Prodemokratia n 1 - 2008
On Environmental, Rural, Urban, Global, Social Forum, Movments and
Democracy issues.
Issued by Assembly of Environmental and Altenative Movements.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
List of content
1. Why Prodemokratia
2. Theme: Greening social forum
2.1 Why European Social Forum 2008 will be different
2.2 Appeal for renewal of ESF
2.3 Short report rom the EPA meetings in Stockholm and Istanbul
2.4 Report from the Assebly of Environmental and Alternative Movements
2.5 Report from ssembly of Climate Action
2.6 WSF Amazonia 2009 makes social forums mor green.
2.7 Environmental concerns top the agendas in Melbourne and Kyoto
. General on ESF
4. Action:
4.1 Ilya Borodaenko murdered at environmetal camp in Siberia
4.2 G8 blocade - success or lack of counter starategy o climate issues?
4.3 Mass campaign stopped privatisation of German railways
4.4 Asphalt Indians in Sweden call off sabotage against SUV cas
4.5 All-European report on Global Day of Action on Climate Change from:
Abania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Icelnd,
Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malt, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, pain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey, Ukraine and United Kingdom.
4.6 Press release from coalition of social organisations and movements at
Climate Summi on Bali.
4.7 Call for international action 26.1 2008
5. Calender of events and actions
6. Editorial inormation
---------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Why Prodemokratia?
This newsletter has been initiated to democratize and braden the
cooperation among popular movements and the social forum processfrom an
environmental, rural and urban movement perspective. We see the nee of a
continued information and discussion to endorse a renewal of the social
forum prcess and the political and cultural cooperation among movements.
One mphasis is strengthening of contacts between Western and Central and
Easten Europe including all of Russia. This in a global context of
ecological, soial and democratic transformation promoting peace and equal
relationships between North and South. Te name of the newsletter is
inspired by the movement Prodemokratia in Fnland were environmentalists,
tradeunions and others cooperated against rivatisation and corruption in
politics.
Endorsing this newsletter o far is Ellie Cijvat and Tord Björk, Friends of
the Earth Sweden, Torgny ötling, Nordbruk - Via Campesina Sweden, Mirek
Prokes, Friends of Nature Interational/Czech Republic and Marko Ulvila,
Democracy forum Vasudhaiva Kutubakam Finland.
The content is not necessarily the opinion of supporting orgnisations. The
editor of this issue is Tord Björk who have written the material if nothing
else is stated. Please send us material for comng newsletters.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Theme section: Greening the social forum
2.1 Why European Socia Forum 2008 will be different -
reasons why a change now will take place in te way ESF have been organised
and presented.
Already at the first Euroean Preparatory Assembly (EPA) in Stockholm in
September 2007, after the decsion to place the fifth European Social Forum
(ESF-5) in Malmö in the Southof Sweden, a change took place. The statements
from the Nordic organisers ere short and long speaches were also kept short
in plenary. More people than normally could speak to the meeting. At next
EPA in Istanbul for th first time there was group discussions allowing
everyone at the EPA to discuss how the meeting should be organised. This
gave space to all voices.
In genera the social forums that have been held in the Nordic countries,
Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden have a broader and more balanced range
of organisations supporting and participating than what has beenthe case at
most ESF earlier and at social forums in other countries. Here oe cannot
only find trade unions, unemployed, environmentalists, feminists, peace and
anti-war organisations, anti-racist, global justice, socil policy, popular
education, migrants, third world solidarity, youth and tudents movements
but also small farmers, anarchists and groups against preariarity,
disabled, alternative lifestyles and local alternatives, alternative bnks,
abolitionists, church organisations, organisations for peoples movemnt
houses, human rights NGOs, UN association, Save the Children Youth, EU
critical or resistance movments and the like. Thus there is astructural
fertile ground for widening ESF towards new groups and a more balaced
representation of different movements.
>From the minutes of the EPA-meetng in Stockholm one can read "Via
Campesina: has not participated at ormer ESF. Real social movements,
activists and not only intellectuals must participate to Forum. We want no
violent ESF but black-block is also an importat actor. Food and
accommodation is an important matter (i.e. use prodct from local farmer)"
It was the representative from the European Vi Campesina organisation for
small farmers that stated the presence of thi globally important
organisations with its more 100 million members in 53 contries in Africa,
Americas, Asia and Europé. Via Campesina has since its start in 1993 been
main force behind the global justice movmetn in all the world with its
caacity to build alliances with other popular movements and strog
criticism of WTO. With a stronger presence of Via Campesina rural,
envirnmental and global issues will become more important at ESF. Via
Campesinais strong in Norway but a small organisation in Sweden. But Via
Campesina in weden is active in the Nordic preparations and works closely
with Friends of the Earth Sweden. This is a cooperation that is also well
established between Via Campesina and Friends of he Earth International,
both organisations with its leadership in the thirdworld making their
national organisations aware of global relations.
Te environmental organisations have a key position in the Nordic
preparations. In the Nordic countries the environmentalists have along
tradition in both cooperating with trade unions on spåecific issues an
opposing the development model backed by trade unions and social demcratic
parties and industry. Trade unions are important with their huge
m,ebership, in Sweden 2 million out of 9 million inhabitants are members of
th blue collar LO, the white collar union 1,3 million and the acedemically
educated more tah 0.5 million members. In total almost half of the
population are members of trade unions making them on the paper having the
strongestmembership in the world. In the rest of the Nordic countries it is
almst as high.
The problem is that the members are not very active. Thus it is necessary to
have trade unions centrally active to organise ESF with their oganisatoric
strength, wide contacts and willingness to given financial supprt but all
the volunteers needed mainly comes from a wide range of other orgaisations.
The environmental organisations involved in social forums are sall but used
to cooperation not only with the workers movements and its tade unions and
left organisations but also with many other popular movements.In the board
of the Nordic Organizing Committee environmental organisations i the only
movement having representation directly or indirectly from all four Nordic
countries. Friends of the Earth Denmark and Sweden is directly represnted
while from Norway and Finland there is only one representative in the board,
both from coalitions including strong environmental organisaions. In
general environmental awareness is strong on the agenda in allNordic
countries making a greening of the ESF a possibility.
There are lso other strong reas for greening the ESF. The growing need
to act against environemtal degradaion internationally is of course the
most important one. Next World Social Frum in January 2009 will take place
in Amazonas with environmental issues as a main motiation. Next Climate
Summit will take place in Copenhagen i December 200940 minutes with train
from Malmö.
But the greening ofESF will only take place if environmentalists, small
farmers and other rual interests and urban movements opposing unustainable
regimes will act and take this pportunity. So please join national or local
mobilisation committees fr ESF-5, send your questions and comments to this
newsletter and use the dfferent communication tools that you find on the
web.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.2 Appeal fr renewal of ESF:
A New Beginning for the European Social Forum
With tis letter we like to invite friends and comrades from all parts of
Europe to join hands in ringing people together to the next European Social
Forum. It will take placein Malmö in the South of Sweden 18 – 21 September
2008 . This fifth ESF is an opportunity for a new opening for the European
movements and orgnisations aspiring for another Europe.
The ESF is an open process were theparticipants create the content. The ESF
as a whole does not make politicalstatements but it is possible to use the
open space for movements and organisations to make appeals, plans and
decisions for common actin on the issues of their choice. For example, this
kind of appeal made at the first ESF held in Florence resulted in te
world-wide demonstrations against the war on Iraq 2003. Another one at the
Athens ESF in 2006 contributed to the campaign to protect the public
sevices from further privatisation proposed in the the Bolkenstein EU
directve.
As part of the preparatory process for the ESF, various networks ar meeting
on issues suc as women and feminism, labour and globalisation,
environmental and alternative moements, anti-war, social rights, education,
migration and public services.. The assembly of social movements brings many
of these networks tother. Other movements and networks sharing the WSF
principles are warml invited to become an active part of the process. It
would be good to se religious organisations, anti-racist networks and the
fair trade movement, for example, to join the process.
Some isues that we would like to further develop together with you in Malmö
includ welfare for all in Europe and globally, peace in times of growing
militarisation and repression, and societal transformation for environmental
sustainability. All these relate to the need for comprehensive
democratisation f various dimensions of life, such as politics, economy,
social relations, culture, gender relatios and culture. A South-North
dialogue in handling these issues is most importnt.
We emphasise the need to renw efforts to bring Central and Eastern Europe
into the forum. We lso feel that the mobilising for the ESF has to make new
efforts also to inclde the youth, migrants, workers, small farmers,
socially excluded, indienous people and other groups that have a special
stake in the change. Tothis end the Malmö ESF will be placed along a path
between the working classsuburb of Rosengård and the city centre thus
crossing the segregating diviion of the city.
The Nordic countries have an image for their efforts to uild welfare
states, to have relatively equal relations between men and woen, to promote
environmental initiatves and to work for solidarity between North and South
globally. Bringig the ESF to the Nordic countries is an opportunity to
exchange experiece and critically examine different societal models and
ways of organising poular movements and civil society. An early expression
of the potential reewal is expressed in the composition of the interim
board of the host oranisation where 9 out of the 12 members are women. It
is also expessed in the way that the host organisation is a joint
international effot by organisations from four Nordic countries: Denmark,
Finland, Norway an Sweden.
We feel that something new can come out when the ESF initiative brn out of
Mediterranean experiences comes to the Nordic region. We urgeyou to join in
the preparations for the Fifth European Social Forum 2008 inMalmö. Find
others and organise events, participate in building national moblisation
committees and contribute to the cross-fertilisation of ideas and
cooperation for action that the ESF –process can bring about.
