoniw to speak at Saturday festival". 1 April 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  64. ^ Lewis Bassett (1 October 2018). "How to organise a local World Transformed style event". Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  65. ^ Sam Hatherley (10 June 2019). "Labour's Shadow Chancellor John McDonell has Southampton on his radar". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  66. ^ Tom Williams (31 May 2019). "End the Oppression of Pedagogy! Why Southampton Transformed matters". New Socialist. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  67. ^ "Turn Left at Truro: Kernow Transformed heads for Gweek, hoping to breath new life into radical politics in Cornwall". Cornwall Reports. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2022.

External links[edit]

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