Australian Events for WTO Ministerial
The Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network (www.aftinet.org.au) a network of over 50 unions and community groups, is sponsoring a seminar, band night and public rally in Sydney, November 11-13.
The rally coincides with the conference of the International Metalworkers Federation which is to be held in Sydney at that time, attended by 1000 union activists from around the world. We expect the rally to attract thousands of people from both unions and community organizations.
Sydney seminar on the WTO and Fair Trade alternatives 11.30 am Sunday November 11, Tom Mann Theatre, Chalmers St, Surrry Hills.
Fair Trade band night with popular bands 7.30 PM Sunday Nov 11 Sydney , Metro theatre, George St.
Sydney Fair Trade Rally 12 noon, Darling Harbour Sydney, march through the city to Martin Place. The rally will be reported on the Indymedia website with pictures www.sydney.indymedia.org
Patricia Ranald pranald@piac.asn.au
ATTAC Austria is organizing an alternative event 'The world is not for sale' to the WTO Ministerial meeting in Qatar on 10th of November in LINZ/Austria. It will last the whole day and consists of lectures from different perspectives (agriculture, agriculture and genetic engineering, women, service industry,) in combination with workshops; a press conferences is planned together with Greenpeace and WWF as well as press releases and position papers. Maybe additional actions are planned.
Christian Mayr (for ATTAC), infos@attac-austria.org
Bangladesh Mukto Sramik Federation (BMSF) - Dhaka Meeting & demonstration from November 9-11
10 & 11 November, demonstrations will be organized in Chittagong, Khulna and Sylhet.
6 November, Press Conference organized by FoE Europe, Oxfam Solidarity and CPE
Alexandra Wandel (alexandra.wandel@foeeurope.org) or Raoul Jennar (Raoul.Jennar@oxfamsol.be)
Canada
Annahid Dashtgard, Organizer for the Common Front on the WTO (CFWTO)
Phone: 416-53-cfwto (532-3986)
Fax: 416-532-6191
Email: cfwto@sympatico.ca
Website: www.wtoaction.org/cfwto
ATLANTIC CANADA
NOV. 8- Public Forum
NOV. 9- Carnival with many creative actions throughout the day.
CONTACT: Fred Furlong, Canadian Union of Postal Workers ffurlong@cupw-sttp.org
NOV. 9- March city to City Hall for a noon Rally with speakers, music (Raging Grannies, local hiphop artists, among others), and street theatre.
CONTACT: Sean Benjamin q21n9@unb.ca
QUEBEC
NOV. 9- Protest Rally in Old Quebec City.
CONTACT: Sebastian Bouchard, OQP appui@oqp2001.com
ONTARIO
NOV. 9- CARAVAN CONVERGENCE and march to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Noon Rally with Speakers, banners and street theatre.
Evening Event: "A Better World is Possible" at 7:00pm City Hall Council Chambers with National Spokespeople and special guest, Oronto Douglas, Nigerian Human Rights Lawyer (sponsored by Sierra Club of Canada)
CONTACT: David Robbins, Council of Canadians and Betrand Begin, Canadian Labour Congress drobbins@canadians.org and bbegin@clc-ctc
NOV. 9- Noon Rally outside City Hall. Flyering at public places throughout the day. Creative direct actions throught the afternoon.
CONTACT: Toronto Mobilization for Global Justice and Kim Philips, Council of Canadians mob4glob@tao.ca and kphilips@acea.ca
NOV. 9- Evening Workshop "WTO and Other Corporate Bullies", 7pm at the Steelworkers Hall.- 8:30 Wine & Cheese Reception for International Guests.
NOV. 10 - 9:30 - 10:30 Caravan Joins Local Activists caravan for trip through city with stops at 2 Corporate targets.
Town Hall Meeting "A Better World IS Possible", 11am at City Hall- International Speakers - Raging Grannies to perform.
