What we are referring to separately as Symposium and Festival will, because of their relation to one specific subject, overlap and in some activities manifest as one and the same.

By "Symposium" we mean the more formal presentations and discussions, many of which will take place within four walls. However, the theory will also be taken to the field; for instance, the "ethnological perspectives" (scheduled for Tuesday) will be given practical expression during a portion of each of the eight days. As a more specific aspect of that subject, the documenting of the mowing techniques and haymaking methods will start Monday at 6 a.m. and continue on and off until Friday. All evenings will be an opportunity to listen to or share related poetry and songs..

Some mowing competitions as well as instructions on scythe use are also planned for each day starting Monday.

Any subject not covered to the participants' satisfaction on the day for which it is officially scheduled can be carried over into the following day, or the next, by just that particular group of serious people. Each day's "Symposium" will end with a short "synthesis" during which this can be decided.

Saturday and Sunday will be more celebration-oriented, with competition finals, skits, tricks and show mowing.

We will also try for some scythe -related world records and enjoy longer singing and dancing evenings than during the week.

The Festival will conclude with a 21st century re-creation of 'Levin's day in the meadow' (*1) by which we want to underscore the intent behind the week of collective learning. As well, it is a tribute to the voices of Tolstoy, Gandhi, Ivan Illich and others who have shared the view that all members of society need to occasionally take part in a hand labour project which is basic to their existence.

With this in mind, we are inviting the active participation of the present day aristocracy - prominent figures who publicly claim affinity for social and environmental concerns. Farmers from many countries will of course already be there.

Symbolic as this event may be, it is intended as a real seed of SOLIDARITY IN ACTION to be planted in the churned-up social soil of this threatened planet.

Levin joined 42 scythe-wielding men - probably not an uncommonly large group in those days. Since then, the human population has expanded, our tendencies to work together have diminished and field working parties are becoming rare.

As a meaningful statement, our mowing get-together therefore needs to be much larger. We will prepare a site where 300 men, women and children can all mow in unison for a brief period of time.