The next landmark is the net European Preparatory Assembly to be held in
Berlin 22-23 Ferbuary 2008. In the eantime, information can be found at
http://www.fse-esf.org/ and http://www.es2008.org/
In solidarity,
Tord Björk, Friends of the Earth Sweden tor.bjork@mjv.se
Marko Ulvila, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Finland marko.ulvila@kapeli.fi
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.3 Short report rom the EPA meetings in Stockholm and Istanbul
European Prepatory Asemblies were held in Stockholm 14-16.9 and in Istanbul
30.11-2.12 with some150 participants at both times. The first day was used
by assemblies ofdifferent EPA networks, labour and globalisation being the
most popular one.
From the EPA ESF newsletter:
There is a Nordic Organizing Committee (n the document NOC) which involves
people from Sweden, Denmark, Norwayand Finland and is going to coordinate
and implement the decisions of the EP in order to organize the event in
itself and involve groups, movements, networks, organization and individuals
in the process. We urge a w enlargement involving more subjects
(organizations and individuals). It was suggsted to form a mobilisation/ESF
2008 coordinon group in each country. There will be a European
Mobilization group for the almö ESF. Tord Björk from the NOC will be
facilitating this group. tor.bjork@mjv.se
ESF 2008 Program
An European Working roup was formed in Istanbul and is going to collect all
the proposals frm the Istanbul EPA's meeting, the ones on the website
(www.esf2008.net) and on the list or any other they will receive in the
maintime and preparing proposals from the next EPA. The group, which is open is
facilitated by Jens Ergon and Ola Nilsson from the NOC.
The first meting in the program group will be in Paris 2nd and 3rd of
February 2008.
Peple in their interventions in the EPA of Lisbon, Stockholm and Istanbul
have underlined that
- We should focus on searching alternatives to compeition, the base of
neo-liberal economy,
by promoting solidarity as a value.
We should link together all the experiences of social struggles and
action (trade unions
and movements) in response to the neo-liberal policies of te European Union
in order to
build real alternatives with particular emphasisto the networking and
enlargement of the movements from both EU and non-U parts of Eastern Europe
in order to overcome the still dominant estern European culture in all the
ESF process.
- We should focus on the esponsibilities of Europe in the world, in order
to change the neocolonial policies towards the countries of he South, for
example in Africa (referring to the campaign against EP agreements).
Opinion leaders and representatives of civil society from te South and from
all over the world should be invited and be involved in th ESF 2008 in
great number. The next ESF can be a world event linking with th contents of
the
WSF.
- We should put a particular emphasis on environmental questions. Green the
ESF!
- We should focus also on all the wars inclue the unspoken ones and peace
alternatives
- We have to build an experiment of seminars where transversality is the
main focus
- We should focus on povrty
Merging process
The merging process will be based on self merging. Onl at the end of the
process the programme group will facilitate the merging ifnecessary.
During the merging process, networks will be responsible fo the areas they
cover facilitating also proposals from groups not invlved in the networks.
This doesn't exclude direct organization for network ot represented in the
EPA's networks.
Self organized spaces
At the ESF it wil be important to create several self organised spaces
dedicated to specifi themes. These spaces will have the aim of increasing
transversalit amongst organisations referring to them but should also
promote actvities between each other in order to build links between
different thees. It will be also important to have rooms for self organized
last minute eeting and find the way to announce them.
Political parties
Should neitherhave a separate space in the ESF nor be among the organisers.
This does not xclude the participation of party members for special
sessions of politicaldialogue, which could be particularly attractive also
for the publi opinion.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.4 Report from the Assembly of Envronmental and Alternative Movements
ESF Environment and alternative movemets network
Present: Tord Björk and Ellie Cijvat, Miljöförbundet Jorden Vänner, Adrian
Johansson, member of ATTAC, and partly Mirek Prokes, International Friendsf
Nature. Later also Via Campesina Sweden was involved in the discussion
Cooperation in Sweden, the nordic countries and Europe
Via Campesna Sweden and Friends of the Earth Sweden will talk to UBV and
Food First (FIAN). We will talk to our sisterorganizations in the nordic
countries and aim to start political campaigns an people's education
project, not only for the ESF event but also before and after. We see it as
a good pssibility to mobilize. Topics of interest are sustainable
communities, climte change, natural resources, food sovereignty and
rural/urban dynamic. We will inform and invite our sister organizations in
the rest of Europe. Wethink the issues above are important also when it
comes to issues for the SF.
Eastern Europe
The left wing movement in Eastern Europe is quite eak, and not many people
are organized and travel to the ESF. The enironmental movement is under
tremendous pressure in some places, e.. fascists in Russia. When mobilizing
for the ESF it is important to connect to peoples' daily lives, e.g.on
environmental problems, social issues and militarization.
Greening th ESF
Problem: 20 000 people flying to CPH/Malmö
We need to introduce economic incentives to participate while discouraging
emission of greenhoue gases:
- Linking the travel cost reimbursements/contributions fro the solidarity
fund to terrestrial travel (boat, bus, train) for distances uner 1000 km;
- To offer a reduction (e.g. 25%) of the participation fee tothose using
terrestiral travel (not cars);
- To bargain with the interational railway unions (there is a mobility fund
- together with the directorate for youth & sports of the council ofEurope/SXB)
and with ferry-boat companies a reduction on train and boat
tickes (e.g. one way ticket to Malmš/CPH/Ystad stamped by ESF committee is
valid s a return ticket; also with Eurolines?)
- To reimburse only group tickets, not individual ones (does not apply for
keynoe speakers and interpreters)
(group organizing of travel)
It is also important to live as we preach, tat is, to take care of the
environment at the forum; not use disposable cups,plates and cutlery, and
use organic/locally produced food to the extent possible
International day of Action against Climate Change on December 8th
We will ropose to include December 8th, the International day of action
against climate change, in the appeal of the Asembly of Social Movements.
Later particiants from Friends of the Earth, Torgny östling - Via Campesina
Sweden, Marko Ulvila - Democracy Forum Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Finland and
Mirek Proes, Naturfreunde International decided to set up a newsletter for
the Environemtnal and Alternative movement network.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.5 Report from Assembly of limate Action at EPA in Istanbul 30th of
November
Am Rande der Vorbereitungsersammlung des Europäischen Sozialforums
(18.-21.9.2008 in Malmö) fand heute ein Treffen zur globalen limakampagne
statt. Die türkische Kampagne hatte gleichzeitig ein nationales Treffen
organisiert. Dabei waren Organisationen wie Greenpeace, die Grne Partei,
trotzkistische Gruppen, öko-Gruppen mehrerer Universitäten und iele
unabhängige Aktive. Bis zum 8.12. werden rund um Ankara noch 30 öfentliche
Mobilisierungsveranstaltungen stattfinden. Auch in Istanbul und Izmi laufen
noch viele Akivitäten. In allen drei Orten sind am 8.12. Demos geplant.
Kernthemen sind: asserknappheit, Unterzeichnung von Kioto durch die Türkei
und Widerstand egen neue Atomenergie-Pläne der türkischen Regierung.
Für mich war die Atmosphäre und Entschlossenheit der vielen v.a. Jungen
Aktiven sehr ermutigend. ollegInnen aus Belgien, Schweden und ich aus
Deutschland haben kurz berichte, was bei uns läuft, was den Türkischen
Aktiven weiteren Mut gemacht hat.
In Belgien wird es am 8.12. eine große Demo geben. Dort beteiligensich an
einem vergleichbarem Bündnis wie unserer Klimaallianz auch die
Gewrkschaften. Die Forderungen der dortigen Klimaallianz haben entsprechend
ine deutliche Betonung der sozialen Frage in der Klimapolitik.
Nach demTreffen in Istanbul plädiere ich dafür, dass wir die globalen
Aktionstagen prioritär betreiben. Die Aktionstage lösen eine internationle
Dynamik aus, die wir hoch gewichten sollten und ohne die wir internaional
nicht viel erreichen können.
Sven Giegold
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.6 WSF Amazona 2009 makes social forums more green.
It has been decided by the Intenational Council to hold next WSF in Belem
Amazonia. One of the main aruments has been the environmental issue which
is of importance to the Amazon region. The organizing Comittee of the WSF
2009 will be internatyional as the Nordic Organizing Commitee for ESF-5.
All the 9 countries that shares the Amazon region will host WSF. There has
been a long poula movement tradtion of cooperation in the region. 4
pan-amazonian social forums have already been held.
Arguments for holding the WSF in Amazonia is expressed by Francine maestrum in
NIGD News: "Amazonasis becoming more and more the 'centre of the world'
because of the intenive resistance movements, the huge ecological
importance, the US militry presence, apart from all 'traditional' problems
of poverty, lack of socialservices and so on."
From a report of Amazon organisations prepatory meeting in August there is a
lot to be inspired by:
"More than 10 people of many entities from Amazonia countries,
International Concil and Americas Social Forum's Hemispheric Council took
part on Augut 9 – 10 in the first meeting to prepare the organisation of
WSF to be hel in January 2009 in Belem. The meeting had two main agendas:
the preparaion for the week and day of mobilisation and global action
(January 26 2008 and discussions on the first initiatives towards 2009
event organisaton.
