(en) Canada, UCL - Grenoble: The gardens of utopia on campus! (fr)

 [machine translation]

7 years now, the gardens of utopia decorate two parcels of land on the campus of the 
University Stendhal-Grenoble 3 The idea of such a project was born with the occupation of 
the Hall of Lectures on movement against the First Employment Contract (CPE) in 2006 The 
first garden, in front of the library Letters, grows quickly, which led to the development 
of a second vegetable garden behind the administrative buildings of the Faculty. The 
purpose of the project? To promote food self-sufficiency and food crops without pesticides 
or chemical fertilizers. Through the years, these gardens have lasted through sheer 
collective struggle. In 2008, a permanent camp was established to protect threatened with 
destruction by an administration that sees no good at this project cultures. Become a 
university with an international vocation, the gardens are seen as a thorn in the Grenoble 
campus whose leaders want to make a sanitized place to look good during ministerial visits.

The gardens of utopia operate self where students and non-students come to lend a hand 
without pay, without order and without bureaucracy. Meals may be prepared on site and the 
project goes far beyond the limits of "garden". Indeed, the place is also a space for 
political discussions, film screenings, music concerts or workshop of any kind (eg: Thai 
muai workshop Tuesday at 17h). Everything depends on the desires and the energy of the moment.

On the other hand, the project of the administration is to make the University of Grenoble 
Innovation Campus where partnerships with the private will be multiplied. This is 
Operation Campus comprises the various faculties as the Center for Research and Higher 
Education (PRES) Education. Must be added to the menu drift monitoring with the addition 
of cameras, increased security guards, RFID, etc. The gardens of utopia are not in their 
world of concrete and field uniform turf. Thus, in early November 2011, a plot is shaved 
using a bulldozer to be replaced by ... the new turf! In this situation, an explanation is 
sought from the administration. Here is their superb response ...: "a garden can still 
tolerate summer with the flowers and all, but there in the winter it was really disgusting! ".

If the administration thought discourage activists, she put her finger in the eye as 
fruit, cereal and tubers were planted on the ground. Better yet, a festival is held during 
the harvest; "Harvesting your campus! ". A tool shed was built and a greenhouse where 
bamboo grows zucchini and tomatoes. Sometimes AMAR, a group recovery and redistribution of 
food, just to turn.

The battle begins again when the administration decides to hang out in court on Garden 
project of utopia. Another attempt, another defeat for the admin since January 27, 2014, 
the Administrative Court ruled in favor of representing es gardens. Since then, the 
project continues and talks should be held soon between the administration and members of 
the gardens of utopia. Solidarity!

Here is what may look like one week to the gardens of utopia.

Schedule September 15, 2014 to September 21, 2014.

WEEK REFLECTION

Monday 15:
15h: gardening
18h: brainstorming "what we want to (see) the Utopia Gardens?" + Review of the future

Tuesday 16:
15h: gardening
18h: reflections on the deconstruction of the Gardens roles (teacher / student role 
consumer / acting, virility ...)

Wednesday 17:
15h: gardening
18h: Workshop "What we consume + Agriculture, one is where?"

Thursday 18:
15h: gardening
18h: Workshop "filled up on your heads!" (Provides information on your boss, management of 
your college, your teacher, the power structures of the campus (PRES, COMUE etc. ..)

Friday 19:
15h: gardening
16h: Workshop on social pedagogy.
18h: collective reading and reflections on the pamphlet "Self is no picnic"

Saturday 20: Pirate Party Leeks
15h: gardening
18h: results from the week of reflection
21: wild concerts and surprises.

Sunday 21: 18 pm General Assembly.

For more information or to follow the progress of the project gardens of utopia, here is 
their blog: http://jardins-utopie.over-blog.com/