European Alternatives

European Alternatives, founded in 2007 in London by Lorenzo Marsili and Niccolò Milanese, is a transnational civil society organization with a significant presence in Berlin. The organization promotes democracy, equality, and culture beyond the nation-state framework. Starting in a warehouse off Brick Lane in London, European Alternatives has grown into a network with offices in Berlin, Paris, and Rome. The Berlin hub, led by Georg Blokus, focuses on several key initiatives including the School of Transnational Activism. The organization's mission centers on empowering citizens to reclaim democratic control over economies and ecologies through transnational cooperation. Its values emphasize transdisciplinary approaches, experimental methods, and inclusive, anti-racist principles. Current projects include "Workers Without Borders," which advocates for care, agricultural, and delivery workers, and "Trust Without Borders." The School of Transnational Organizing (SOTO), running since 2018, is a cornerstone project focusing on grassroots organizing, community outreach, and leadership building. As of June 2024, the Berlin hub became migrant-led with a core team of seven people. The organization also runs the Academy of Migrant Organizing and the Mobile University for Migrant Workers. European Alternatives has received recognition including the Charlemagne Youth Prize in 2008 and the Youth Democracy Award from the German Federal Agency for civic education in 2012. It maintains an open membership policy and is guided by a Board of Trustees that includes figures like Beppe Caccia, Srecko Horvat, and Daphne Büllesbach, who previously served as Executive Director.