In regards to the mobilisation journey, one of the immediate results wer a
first schedule systematising an agenda of events and mobilisations to be
hld by organisations, movements, networks acting in Amazonia. At the
meeting were debated various initiatives to be developed in this journey of
sruggles. It was highlighted: boat caravans, marches, parades,
artistic-cultural demonstrations (movies, theatre performances etc.).
A broad working group have been constituted in this meeting to depth-in the
activities prepartion for January 2008 and also those towards WSF 2009 in
Belem. Some of thm: encourage WSF mobilisation committees set up in states,
to think on activities to disseminate WSF process in whole Amazonian region
and organise caravans of participants abroad Belem.
WSF Amazon concept and relation ith Pan Amazonian SF
During the meeting, It was agreed that, in a WSF in theAmazonian region,
the struggles, campaigns, subjects and concerns that emrges from the local
should be a reference in the event and in the organisation process, as well
as the need to take place a Pan Amazonian Social orum to highlight
amazonian issues at the WSF agenda.
At the same time, t was underlined that, even if the basis is Amazonian,
the WSF must be global Other strategical issues will point out in
accordance to the diversity of countries and local, thematic and reginal
forums from many parts of the world (Africa, Asia, Europe, Eatern Europe,
Middle Eastern, Latin America and North America). As wel as WSF issues will
be defined in the way to call and encourage discussions of whole world,
letting link with problems from Amazonian regon."
The official proposal to hold WSF in Amazonia 2009 is of interest and hard
to find. Here it is in full:
Amazn region's candidature to host the World Social Forum 2009
To the Brazlian Organizing Committee
To the WSF International Council
Amazon region's candidature to host the World Social Forum 2009
We, social movements and non-governmental organizatios from the Amazon
region, have come to this Council to request the Amazon egion's candidature
to hst the 2009 edition of the WSF to be considered.
The candidature is proved to be relevant not only due to different
political, cultural andenvironmental aspects, but also because of the
global appeal that climate cange has gained after the United Nations IPCC
report. The Amazon region s the planet's last forest frontier. Besides, it
has the planet's most valuable freshwater resources, biodiversity and great
social diversity, which is represente by its traditional populations and
indigenous peoples. The threats upon this human patrimony do not involve
only climate changes. They are also accelerated by current development
policies that point towards the growth of predatory ctivities such as
single-crop farming and cattle-breeding, exploration of mineral commodities
and installation of infrastructure that open up space to these predatory
processes, which are proved to have very little positive effect on the
Amazonian society as a whole. Therefore, hosting the World Social Forum has
a great symbolic value to the region and will reinforce various efforts
that aim at giving visibility to the importance of protecting natural
resources and respecting the diversity of lifestyles, which are being
threatened by the growth of neoliberal globalization process in this region,
one of great strategic importance to the planet.
The support given by Amazonian social movements to this proposal is very
significant, since it would strengthen fights against deforestation, for
the reduction of poverty and for the maintenance of Amazon's social and
enironmental diversity. Grassroots orgaizations and NGOs that act in
regioal and national levels ave been supportive of this initiative. They
are building a network whose aim is to legitimae the process among the
organized civil society and, therefore, creating a positive scenario for the
success of this challenge of hosting the WSF. The Amazon region is often
forgotten by their countries, increasing the risks of extinction of hundreds
of cultures that are isolated and distant from their governments' actions.
The WSF taking place in the Amazon region would give voice and visibility
to thousands of ethnic groups whose territory are often invaded, while
public authorities neglect their extermination of these groups. This
situation can be seen, for example, in Javaí Valley, which borders
Brazil's, Peru's and Colombia's Amazon region.
The region has a very good history in hosting big international events
organized by social movements. Since 2002, it hosts the Pan-Amazonian
Forum. The event has a wide participation of the 9 amazonian countries and
it is already consolidated in the international agenda as a space for
discussing struggles that concern the whole American continent.
The region's urban centers are perfectly suitable for hosting the WSF and,
in this sense, we present the city of Belém, in the state of Pará, the
second biggest urban center in the Amazon region. The city has a population
of 1.500.000 people. Belém has ideal conditions for hosting the 2009 World
Social Forum edition. It is a historical city with revolutionary
traditions, since the biggest popular insurgence in the Amazon region – A
Revolta dos Cabanos (Cabanos' Insurgence) - took place in Belém, from 1835
to 1840. This rebellion is known for being the only one in which the rebels
actually rose to power. Belém is a privileged city, since it is
strategically located on the mouth of Amazonas river and in the extreme
north of Brazil's road system, besides having an international airport,
which facilitates traveling conditions for people in Brazil and abroad.
Finally, we would like this candidature not to be considered a Brazilian
one. On the contrary, it is the candidature of a region that reunites nine
countries, thousands of indigenous peoples with hundreds of languages and
one of the richest social-environmental diversity of the planet. It has also
big social differences and it is viewed nowadays as a strategic region by
big corporations and transnational companies that explore inadequately our
people and wealth.
If another world is possible, the Amazon region gathers more than enough
conditions to build this new world!
Let's bring the world to Amazonia! World Social Forum in Belém – Pará -
Amazonia 2009
GTA - Grupo de Trabalho Amazonico
Conselho Nacional dos Seringueiros
Coordenacao das Organizacoes Indigenas
da Amazônia Brasileira.
Sociedade Maranhense de Direitos Humanos
Associacao Brasileira de ONGs – ABONG
Regional Amazonia
Forum da Amazonia Oriental
UNIPOP
STTR/Santarem.
Forum Matogrossense de meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.7 Environmental concerns top the agendas in Melbourne and Kyoto
Straight from the Melbourne Social Forum (20-22 April), we arrived at the
People's Forum on the Asia Development Bank in Kyoto (4-6 May). The People's
Forum shadowed the 40th annual meeting of the ADB and this year's
mobilizations aimed at introducing a World Social Forum link to the People's
Forum, and therefore the event could perhaps – in some way – be called a
Kyoto Social Forum. Another way of placing the Forum is to see it as
preparation for civil society mobilisations around next year's G8 meeting in
Japan.
In Melbourne, the environment and indigenous people issues topped the
agenda. In a city that has experienced severe drought for the past six years
because of global warming, this focus is in part a given. Moreover, the
Forum was also directed against the neoliberal policies of John Howard's
government and its support for the US/neoconservative foreign policy.
However, the local and national orientation also cost the price of excluding
global issues and connections. The number of participants was fairly limited
(perhaps 300-400), given Melbourne's population of 3 millions.
In Kyoto, a similar number of some 300-400 persons took part in the People's
Forum on the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Except Mongolia, this civil
society gathering had attracted participants from NGOs and movements from
all Asian countries. Following this composition and focus on the ADB, the
orientation of the People's Forum was regional. The main demands were of
course addressed to the ADB, which is a kind of regional equivalent to the
World Bank. Hemantha Withanage from the NGO Forum on ADB divided the main
demands into 12 groups. The top issues were debt, poverty and pollution,
environmental concerns, water access and protests against privatization
processes. In usual civil society fashion, developing the tune of this 40th
anniversary meeting, many voices called for “40 years of hypocrisy”, “40
years of indebtedness”, “40 years of destruction” and “40 years of funding
climate change” while reminding the audience that 1.9 billion Asians
continue to live below the poverty line.
...
There is political civil society activism in every corner of the planet, and
many themes and problems appear very similar independently of the location.
To date, however, activism has tended to be re-actionary (protesting against
the agenda of others) rather than pro-actionary (constructing and pushing
for an alternative agenda). In the People's Forum, the question dou
oshiyasu? – 'what could we do?' in Kyoto dialect – remains for future
meetings to ponder upon. Moreover, it seems that since the aftermath of the
Asian crisis (1997-8), the numbers and enthusiasm of activists have been in
slight decline. As many activists and organizations also fail to analyse the
global connections in detail, globalist solutions and ideas tend to be in
short supply. There is clearly also a need to rethink transformative agency
in world politics – civil society forums may not be enough. A lot remains to
be done by NIGD and other globalist organizations.
Heikki Patomäki and Katarina Sehm Patomäki
>From NIGD News
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. General on ESF
All the information you need including how to subscribe for email lists you
can get at the official websites:
www.fse-esf.org
Nordic Organizing Committee/Föreniongen ESF Norden 2008: www.esf2008.org
You can also get more in depth information at the open work space:
www.openesf.net
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Action section:
4.1 Ilya Borodaenko murdered by fascists at environmental camp in Siberia
Nazis attacked the protest camp at the uranium enrichment plant at Angersk
in Siberia on the 21st of July 2007. Ilya Borodaenko who tried to defend
the camp against the attac was murdered. Ten more were maltreated and had
their arms and legs broken. More than 15 people participated in the assault
against the camp with iron sticks and knifes and attacked the sleeping 21
participants in their tents. The camp had 3 persons on guard but they could
not stop the violence. During the assault the attacers yelled political
remarks against antifascists.
Authorites have according to participants in the environmental camp told
them to not contact journalists to avoid scandal. The suthroties claime
there is no nazi group in the area behind the attac. Some of those that
attaced the camp has been arrested by the police. The apartment of the vice
chairman of the organisation Baikal Environmental Waves regional association
in Irkutsk was searched by the police and his son arrested. The authroties
claim that Baikal Environemtnal Waves knew about the attac and that is why
they acted. Baikal Environmental Wave sees the way the authroties have been
acting as a provocation. The organisation is critical against the planned
uranium enrichment plant and partcipates in many local protests.