CONTACT: Peter Boyle, Kingson and District Labour Council pboyle@kos.net
NOV. 9- Protest at local MPs Riding Office and Anti-War Teach-In at Laurentian University
CONTACT: Aurele Bertrand, Sudbury Global Justice bertrand@cyberbeach.net
NOV. 8- Public Forum, 1-3pm, Fedeli Business Centre, Nipissing University
CONTACT: Barbara Anella, DAWN Ontario dawn@thot.net
NOV. 9- Vegetariana 2001and Evening of food, music and conversation- "There are always alternatives"
NOV. 10- Sustainable Solutions 2001 focus on fair trade and locally owned and operated businesses
CONTACT: Bob Ewing, Thunder Bay Coalition Against Poverty sixdegrees@baynet.net
WESTERN CANADA
NOV. 9- Evening Public Forum time and location?
NOV. 10- Teach-In on the WTO with Panels, workshops and street theatre, time and location?
CONTACT: Tara Scurr, Trading Strategies tscurr@canadians.org
NOV. 9- What is the WTO? Part of Global Visions Film Festival
CONTACT: Marika Schwantt, Global Visions Festival Society, marika@dojo.tao.ca
NOV. 9- Protest against WTO
CONTACT: Loretta Gerlach, Trade and Democracy Now! And Barb Byers, Saskatchewan Fed. of Labour
lgerlach@canadians.org and sfl.byers@sk.sympatico.ca
November 9: CMKOS - Mass media campaign to inform how trade unions perceive the current process of globalization, the role of the WTO and other international institutions in this process.
November 9: LO Denmark - Launch of publication on the impact of Globalization
Launch will be accompanied by media awareness-raising (eg. newspaper advertisements)
Several NGOs invited by ATTAC Finland are organizing a joint demonstration "Not all is for sale" against current WTO system and for "Another world is possible" on 9.11. in Helsinki leaving from Railway square at 18.00. During the day several groups are organizing decentralized mosaic actions around the town.
On Saturday 10th NGOs and labor movement are organizing together a Doha-seminar "Are there alternatives for free trade" between 12-18 with prominent speakers and 8 workshops on different themes like Democracy in Doha, GATS and threat to public services, WTO and development countries, visions and alternatives.
Mika Rönkkö, Attac Finland mronkko@kaapeli.fi
http:/www.attac.kaapeli.fi
Events (manifestations and public events) are planned on 10 November all over France in Nimes, Reims, Gap, Foix, Marseille, Nimes, Grenoble; Metz, Lille, Colmar etc see http://www.attac.org/nonewround/mob/index.html
Paris. 2:00 PM. Global manifestation supported by the following organizations: AEC, Agir Ici, AITEC, AMF, Les Amis de la Terre, Architecture & Développement, Association des Tunisiens de France (ATF), ATMF, ATTAC, CADAC, CADTM-France, Comité catholique contre la faim et le développement (CCFD), CCC-OMC, CEDETIM, CETIM - Centre Europe Tiers Monde, Club du 21 septembre, Collectif Droits des femmes, Collectif Total-Fina-Elf ne fera pas la loi, Confédération Paysanne, CRID, DECIL de Mantes-la-Jolie, Droits Devant !, Droit Solidarité, Ecologie Sociale, FFMJC (Fédération Française des Maisons des Jeunes et de la Culture), Forum de Delphes, FGTE-CFDT, Forum pour un autre monde, France Libertés Fondation Danielle Mitterrand, FSU, FTCR, Greenpeace, GRET, Institut Reclus, LDH, Marches Européennes, Les Pénélopes, Solagral, Survie, UNEF, Union syndicale G10 Solidaires, URI-CFDT Auvergne. Appel soutenu par: Les Alternatifs, Alternative libertaire, LCR, MDC, PCF, Les Verts, La Souris Verte
International Action Days 'Our world is not for sale' will take place in various German cities on 10 December.
