What constitutes an autonomous and radical learning space? Why is such a space necessary? How do we collectively organize it, what do we want to learn and research together, with whom and for whom?

Co-convening an Autonomous Learning Space means for us to ask what are the tools to hold together a horizontal, inclusive, learning environment —to support community regeneration, circulate knowledge about struggles and unlearn destructive patterns of separation, exploitation and fragmentation.

In Madrid, where the Zapatista travesia has built momentum inviting us to question as we walk, commit to a journey for life, and to practice a pedagogy of the encuentro, Free Home University, CCRA, Uni-Tierra Califas, the Ecoversities Alliance, IRI, Chto Delat School of Engaged Arts, with other local and translational organizers, activists, and educators —will come together to explore the challenges and the possibilities of a shared learning in times of accelerated social and ecological injustice, violence, and war.

Resonating with Zapatistas’s pedagogy, their practice of “learning how to learn” through encuentros, conversatorios, escuelitas, comParte and conSciencias festivals—as a praxis of Zapatismo beyond Chiapas, we propose to collectively convene a space of convivial research, to share our tools of autonomy across different geographies, looking for the “devices” many communities of struggle and practices are claiming, as a way to rebuild social infrastructures.

A series of programmed interventions during the Zapatista Forum in Madrid alternates with more impromptu conversations during The Zapatistas’ Coffee Hour, a space-time where we can meet daily from 3pm to 4pm – inside The Provisory Learning Station, installed by artist collective Chto Delat at La Corrala – open every day from 3 to 4 pm to all those wishing to convene, discuss, study or simply share a free (Zapatista) coffee. The Provisory Learning Station provides tables and chairs, a printer, a computer with wifi connection, a temporary collective library, two flat screens and other tools to study, research and work together. Everyone is welcome to use the space to host conversations, presentations, workshops, films, books, and coffee times according to availability and scheduling. We hope this can be a way to continue weaving our relations and struggles, learning together – otherwise.

Besides what our convergence is proposing – bleow – we invite others to self organize workshops, conversations, informal and convivial moments of learning during and beyond the time of the exhibition Somos fragmentos de la luz que impide que todo sea noche.