The uranium enrichment plant at Angersk is a projct launched at the G8
summit in St Petersburg 2006. It is situated 30 km from Irkutsk and 100 km
away from the sensitive Baikal lake. It is part of a cooperacion between USA
and Russia to supply countries with nuclear power that are lacking own
capacity to enrich uranium as fuel to reactors.
The situation for environmental activists opposing governmental plans are
often very hard in Russia. War Resisters International reports from a visit
in Russia last spring that there was a constant threat from fascists against
all kind of radical activities whether it was a public meeting, pride parade
or punk concert. Murder is not uncommon. WRI states that it is a pity that
some of the radical actvists do not share the non-violent ideology on social
change but calls upon support for everyone that opposes fascist violence.
The growing violence against activists oppsing the system in Russia effects
the situation in all of Europe. It also makes it necessary to strengthen
solidarity between movement in the east and the West of Europe.
Call from Baikal Environmental Wave:
No Chernobyls at Baikal! Join the protest!
RosAtom (the state agency for Russia's nuclear industry) has plans to
establish an International Uranium Enrichment Centre (IUEC) at the Angarsk
uranium enrichment plant (AUEP) to supply fuel to Russian and other nuclear
power stations. AUEP is within the boundaries of the town of Angarsk, 30 km.
from Irkutsk and 100 km. from Lake Baikal, with neither a buffer safety area
nor radiation-control zone. For RosAtom this is an experimental project for
the development of new technologies.
....
RosAtom is planning to expand existing and build new nuclear power stations
in Russia, to build and rent out such stations to South-East Asian and
African countries, and to supply fuel to the nuclear power stations of Japan
and Australia.
RosAtom is acting in the interests of the international nuclear industry
that will be making profits while we get the waste…
We call on all people to join the campaign “No Chernobyls at Baikal!”
Look for more information at:
War Resisters International: http://www.wri-irg.org/news/info/msg00025.html
Baikal Environmental Wave: http://baikalwave.eu.org/Eng/news.html#a4
Links at all4all: http://www.all4all.org/2007/07/3207.shtml
----------------------------------------------------------------------
4.2 G8 blocade - success or lack of counter strategy on climate issues?
Are We Winning? Some Reflections on the anti-G8 Protests in Germany
August 26, 2007 - from
http://www.turbulence.org.uk/turb_g8heiligendamm.html
A tale of two victories? Or, why winning becomes precarious in times of
absent antagonisms
It is nice to have our victories once in a while. Sitting at the campfire in
Reddelich with thousands of people after a week of protest we were not quite
sure whether the collective euphoria permeating the camps was simply the
result of one too many sleepless night (and day), or whether it was true
that we had won once again: won as we had in Seattle, won as we had in
Prague, even in Genoa.
To some extent, it is possible to argue that Heiligendamm was indeed a
victory. First of all, some 10.000 of us forced over 16.000 police and over
1000 soldiers to retreat to the sea- and airways, we partially disrupted the
logistics of the summit (journalists, crucial to the event, reported being
stuck on boats for several hours, delegations were delayed, etc.), and
people all around the country and the world were made aware of our actions
and blockades, in other words, of the presence and significance of our
movement. These are significant successes. First: to push the state,
according to one (conceptually insufficient) definition the institution that
holds the legitimate monopoly of violence in a given territory, away from
that territory, into a small enclave, onto boats and helicopters, is in
itself highly significant. For what could 'revolution' look like if not the
constant pushing back from our everyday lives of the power of capital and
the state? How far will they have to flee? It is only six years ago that the
G8 stopped meeting in major cities and moved to the supposedly quiet
countryside. In Europe at least, this obviously does not prevent the
emergence of massive resistance. What will be their next step? Giving up the
principle of rotation and establish a fixed G8 meeting place in the Sahara?
Wherever they will go, our will to intervene and make their meetings if not
impossible, then at least very difficult, will remain.
Secondly, and perhaps most importantly: we achieved what many of us had been
hoping for in the years and months leading to Heiligendamm, namely a
'reconstitutive moment' of the conflictive potential of global movements.
What the summit protests at the end of the last and the beginning of this
century had done was to create a 'common place', a social discursive space
in which diverse struggles, movements and individuals could understand
themselves as part of a global movement, through which diverse movements
could confront collectively various crystallisation points of global
capitalist rule. But in the last few years, many of us felt that, as much as
we kept invoking a 'global movement', there in fact wasn't one anymore, for
the integrative quality of summit protests had been draining away since
Genoa, as a result of repression, cooptation, and the instrumentalisation of
movement agendas by state and capital: from 'corporate social
responsibility' to the ignominious splitting off and cooptation of the
moderate wing of our movement in Gleneagles at the hands of the Blair/Brown
government. Gleneagles was merely the high point of a process that was as
much a sign of our successes (issues 'we' talked about had to be recognised
as problematic) as our weaknesses: the slow draining away of the antagonism
that had existed between our agenda(s) and that/those of the G8/WTO/etc…
But the feeling during that last evening at the campfire was different. We
felt powerful, back in the game, people felt encouraged and empowered,
positive about coordinated action in solidarity. That however was simply the
initial sentiment around the campfire. Whether we really are 'back' depends
on what happens from now on. Seattle would not have been the myth it today
is if Washington, Prague, Quebec, Gothenburg, Genoa, etc. had not happened
afterwards, if thousands of people had not taken this event as a positive
and empowering reference point for future interventions based on this
unfulfilled promise of the past.
After euphoria: the comedown. Opening the newspapers the next day, we did
not only realize that the old world still existed, but we had to learn that
the G8 was able to re-constitute its discursive legitimacy through the
mainstream media. At least the Merkel government was widely cheered for
forcing the US to agree to binding agreements at some point in the future (a
great exercise in metapolitics). Merkel was said to have triumphed over the
American dinosaur, she was the one who got the G8 to commit to do something
about climate change. Legitimation for her, but also for the summit and the
G8 as such. Suddenly, there were two winners, the G8 and the global
movements against it. How was this possible?
....
And what about the “material intervention” into the progress of the summit?
Let's spoil the party a bit, and suggest that our blockades failed in terms
of being a successful tactical operation. Over and over again we heard (and
indeed said ourselves!) that all land-based access to the summit had been
effectively shut down, we were wondering how it happened that inside of the
fence they hardly took notice of that. Also, the media seemed to treat the
blockades not as what they were meant to be, a material disruption, but
rather as cheerful theatre for the articulation of tamed dissent (tamed
because it was kept within clearly regulated borders). There are reasons for
this. First of all, very practical ones: while accepting the peaceful mass
blockades of the BlockG8 alliance at the East Gate, one of the two entrances
in the fence, the police forces could focus on keeping the road to the West
Gate free of disturbances. De-escalation was not necessary here anymore for
the police since they left the mass blockades at the East Gate in peace.
Having announced that they would blockade the summit, BlockG8 quickly
realised (when we didn't get our heads kicked in ten minutes after sitting
down on the road) that the police had decided to abandon the East Gate.
Later we heard that they had abandoned the roads altogether. For Thursday,
the day of the real G8 meetings, they announced Plan B: helicopters and the
waterways. Our response? BlockG8 stayed in the action consensus, and held
the blockade. But where is the antagonism, if we do something and the state
pulls back, saying: 'sure, take this, we'll go somewhere else - you win, we
win!' Shouldn't the response then have been to go to the fence? Physically
try to go beyond the space given to our blockades by the summit? Certainly,
that would have projected a far more uncompromising rejection of the summit.
To clarify again: we do take seriously the collective affect of winning felt
in the camps, the sense of encouragement that so many people took away from
the protests. But we do want to intervene into a discussion that, especially
in Germany, is being a little too self-congratulatory, self-referential, and
surprisingly 'un-radical'. Left radical politics are, must be, antagonistic
politics – it is that (if anything) that distinguishes them from the liberal
ameliorism of the liberal NGOs – in their relation to state, capital, and
other relations of domination. So we take the affect seriously and agree: we
won, somehow. But we have to be realistic and admit that 'they' did too. So
both sides won – which raises the question: how is that possible? Okay, the
question is rhetorical in light of what we just said, the answer obviously
is this: because there was in fact no clear antagonism between 'us' and 'the
G8'.
The protest in Heiligendamm was a typical product of postmodern politics
where the political disappears because dichotomies (previously seen as
mutually exclusive) are reconciled. The result: for sure climate change can
go along with capitalist expansion and more free trade. We want to propose
two answers here to the question why we failed to construct such an
antagonistic relationship to the G8 and global governance in general. Again,
these answers are interconnected with the necessity of discursive
interventions and material disruptions.
The first answer is that we failed to construct a clear antagonism because
we were playing on different grounds. While having worked more than a year
on producing our own thematic focal points (migration, agriculture and
antimilitarism), the German radical left almost completely lacks a
challenging political story about climate change. The arguments heard within
the German left (if the question isn't dismissed out of hand as woolly
environmentalism) hardly go beyond individualist and liberal appeals to fly
less, and rarely raise the question of property and capitalist accumulation
as mechanisms inherently intertwined with the problem of environmental
devastation. This is odd for a country with a rather long tradition of
environmental activism. It is not that odd, however, for an environmental
movement that has been increasingly institutionalized and coopted during the
past two decades and does not offer a radical perspective on reorganizing
our societies based on a sustainable (and thus anticapitalist) paradigm. The
top priority of climate change during the G8 summit would have offered quite
some possibilities to radicalize an old movement and broaden an
anticapitalist critique through an environmental lens.