Contact: schaffert@attac-netzwerk.de
www.attac-netzwerk.de/wto/index.html
HKCTU - "Coalition on Anti-Globalization of Poverty": Making globalization work for people
Friday, November 09, 2001 - Sunday, November 11, 2001
Leafletting in the workplace on November 9, followed by open march and petition to the Central government Office. The main demands will be on job security and workers rights.
Massive protest rally titled, "Indian People's Campaign against WTO" purpose and key message: The rally will give a call for a sustained mass movement to stop the government from surrendering India's economic sovereignty and destroying the Indian economy and people's livelihoods.
The above is expected to be the largest form of coordinated protest in the Indian context given that all the major people's movements, trade unions, left parties, socialist movements & parties, urban poor movements, farmers groups, groups representing interests of the unorganized sector, development groups, environment groups, would be participating in this rally. Even local leaders from different states are expected to participate in this rally. Focus - India Programme would also be participating in this rally.
Elsewhere:
Besides this Narmada Bachoa Andolan and National Alliance for Peoples' Movements have planned to organize events in various states where ever their local groups are active. For example in Mandleshwar, Madhya Pradesh, there is a plan to observe a 'anti-WTO week' (from November 03, to November 09, 2001) with the same motive as discussed above. Besides this, this particular rally would also be campaigning against globalization, liberalization and privatization and against the ways in which WTO aids such processes. One can get more information on this from:
Mr. S. P. Shukla, spshukla@id.eth.net
Alok Agarwal <nobigdam@vsnl.com>
National days of mobilization on 8,9,10 November everywhere in Italy (organized by Italian Social Forum (umbrella group of hundreds of Italian association)
5-10 November: week of local mobilization: actions in 100 town squares, organized by Rete Lilliput (Italian network) - In each local mobilization 50 to 100 activists will participate. information at segreteria@retelilliput.org.
Campagna Stop Millennium Round - Rete di Lilliput
Contact: meregalli.roberto@enel.it, www.retelilliput.org
JTUC-RENGO - Tokyo street campaign
Venue: Shinjuku station in Tokyo Participants from RENGO's affiliateswil organize a street campaign in front of the Shinjuku station to protest against poverty, oppression of human rights, inequality, child labor, terrorism, discrimination etc which have been caused by the rapid pace of globalization and to enlighten society to work toward the establishment of society where people can live with a sense of security, safety and stability.
November 8: FNV - Conference on Globalization and Identity
Thursday, November 08, 2001 - Friday, November 09, 2001
The national Centres FNV and CNV, together with Churches, Islamic and Humanist organizations will take part in the Conference. They will meet to create a better understanding of each others views, opinions and activities concerning the theme of the Conference and to improve the quality of their policies this area.
November 9: NLC - Protests, rallies and industrial action related to WTO
On 9 November there will be a big demonstration, arranged by a coalition of 10-15 organizations. We are also planning for a smaller more "visual" action from mid-day up to the evening march, with ATTAC on the university, small farmers and transport workers together. It is planned to have a caravan of tractors, trucks and carts and people, that will go around town and stop at specific places to have performances or street theatre, give out leaflets and show effects related to the topic. (like giving out day rations of rice to the people of trade buildings).
Reidun Heiene: reidun.heiene@veths.no
November 8: ICFTU Public Conference: Making Globalization work for People: Development and Workers' Rights at the 4th WTO.
Location: Qatar International Exhibition Centre
Conference on Globalization
In Vigo (Galicia, Spain), ATTAC-Galicia with RCADE-Vigo are going to camp in a public square from 2nd to 10th of November with the aim of inform to every people about the OMC round and carry out some events in collaboration with other organizations. Moreover, we want to finish it with a demonstration on 10th November.
