These recordings were made by Radio Behind the Lines, at the Green Institutes 2019 conference.

Apologies to Paul Collis for the poor quality of the recording of his voice. We have spent many hours trying to make it more audible, and reckon it is well worth listening carefully as Paul is very much worth listening to.

The Green Institute is an Australian non-profit organisation, their mission being to “support green politics through education, action, research and debate“. Green politics means broad community-wide change grounded in the principles of ecology, social justice, democracy, non-violence, sustainability and respect for diversity.

With ecological breakdown underway, inequality spiralling, colonialism and patriarchy still not dismantled, and the hate-fuelled far right on the rise, we desperately need democracies which are able to both reverse these trends and create hope-filled resilience in the face of difficult times to come.

Meanwhile, around the world, people and communities are experimenting with exciting and innovative democratic practices, recasting the relationship between citizens and government, drawing on ancient wisdom, involving deep engagement and participation.

The Green Institute’s 2019 conference challenged us to think deeply about democracy, and inspires us to act fast, and with great determination, to cultivate democracy at every level.