Only some years ago, when summits' headline issues were still very much
about trade, privatisation, and 'the neoliberal agenda', we had an excellent
counter-story. Our militant actions were embedded in this counter-story,
allowing them to rise beyond being mere policing matters, to being
explicitly political, because they directly interfered with the discursive
field that was being built to legitimate global authority. Today, we have no
story to counter theirs, so this production can go on undisturbed, no matter
how effective our blockades are. It may be responded at this point that
direct engagement with the summit's headline issues would add to the
legitimation of an institution we are trying to delegitimate, but this is
not necessarily the case. It only leads to legitimation if such an
issue-engagement ends up making demands to the G8. Issue-engagement could be
used as well to portray the G8 as part of the entire problem. It is fairly
obvious that this year's refusal to construct a counter-story did not lead
to a greater delegitimation of the G8. More generally, for summit protests,
we need to work in advance to develop a punchy story that relates to the
summit's headline issues, within which we can embed our actions. Otherwise
the latter remain mere public order problems, and cannot interfere with the
production of global authority as legitimate."
Tadzio Mueller
Kriss Sol
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
4.3 Mass campaign stopped privatisation of German railways
A coalition of unions, NGOs, Attac, public transport experts, led by
Attac Germany, has halted the project to privatise the German railway.
It is the first major civil society victory against neoliberal
projects of the governing big coalition.
After G8 Attac Germany has concentrated its forces on the campaign
against the privatisation. While the national campaign was run by a
large coalition including the services union ver.di, Friends of the
Earth and many others, the grassroots activity was mainly carried by
Attac's local groups. The office of the campaign is situated in Attac
Germany's office in Frankfurt.
Under the pressure of several national days of action, coordinated
pressure on members of parliament (in particular of the governing
social-democrats and conservatives), the internal contradictions in
the big coalition became so important, that the project is now in a
political deadlock. It is not assured, that the privatisation is
really stopped, but it seems likely.
The success was possible through a combination of several tools on a
massive scale over a longer period of time, including:
* ten-thousands of protest e-mails to members of parliament
* "flash mob" creative actions in 80 stations
* lobbying of key parliamentarians
* actions in and in front of the social-democrats' (SPD) party
conference
* three petition campaigns against the privatisation for members of
the social-democratic party, unionists as well as ordinary citizens
* massive leafleting in trains and to commuters (400.000)
* several spectacular banner-hanging actions at stations, including a
huge banner at Berlin main station
* production and distribution of a film against the privatisation
* popular campaign website: www.deinebahn.de ("your railway")
* enlarging the campaign coalition to more and more organisations
* permanent media work co-ordinated by a campaign secretariat
As the big coalition has a comfortable two-third majority in both
chambers of the German parliament, the victory was only possible
through:
a) convincing several unions as well as local and regional chapters of
the SPD to join the campaign. The politically corrupt union of German
railway workers came under pressure by an internal opposition group as
well as the competing union ver.di which joined the campaign. Just
before the party conference of the SPD in October the social-demoratic
youth organisation, Jusos, and Germany's largest union "IGmetall"
joined the anti-privatisation campaign. The social-democrats, under
pressure of the new left party, want to renew their image as a force
for social justice. Therefore, they are and were the weak point in the
neoliberal coalition. The SPD delegates voted for conditions for the
privatisation which are unacceptable for the conservatives. This led
to a political deadlock for the privatisation.
b) splits in the coalition how to privatise the railways. These
tensions existed already before our progressive campaign started. They
have helped the campaign to succeed as the big coalition never acted
in strong unity.
Attac Germany's general assembly this weekend has decided to sustain
the campaign for the case that the privatisation will see a "rebirth".
The victory has created a general good mood in our network which
proved capable of running effective campaigns putting all forces of
the organisation as well as network building capacities together.
Sven Giegold
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.4 Asphalt Indians in Sweden call off sabotgae against SUV cars
During the last year the action group Asphalt Indians have caused
considerable attention in cities all over Sweden by letting the air out of
the tyres of SUV cars. These cars use much extra petrol and has no funcional
use in city traffic other than being extra dangerous to other smaller cars
and people when their drivers crash into others with their extra high and
big vehicles.
SUV cars have caused considerable criticism both from the environemtnal
movment and many women as a socially and ecologically infriendly car. The
Swedish state supports bigger cars be ytaxes and other incentives to help
the Swedish car factories Saab and Volvo. This makes Sweden having a higher
proportion of such cars than mot other coutnries.
But the actions have caused quite some criticism, some owners of SUV cars
are big families in need of their transport capacities. In general actions
causing material damage is illegal and not well seen. The secret action
group now calls of their action in a public statement 10th of december. They
call their new position a armistice. Their argument is that SUV sales are
now going down and that awareness of how environemtally bad these cars are
have spread. The Asphalt Indians now want to see political action against
SUV cars. Part of the reason for stoppning the actins is also that some SUV
owners drove wwith fltat tires after they had been sabotgaed, sowmthing
which is especially dangeorus now when the winter has arrived in Sweden.
Apshalt Indians claim that "irresponsible palefaces" can be confronted
again.
In Denmark the movement to leak air out of SUV cars just started doing
actions in December and January.
Source: Yelah, a Swedish net magazine, Modkraft, a Danish net magazine
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.5 Global Day of Action on Climate Change 8th of December 2007
For the third time in a row a global action day was organised to protest
against global warming. This time 87 countries participated in the action
which was more than ever. In Europe almost all countries took part, all in
all 34 countries. Globally Australia was the most succesful country with
some 120 000 participants in climate walks in 60 cities. Much encouraging
was that actions took place in many places all over China.
The aim of the campaign is described by Phil Thornhill as "to stimulate mass
grassroots public pressure on governments around the world to maximise
measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions." The methods of the campaign so
far has been "involving existing environmental organisations, lobby and
campaign groups involved in combating green house gas emissions in the
organisation of the annual Global Day of Action, thereby stimulating
demonstrations around the world and providing a focus for media attention."
Earlier similar international Climate Action days took place in 1991 and
1992 coordinated by Friends of the Earth Sweden and the Finnish solidarity
organisation KePa. Than 70 countries participated and actions took place at
500 places. The perspective was somewhat different. The actions focused on
conflicts stating that it is your local environmental conflicts that
determines the future for the climate and both stopping emmissions in
industrial places and stopping deforestation was seen as equally important.
In Uganda three planting took place in 32 towns, in Moldavia 6 information
seminars were organised and in Lithuania car traffic was stopped. Lobbying
governemnts was included in the campaign but not seen as the most important
part of actions.
Some highlights of the Global Climate Action Day 2007.
Highest participation nationally:
Greece, 11.000 in 6 towns (if the report is correctly understood).
UK, 10,500 in 3 cities
Germany, 10.000 in 15 towns
Most places with actions nationally: Sweden 18 towns, France and Germany 15
towns.
Biggest demos:
London 10.000
Istanbul 7.000
Athens 6.000 (event)
Berlin 5.000
Brussels 4.000
Neurath 3.000
Stockholm 1.000
Most fun:
Ski competition in Helsinki between activists and Miss Finland
Beat that, well maybe they did in Ireland were environmentalist found a new
strategic ally, Irish Association of Change Ringers. And the bells they were
ringing all over the whole island in a joint action across the border
between UK and the republic of Ireland to save our climate. In Belgrade
activists dressed up as doctors to cure passers by from climate sickness.
Most confrontations:
In Malmö 70 activists occupied the street protesting against car traffic.
The police did not confront the activists as normal and redirected traffic
instead. For pictures, (and text in Swedish) look at: http://klimatet.org
In Moscow the police stopped critical mass bicycle action with less than
100 participants. Greenpeace made a civil disobedience action at red Square
by holding a banner.
(A personal note from the editor: Many reports state that it is fantastic
how many people turn up in spite of cold weather with rain and the like in
the environemental climate actions. Well, up here in the North this sounds
pretty warm. Some years ago 800 activists blocked a dam construction site in
the North of Norway during a winter week with 20-30 centigrades below zero.
The front activists chained themselves into the ice. Every 7th policemen in
Norway had to be transported to the place in the wilderness to brake up the
occupation using high-speed metal saws to cut the chains. Fortunatly Malmö
is situated a lot more to the South.)
In total actions took place in 87 countries on all continents. Reports on
climate actions in Europe 8th of december 2007 were the following:
Albania
Five environmental organisations worked together for a protest event in
Tirana, among them Iliria OJF - Environment and Social Protection and
Development Iliria.
Andorra
On 8th December 2007 The Green party of Andorra issued a press release and
put up information outside the headquarters.
Austria
On December 8th 2007 at 20:00, Austria had a “lights out for five minutes”
campaign organized by Umweltorganisation Global 2000, together with many
local activists, Green Party and WWF. It was well covered by Austrian media
and the effect was measureable on the Austrian power grid!
Belarus
On December 8th 2007 there was a public screening of an environmental video.
Additionally a translation of Kate Evans' comic 'Funny Weather' will be
published on the web.
Belgium
On December 8th 2007, 4000 people joined the climate demonstration in
Brussels to call for an ambitious and social climate regime. The weather was
cold and rainy, there was a rail workers strike and the youth had exams. A
real success, thus for the organisers: the Climate Coalition and Climate and
Social Justice.nThe event was supported by Greenpeace, CAN, WWF , Inter
Environnement Wallonie , Bond Beter Leefmilieu and others.