In Bask country on the 9/11:
During the day a debate organized by a broad coalition of organizations with as speakers Patxi Zabalo, Francois Hourtart, Isabel Bermejo (Ecologistas en Acción) Patentes y Propiedad Intelectual, Paul Nicholson (Via Campesina)
A colorful street action at 20h00 with the title 3our world is not for sale: WTO Shrink or Sink
galicia@attac.org & nico.verhagen@pi.be
Geneva - 10 November, 14 h 00, Place Neuve - National Manifestation against the WTO and 'free trade at Qatar' with the Swiss Trade Union of Public Services, Union of Swiss Producers, Comité de l'Appel de Bangkok, Berne Declaration, la Communauté de Travail des Oeuvres d'Entreaide, l'Action Populaire contre la Mondialisation, Solidarités.etc.
On 29 October there will be a press conference of Swiss NGOs ( a coalition of 30 Organizations, among them Berne Declaration, Development and Environmental Organizations and the Trade Unions) criticize the Swiss mandate for Doha.
For details contact: alice.carl@world-psi.org.
See also the PSI website www.world-psi.org (click on the campaign on the first page) and suisse@attac.org - schweiz@attac.org
November 9 event in Bangkok, Thailand:
Several grassroots groups including farmers, women workers, HIV positive people are planning to hold an all- day rally in Bangkok on November 9 under a general theme "WTO out of our life".
The general purpose will be to inform the public of their positions on the Agreement on Agriculture (WTO out of Agriculture) and TRIPs (No patent on life & rice and on drugs) which was delivered to the Prime Minister on October 22. A more specific objective is to raise awareness about US role and interests concerning intellectual property rights and agriculture trade.
The marchers will stop in front of the US Embassy to protest the US position on TRIPs and the recent biopiracy of Thai jasmine rice. The marchers will then congregate in a public park nearby where there will a panel discussion on who benefits from the WTO mixed with concerts and cultural events to promote local knowledge and way of life.
The contact person for the event is Pongtip Samranjit, representative of the Globalization Working Group, <rrafa@loxinfo.co.th>
November 9: UGTT - Teach-ins and special issue of journal
Workplace teach-ins in over 100 of the largest workplaces in the country on globalization /special Day of Action issue of trade union journal "Echaab" released
DISK-Confederation of Progressive workers' Trade Unions and KESK-Confederation of Public Servants' Unions is organizing a joint caravan initiative. Caravan will start on 4th November from Istanbul by buses with participation of 400 workers, unemployed and public servants and will finish on 9th November in Ankara (capital city). This event was planned on the line of global action day of the ICFTU. It's therefore their demands are the same with the demands of the ICFTU.
Gaye Yilmaz,
Working Group Against MAI and Globalization - TURKEY
sykimdaksi@superonline.com
Trade Justice Parade in the Streets of London, 3 November 2001
The Trade Justice Parade sets out from the Imperial War Museum and ends in Trafalgar Square, led by a Trade Justice 'Time to Redress the Balance' float, followed by music, puppets, fat cats, a trade dragon, dodgy traders, a pirate ship, loaded dice and much much more!
In Trafalgar Square:
- One-minute silence for victims of injustice everywhere
- Speakers including Naomi Klein, author of No Logo, Sergio Cobo, of Fomento, a Mexican organisation for small farmers and indigenous rights, Ed Sweeney, UNIFI General Secretary and Chair of TUC International Development Group
- Unfurling of giant Trade Justice banner (with your help!)
Other Trade Justice events:
5pm Ecumenical service (Christian Aid and CAFOD)
St Paul's Church, Bedford St, Covent Garden
6pm Free Trade: Trick or Treat for the World's Poor? (WDM) Westminster Central Hall debate with Naomi Klein and other speakers
The Trade Justice Movement is a group of organizations working together for fundamental change of the unjust rules and institutions that govern international trade. We want world trade to work for the whole world.
Call 020 7566 1696 or find out more at www.tradejusticemovement.org.uk
November 8: AFL-CIO, CWA, Jobs with Justice - Vigil at the office of the United States Trade Representative. The AFL-CIO, in conjunction with the Communications Workers of America, Jobs with Justice, and other unions and civil society partners, will co-sponsor a peaceful vigil at the office of the United States Trade Representative in the late afternoon of Thursday, November 8th.