What is Occupy? Occupy is not an organization, but an idea. The principle is the same the world over: we see many individual problems that cannot be solved by individuals. The answer: to talk to one another, to analyze, to become active – together. To break free from helplessness and to engage. Our concerns are various; our means always the same. In Tunesia or Egypt, in Spain Israel, Germany or in the United States, across every contintent people are taking matters into their own hands: we are occupying public space, discussing issues, participating. The Occupy Paradeplatz Movement took over Paradeplatz in Zürich, Switzerland, on October 15th 2011 and started the new public debate about changing our social, political and economic way of life.

The Occupy Paradeplatz Movement insists on equal rights for every member of society. Every human, based solely on his or her humanity, is of equal value. Thus the movement makes its decisions through consensus-based basic democracy at regularly-held General Assemblies.

Ethnic background, political leanings, as well as physical and psychological impairments, are essentially meaningless and divide us artificially rather than uniting us. Today’s society rejects people who live outside the norm. The Occupy Paradeplatz Movement does not exclude anyone, and seeks to distance itself from organizations or groups that do not recognize the equal rights of every human.

Who are we?

• We are people like you and me.
• We are mothers and fathers, children and grandparents.
• We are scholars and dropouts.
• We are scientists, politicians, students, and housewives.
• We are poor and privileged…some of us are even rich.
• We are employees and employers, self-employed and unemployed.
• We are Swiss and we come from other places.
• We are Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, philosophers, atheists…or of any faith.
• We are hetero, bi, gay, queer…
• We are intellectuals, artists, musicians, freaks, and normals.
• We are the 99%.
• We are people like you and me.

We share the vision of a world…

• in which all people (who want to) will express and exchange their thoughts and ideas
• in which we call consumption and consumerism into question
• in which we place the social value of education before that of entertainment
• in which we have a society, a politics, and an economy that hold the Human and our
• Stewardship of the Planet at thir center, not the maximization of profits.
• that has a transparent and democratic financial system
• in which speculation on essential goods (e.g. grain) is not possible
• in which people who may be unwanted today, will be accepted as part of society tomorrow
• in which all people, through a redistribution of wealth, have an equal chance at a decent life
• in which a great and global Understanding for our planet predominates.