Bulgaria
On 6 December 2007 the Bulgarian day of action was a great success, it
included:
16:30 Climate performance Art Show and gathering, Slaveikov Square, Sofia
18:00 Film screening ("On Thin Ice" by Greenpeace), Red House, Sofia
18:30 Low-carbon ideas show, Red House, Sofia
20:30 Sustainable urban transport show, Red House, Sofia
There were a total of about 200 people and media coverage.
The third annual Bulgaria Joint Action Event Against Climate Change is
initiated by the following organisations: Za Zemiata environmental
association, Young Bulgarian Greens, Friends of the Earth Bulgaria, Inter
Ethnic Initiative for Human Rights Foundation, European Environmental
Festival Foundation, Agrolink, Gorichka: Green Site, Regional Environmental
Centre, Sofia, Borrowed nature, Future Now Cultural Centre, BikEvolution,
UgaBuga Arts Formation.
Croatia
On December 8th 2007 Green List, Sisak Eco Action and Association of Cancer
Disease are organising a street action and protest in Sisak, an industrial
town near Zagreb, well known by heavy air pollution. Leaflets about climate
change and saving energy will be distributed. A Sisak Declaration on
Climate Change has been prepared, including demands to the Croatian
government and newly elected members of parliament to decrease GHG emissions
in Croatia, and prepare measures for coming climate disturbances.
www.zelena-lista.hr.
Cyprus
On 8th December 2007, a demonstration against climate change was organized
in Nicosia and Limassol. The organisers also had stands in city centres and
handed out leaflets and other informational material on the subject.
Czech Republic
On December 8th 2007 a climate rally was organized through the centre of
Prague, from Vaclavske namesti/Wenceslaw's Square via Karluv most/Charles
Bridge to Hradcanske namesti/ Hradcanske Square (next to Prague Castle).
In Prunéřov, Greenpeace protesters ended their occupation of a coal fired
power plant.
They are also organising a seminar around climate change and the impacts of
climate change on developing countries on the day before the rally.
Denmark
On December 8th 2007 events were organised in Copenhagen, Nyhavn and Aarhus.
In Copenhagen an action group with 20 participants marched down "Strøget" to
"Kongens Nytorv" with umbrellas, encouraging people to join the rally at
"Nyhavn / Kongens Nytorv". Here a little over 500 people gave their support
in the fight against climate change. The 18 environmental organisations,
political parties and companies arranging and supporting the rally, have now
joined together to deliver their advice on how to combat climate change to
the Danish Climate Minister, Connie Hedegaard.
In Aarhus the organisers had Santa and his companions down on one of the
most populated streets in Aarhus to demonstrate with a banner and a big
Christmas present, where this was written: Give your children the best
present … give them a sustainable future
The slogan: 'Santa Claus runs away from melt water, started by human
activity. Do you want Santa Claus to drown? If not stop global warming!' was
used.
Hundreds of Danes participated in other events around Denmark, including
Odense and Holbæk.
The following organisations are supporting this Danish Climate rally:
Danish Society for Nature Conservation ( www.dn.dk ),
DOF - Birdlife Denmark ( www.dof.dk ),
Ecological Council ( www.ecocouncil.dk ),
Greenpeace Denmark ( http://www.greenpeace.org/denmark/ ),
ISU ( www.socialister.dk ),
LO – Danish Confederation of Trade Unions ( www.lo.dk ),
Nature and Youth ( www.natur-og-ungdom.dk ),
NOAH - Friends of the Earth Denmark ( www.noah.dk ),
Nordic Folkecenter ( www.folkecenter.net ),
OVE - The Danish Organisation for Renewable Energy ( www.ove.org ),
Red-Green Alliance ( www.enhedslisten.dk ),
Society for a Living Sea ( www.levendehav.dk ),
SF - Socialist People's Party ( www.sf.dk ),
SFU - Youth of the Socialist People's Party ( www.sfu.dk ),
Social-Liberal Party ( www.radikale.dk )
Finland
On December 8th 2007 the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation and
Greenpeace organised a demonstration of skiiers along the main shopping
street in Helsinki, Aleksanterinkatu. The skiers demanded urgent action on
climate change as they would like the snowy winters back. For details see
below.
The demonstration went even better than expected. There were more than 50
people skiing along the main shopping street in Helsinki demanding some
serious action from the decision makers and calling for cuts in CO2
emissions to bring the snowy winters back. After the "ski trip" there were
skiing competitions with "Miss Finland", but she lost every time because she
kept talking! She was watching the others and didn't remember to concentrate
on the action!
Probably the nicest thing in our demonstration was that everyone watching it
was smiling. I hope we did a good job motivating our politicians and
spreading a positive feeling around this subject that usually is discussed
in such a negative tone.
The media was very interested in our action. We got to the main news on
every channel on TV, we were on the front page of the Sunday edition of our
biggest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat and some radio stations did stories
about us.
France
Events took place in Paris, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Lille, Brest, Chambery,
Nantes, Hondschoote, Perpignan, Toulouse, Rennes, Lyon, Limoges, Arras and
Grenoble.
Germany
On December 8th 2007, 10,000 people joined protests throughout Germany, with
two central demonstrations: in Berlin (as the location of politics) and at
the construction site of Europe's biggest coal power plant in Neurath close
to Düsseldorf. Additionally there were activities in at least 14 more German
cities. In Berlin 5,000 people attended, in Neurath 3,000 and in the other
cities altogether 2,000.
In Berlin there was a demonstration from the Berliner Dom to the
Brandenburger Tor headed by many representatives of the climate alliance's
member organizations. At the Brandenburger Tor we had a live program (on a
stage) of about 2 hours (gigs from 2 German bands, short notes by
representatives of the member organizations, a speech from Vandana Shiva and
one from a bishop, Margot Käßmann). Afterwards every participant got a blue
lampion with our "Climate protection now!" logo and we stepped to the
Bundeskanzleramt (the office of the chancellor) to hand over the climate
alliance's position paper to an officer. A lot of press (journals, radio and
TV) was on-site and reported about the demonstration.
In Neurath there was a stage on the constructions site, with gigs from 2
German bands. As speakers we had: Professor Grassl from the
Max-Planck-Institute of Meteorology Hamburg, Sven Giegold from attac, a
representative of the church, Alfred Buss, representatives from
environmental organizations as well as people that experienced negative
impacts of surface mining. In the evening people got the same blue lampions
as we had in Berlin to form up the words "Act now." With a beamer they
projected "stop CO2" on the chimney of the coal power plant, but RWE one of
the 4 German energy corporations tried many times to stop them.
The organizers were really happy that so many people attended there as the
construction site is 6 km away from towns and railway stations and December
is not the best period of the year to demonstrate outside!
Greece
On 8th December 2007, 6000 people participated in an event in Athens, and
there were other smaller events around Greece.
Demos were organized in Athens, Thessaloniki, Giannena, Heraklion, Chania,
Rethymno, Giannitsa, Volos, Larissa. Over 5000 participated in these events.
The main slogan was "Stop climate change, climate before profits, action
now!", "Planet before profits!"
Activists in Athens organized a demo to USA embassy and symbolically they
put outside the Prize for winning the number one place for global climate
catastrophes.
In Greece, these demos followed the catastrophic fires and heat of last
summer when seventy civilians and ten fire fighters lost their lives and
over three million hectares of forest, millions of olive trees and animals
were burned.
It was a step forward for the movement that developed last summer as an
outcry for the government's responsibility for that catastrophe. The
connection with climate change was discussed everywhere and for the first
time there was a mass mobilization targeting the way neo-liberal capitalism
destroys environment.
Before 8 of December local activists, environmentalists, socialists, greens,
leftists, NGOs organized meetings, assemblies and campaigns connecting
struggles to save free green spaces and mountains in Athens, to support
trains against cars, rivers from pollution, to promote public clean
renewable energy against privatization and continuing using of coal. Trade
Unionists preparing for general strike on 12th December to save their social
security joined this campaign. In High schools teach-ins were organized
after an official demand which was accepted by the government. These people
took the initiative to organize united action on 8th December.
We are very happy that a movement is coordinating internationally to save
the Planet.
The big demo in athens was planned with the participation of NGOs and
other political organizations. A strong network of activists around Athens
area (Panattiko Diktyo) and other local environmental groups have taken the
initiative to invite a lot of local organizations, trade unions etc to
mobilize massively after the forest disasters this summer ( Greece suffered
devestating heat-wave related fires which made the headlines this summer).
More than 100 groups are participating in the initiative. The majority of
these have made the connection between climate change and the fires !
(Big demos were organized by various groups during the fires with tens of
thousands participants among them bloggers and radical left organizations.)
Hungary
On December 8th 2007, Greenpeace activists protested both inside and in
front of a economics conference, it was well received by most attendees.
Iceland
Contact : Helena ('Saving Iceland')
Ireland
On 8th December 2007, Stop Climate Chaos held a Parade for the Planet. It
was a miserable wet windy day but despite the inclement conditions over 800
brave souls came out to Sound the Alarm for action on climate change.
At 2pm the bells of Christchurch Cathedral, the Pro-Cathedral and bells
across the country rang out to signal that the world cannot warm by more
than 2 degrees if humankind is to continue living on this planet in comfort
and safety
On 6 December 2007, members of Stop Climate Chaos made their way to
Government Buildings with Eco-Santa to hand over a 'gift' of 22,847 Stop
Climate Chaos petition signatures to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
CAIP - 'Climate Action Ireland Platform' - was formed as a result of a
meeting held on the Global Day of Action last year. It meets monthly and has
been planning for December 8th . Meanwhile a 'Stop Climate Chaos - Ireland'
has been formed this year. CAIP is now part of 'Stop Climate Chaos -
Ireland'.
Italy
On December 8th 2007 two parallel events took place in Milan.
A Critical Mass on Climate Change crossed the centre of Milan with around
200 bikers. At the same time, a rally took place in Downtown (Piazza
Cordusio) to inform people on the Global Day of Action events and the
Conference in Bali. 3000 flyers were distributed to citizens doing their
Christmas shopping and in the middle of a major fair for Patron's Day. More
details below.
A photo and informative exhibition was built to give some explanation about
global warming, environmental problems, wastes and climate refugees while
the mobilization received some coverage on public television.
Two conferences were also organised in Basilicata on "Climate change and
sustainability. Present challenges and strategies". Meetings were held in
Potenza (Faculty of Engineering) and Matera (Faculty of Liberal Arts) at the
University of Basilicata.
A national website to endorse the day of action was also launched.
Luxembourg
On December 8th 2007, in the centre of Luxembourg City, Greenpeace activists
installed a 9 x 6 meter flag "Change" (the logo of Greenpeace Luxembourg's
green power campaign) above the flag of the "blue deer", the symbol of
Luxembourg, the European capital of culture 2007.
Macedonia
For the 8th of December Macedonian Green Centre and Front 21/42 are
organising a climate event in the Macedonian Parliament. The climate event
includes a weeklong poster exhibition in the Parliamentarian Lobby,
distribution of educational/promotional material to MPs including the Stern
report and a presentation of the political and economic impacts of climate
change held by the British Ambassador in Macedonia, HE Andrew Key.
Malta
The Young Greens are planning a small event for December 8th.
Netherlands
Made many actions 2006. No reports on 2007 except: For December 8th 2007
Coolclimate are discussing the possibilities of protest events in the
Netherlands with other interested groups and organisations.
Northern Ireland
On December 8th 2007, around 100 activists joined representatives from the
four main churches in Northern Ireland on the steps of St Anne's Cathedral
in central Belfast 8 December 2007. At 2pm, armed with alarm clocks, mobile
phones, triangles, whistles, drums, a megaphone and one vintage football
rattle, the group made a cacophonous din in order to "Sound the Alarm on
Climate Change". The time of 2pm was chosen to represent the 2 degrees rise
in global average temperatures which scientists have warned we cannot exceed
if we are to avoid the worst ravages of climate change. More details below.
The group posed for photographs and television pictures with a giant cut out
of an alarm clock and a banner reading "Wake Up to Climate Change".
Meanwhile churches and cathedrals across Ireland rang their bells at the
same time. In Coleraine, County Derry activists handed out leaflets to
passersby while the bells in St Patrick's Church of Ireland rang in the
centre of the town.
In Magherally, County Down activists augmented the ringing of the bells of
the Church of St John the Evangelist with alarm clocks, mobile phones and a
miniature gong.
The event was organised as a joint project by Trócaire, Friends of the
Earth, Christian Aid and Eco-congregation Ireland, with the support and
assistance of the Irish Association of Change Ringers.
All in all, it was a miserably wet, but wonderfully heartening day out.
Norway
For the 8th of December 2007 the Global Migrants for Climate Action together
with Fagforbundet (Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees
NUMGE), WWF Norway, Changemaker, the Norwegian Children and Youth Council
(LNU), an umbrella-organization for more than 70 NGOs for children and
youth, Friends of the Earth Norway (Naturvernforbundet) and their youth
organisation (Natur og Ungdom) are organising a climate demonstration in
Oslo.
Poland
On 8th December 2007, Greenpeace stuck 8000 stickers in public places in 18
cities. Stickers included: "emergency exit - will be flooded", "Stop climate
change" and "You cant escape from the Earth. Stop climate change."
There were events in Lodz, Warsaw, Katowice and Krakow and leafleating in
Szczecin and Wroclaw. About 120 volunteers were involved in the stickering
and events. Media coverage was quite good and in Krakow/Lodz/Katowice this
included radio stations, two TV stations and local media.
In Szczecin there was a separate radio program about climate change with one
of the volunteers as a participant.
Portugal
Os Verdes are planning a street theatre and gathering in the centre of
Lisbon.
The Azores ( Os Acores ): The Associação da Juventude em Defesa do
Patrimonio Historico-Cultural e Natural de São Jorge will show several
movies about Climate Change during a party event at the Sao Jorge Island.
They will also distribute flyers and will have a wall to create awareness
about Climate Change.
Romania
On December the 8th, rally took place in Romania and some leaflets were
distributed in Timisoara. More info to follow. See pictures here.
The Romanian Ecological Action Foundation intend to organise an event for
December 8th 2007. Their district, Dolj, has suffered the impacts of
climate change in the form of a drought and disastrous floods. For more
details email to office[at]aer-fundatie.ro.
Eco-Underground Timisoara is planning a rally in Timisoara followed by a
video presentation about climate change and a rally in Arad for the 8th of
December. For more details contact Tibi scorpionx_3[at]yahoo.com.
Other groups are discussing plans for Bucharest and elsewhere in Romania.
Russia
On December 7th Greenpeace Russia held an illegal demonstration with a
banner against the Kremlin.
On December 8th, Russian police stopped environmental activists from
organising a "Critical mass" bike action in the centre of Moscow to mark the
International Climate action day.
By the appointed time for the action (1 p.m.), the meeting place
(Turgenevskaya square) was surrounded by police, who told correspondents and
participants that the action was illegal because organizers didn't get
permission from the city administration, although in Moscow such cycling
actions are normally arranged without permission, All who came and tried to
take part in the action were asked by police to disperse, saying they did
not have permission to gather there. Fortunately, no one was arrested. One
hundred people had been expected to take part however probably because of
bad weather the numbers were lower.
On November 4th 2006 there was a picket supporting the Global Climate
Campaign in St.Petersburg despite frost, wind, and a lack of activists
participating due to the danger of clashing with nationalistic organisations
on this day which is a national holiday in honour of a victory of Russia
over Poland. The picket was held in the centre of St.Petersburg on the
street Malaya Sadovaya. Everybody interested (and even not really
interested) was given information by the team distributing "Day against
Climate Change" flags, infosheets and flyers. People sharing the ideas of
the activists could sign a poster in agreement. This was a small action but
it is hoped that it will be the start for bringing together ecological
organisations in Russia to raise awareness about climate change.The action
was organised by 'Human' and supported by Greenpeace Russia, WWF in Russia,
Green Cross and the Centre for Environmental Initiatives.
Other contacts for climate actions in Russia includes addresses in Voronezh,
Nizhnij Novgorod and Jakutsk
Scotland
On 8th December 2007, 300 people participated in an event in Glasgow.
Serbia
In Belgrade raising awareness on Climate Change and pointing out our
responsibility to the Planet Earth is priority, so Serbian Young Greens
organized an ER (Earth Recovery) medical service on Main Square, to help
people to heal the planet Earth.
Our “doctors” were giving diagnoses, with a history of the “disease”
(climate change), based on scientific facts on the causes of Climate
Changes. More important we were sharing advice and recipes how to help the
Planet, and make it healthy, practical advice on how to combat climate
change at your home, work, school etc. We also asked people to become aware
of the problem and motivate to fight it, and authorities to realize how
important this topic is, and to react as soon as possible by adopting
conclusions of Bally conference, and implement it in the system, to come up
with a regulative strategy and laws.
In the city of Nis a rally was held.
Slovenia
Contact: Lidija Zivcic or Barbara focus-ngo.org
Spain:
On December 8th, 200 people took part in a demonstration against climate
change in Madrid, organised by Globalizate:
On the day of global action on climate change, thousands of citizens took to
the streets from all corners of the planet. Those demonstrations were
coordinated by the Campaign Against Climate Change.
The demonstration in Madrid was organized by the Global Association, a
unique group that was created for the action in Spain.
In the cold and foggy morning the march began at 12.45, from the Plaza de
Jacinto Benavente where about 200 people had gathered carrying messages
directed at the governments that are meeting in Bali, a petition to the
Spanish government to match up words and actions, and criticized the mayor
of Madrid for turning on the Christmas lights one month before Christmas.
The demonstration occured without any incidents, going down the Calle
Atocha, past the Plaza del Museo Reina Sofia, where the group receieved the
Bloco de Baliza, a samba band from the city. Immediately afterwards it was
the turn of the speakers. It was said that it was necessary to think as a
global movement, because it is a global problem, we can only find a solution
globally, in order to reduce greenhouse gases by 85 percent by 2030 and
stand a chance of keeping global temperature rise below 2 degrees
centigrade. All those in attendance were asked to become involved in the
struggle against climate change.
Finally, a manifesto was read to the crowd demanding action against energy
inefficiency, that construction of airport terminals be halted, that
renewable energy and energy efficiency become the points of departure to
create an economy free of carbon. Also, it was said that climate change is
not just an ecological problem, but a social problem as well, affecting all
of society.
Around 2 pm, the action ended with a samba performance.
In Guadalajara 215 delegates from the whole country held a protest as a part
of the Ecologists in Action state meeting in Azuqueca de Henares.
Sweden
In total actions took place in 18 towns including: Alunda, Enköping, Falun,
Gävle, Göteborg, Helsingborg, Lindesberg, Ludvika, Lund, Malmö, Sundsvall,
Stockholm, Umeå, Uppsala, örebro. In Stockholm 1 000 persons participated in
a demo followed by numerous activitites. In örebro demonstrators were
supposed to dress up for a sunny summer bath in the midst of winter.
In Malmö the normal demo was followed by a civil disobedience action with
some 70 participants. Many activists dressed up with a white hat formed as a
cone which is used for celebration of light on Lucia day 13 th of December
handed out traditional Lucia bakery to persons on the street while
distributing propaganda against climate change the activst ended up
occupying the street in what is called "kulturkrock", a way to protest
against car traffic and replacing cars with culture. This action nethd has
been used since at least 1969 in Sweden and regularly since 1986. Thus the
street was reclaimed. The police in Malmö known to normally be ruff against
demonstrators chosed a new tactic. After a while they diverted the traffic
and left the occupants alone with their victory in the street with
passers-by in the city centre.
Switzerland
Greenpeace Switzerland (including Solar Geneneration, Forest Campaign, local
groups) will take an active part in the Global Action Day Climate March in
Zurich using a giant clock, drums, loads of climate flags painted by
children etc.
Greenpeace and other organisations in Switzerland are also involved in the
"switch off the lights for our climate" campaign which wants people to
switch off their lights between 20 -20.05 pm (including all offical
buildings like churches etc.).
Turkey
On December 8th 2007, around 7,000 people demonstrated in Istanbul,
protesters brought alarm clocks and set them all to go off at noon as a wake
up call on global warming.
In Izmir a demonstration is planned and will start from cumhuriyet meydany.
Actions also took place i other towns which was announced at the cÁssembly
of Climate action at European Preparatory Assembly for ESF-5 Istanbul.
Ukraine
On December 10th 2007, about 20 protesters approached Ministry for
environmental Protection of Ukraine with an appeal to conduct transparent
realization of the Kyoto Protocol mechanisms, as well as effective and
constructive international negotiations about reducing the level of
greenhouse gas emissions at the 2007 United Nations Climate Change
Conference in Bali, Indonesia.
Protesters handed ministry workers flyers and postcards with the question
"What did YOU do to stop climate change?!!", reminding them that Ukraine
remains in the global top 20 in terms of most greenhouse gas pollutants.
The action was encouraged by National ecological centre of Ukraine in
support of Global Climate Campaign, along with 87 other countries.
For December 8th, the Ukraine Green Party has organised a petition appealing
to the Ukraine government to take urgent and efficient actions to combat
climate change. This will be handed over to the National Security and
Defense Council of Ukraine on 7th December.
An action named "Time to Take Obligations" will be held on December 8th
2007, in which a specially made documentary about climate change in Ukraine
and worldwide will be shown on a large screen mounted in the central street
of Kiev. Leaflets will also be distributed.
Other actions in different regions of Ukraine are also planned for December
8th 2007.
United Kingdom
On December 8th 2007, the London demonstration was a huge success. Despite
rain, wind and freezing weather, about 10,000 people turned up to show their
support.
Demonstrators met the cycle protest outside parliament and the march
continued past 10 Downing St, the Prime Minister's home, where a letter was
handed in by a group of children.
The demonstration ended at the US embassy, where a rally included music and
speeches. There was good media coverage.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
4.6 Press release from coalition of social organisations and movements at
Climate Summit on Bali.
COALITION'S PRESS RELEASE - 14 DECEMBER 2007
BALI (INDONESIA), 14 December 2007 - Peoples from social organizations and
movements from across the globe brought the fight for social, ecological and
gender justice into the negotiating rooms and onto the streets during the UN
climate summit in Bali. [1]
Inside and outside the convention centre, activists demanded alternative
policies and practices that protect livelihoods and the environment.
In dozens of side events, reports, impromptu protests and press conferences,
the false solutions to climate change - such as carbon offsetting, carbon
trading for forests, agrofuels, trade liberalization and privatization
pushed by governments, financial institutions and multinational corporations
- have been exposed.
Affected communities, Indigenous Peoples, women and peasant farmers called
for real solutions to the climate crisis, solutions which have failed to
capture the attention of political leaders. These genuine solutions include:
reduced consumption, huge financial transfers from North to South based on
historical responsibility and ecological debt for adaptation and mitigation
costs paid for by redirecting military budgets, innovative taxes and debt
cancellation, leaving fossil fuels in the ground and investing in
appropriate energy-efficiency and safe, clean and community-led renewable
energy, rights based resource conservation that enforces Indigenous land
rights and promotes peoples' sovereignty over energy, forests, land and
water, sustainable family farming and peoples' food sovereignty.
Inside the negotiations, the rich industrialized countries have put
unjustifiable pressure on Southern governments to commit to emissions'
reductions. At the same time, they have refused to live up to their own
legal and moral obligations to radically cut emissions and support
developing countries' efforts to reduce emissions and adapt to climate
impacts. Once again, the majority world is being forced to pay for the
excesses of the minority.
Compared to the outcomes of the official negotiations, the major success of
Bali is the momentum that has been built towards creating a diverse, global
movement for climate justice.
We will take our struggle forward not just in the talks, but on the ground
and in the streets - Climate Justice Now!
Notes
[1] Many social movements and groups that came together in Bali have agreed
to establish a coalition called Climate Justice Now! in order to enhance
exchange of information and cooperation among themselves and with other
groups with the aim of intensifying actions to prevent and respond to
climate change. Justice must be at the heart of tackling climate change, and
must in no way be sacrificed.
Members of this coalition include:
Carbon Trade Watch, Transnational Institute; Center for Environmental
Concerns; Focus on the Global South; Freedom from Debt Coalition,
Philippines; Friends of the Earth International; Gendercc - Women for
Climate Justice, Global Forest Coalition; Global Justice Ecology Project;
International Forum on Globalization; Kalikasan-Peoples Network for the
Environment (Kalikasan-PNE); La Via Campesina; Members of the Durban Group
for Climate Justice; Oilwatch; Pacific Indigenous Peoples Environment
Coalition, Aotearoa/New Zealand; Sustainable Energy and Economy Network; The
Indigenous Environmental Network; Third World Network; WALHI/ Friends of the
Earth Indonesia; World Development Movement, World Rainforest Movement
Read more with many pictures aand infromation on earlier actions and the
whole world at: http://www.globalclimatecampaign.org
------------
4.7 WSF action day
Call for Day of Action and Mobilisation - January 26th 2008
We are millions of women and men, organisations, networks, movements, trade
unions from all parts of the world, we come from villages, regions, rural
zones, urban centres, we are of all ages, peoples, cultures, beliefs,
but we are united by the strong conviction that
ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE
With all the richness of our plurality and diversity and our alternatives
and proposals, we struggle against neo-liberalism, war, colonialism, racism
and patriarchy which produce violence, exploitation, exclusion, poverty,
hunger and ecological disaster and deprive people of human rights.
For many years we have been resisting and constructing innovative processes,
new cultures of organization and action from the local to the global, in
particular within the processes and Charter of Principle of the World Social
Forum from which this call emerges.
Aware of the need to set our own agenda and to increase the impact of these
thousands of expressions and manifestations, we are committed to
strengthening the solidarity and convergence amongst our struggles,
campaigns, and constructions of alternatives and alliances.
We commit ourselves to a week of action which will culminate in a Global Day
of Mobilisation and Action on January 26
With our diversity which is our strength, we invite all men and women to
undertake throughout this week creative actions, activities, events and
convergences focusing on the issues and expressed in the ways they choose.
ACT TOGETHER FOR ANOTHER WORLD!
Visit the website http://www.wsf2008.net/ to sign the call, read a short
history on the day of mobilisation and global action and know how to take
part in its preparation
Make it happen: wsf2008.net is online for the Global Day of Action
The website www.wsf2008.net is on line. From now until January 26th, the
Global Day of Action, it will be the main communication tool for organizing
actions as well as the main source of information about the World Social
Forum 2008.
Unlike previous editions, WSF 2008 will not have any centralized events, but
will be composed by thousands of actions around the world, organized by
participants themselves.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Calender
2008
1.1 Slovenia, EU-presidency begin
12-13.1 Working groups and membership meeting in Nordic Organzing Committee
for ESF-5, Malmö, Sweden
26.1 WSF Global Action Day
21-22.2 EBS-6, European Business Summit Greening the Economy – New Energy
for Business, Brussels, Belgium.
23-24.3 EPA, Berlin, Germany for ESF-5
8.3 International Womens´Struggle Day
17.4 International Peasant Struggle Day
1.5 International Workers Struggle Day
May-June EPA Kiev, Ukraine for ESF-5, date to be set.
1.7 France, EU-presidency begins
17-21.9 ESF-5, European Social Forum Malmö, Sweden
WSF Process – Calendar of Mobilisations towards 2008 and 2009
2009
1.1 Czech EU-presidency begins
2x.1 WSF Belem, Brazil
8.3 International Womens´Struggle Day
17.4 International Peasant Struggle Day
1.5 International Workers Struggle Day
1.7 Sweden, EU-presidency begins
December Climate Summit, Copenhagen, Denmark
---------------------------------------------------------
6.
Editorial information
Address:
Prodemokratia newsletter,
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, c/o Ulvila,
Mäkipäänkatu 13 as. 6,
33500 Tampere,
Finland.
You can send information and contributions to tord.bjork@mjv.se or
marko.ulvila@kaapeli.fi