Robin Taubenfeld from Friends of the Earth Brisbane and the Brisbane Community Action Network (BrisCAN) has just sent the Westender details of some of the alternative activities and community programs planned for Brisbane during the G20 Summit. Her media release is here:
The G20 Leaders Summit will bring the leaders of the worlds’ 20 largest economies to Brisbane in November this year. The “austerity” budget that has just been delivered to Australians is a small taste of what people around the world have been experiencing under G20 driven economic systems — systems which prioritise profit over community welfare and the environment. The G20 outcomes affect us all. With Tony Abbott at the helm, the G20 meetings will continue to make economic decisions which benefit the few at the expense of the many.
There is an alternative!
You are invited to join us in developing and advancing community generated answers to world economic, social and environmental problems. Join us in Visioning another World. BrisCAN-G20 is a broad network of groups concerned about the social and ecological impacts of the G20. Included in this are concerns about the immediate repercussions of hosting the G20 in our region – such as the current diminishing of civil liberties – and the local and global perpetuation of the economics of privilege. We see the G20 as an opportunity to unite and work on transforming our society to a more just and sustainable one.
Peoples Convergence: We will be hosting and supporting a week symposiums, workshops, idea sharing, marches, film screenings, and other creative events, November 8 -16 in Brisbane.
Visioning Another World: The G20 Peoples Summit will be a three-day festival of symposiums, idea-sharing, art, creative activities, education and action. It will take place in various location in Brisbane November 12-14, before the G20 Leaders Summit. This will be followed by two days of creative action, education and solidarity while the G20 Leaders Summit is taking place, including the Peoples Rally and March on November 15.
The First Nation’s Decolonisation Before Profit program of events will run through the week Nov 8 – Nov 16 and will include a Global First Nations Conference – November 15-16 and an Eco-Village forum space. See: http://brisbaneblacks.com/g20/program/ We welcome your involvement in any, or all, of these events.
The Peoples Summit (Nov 12-14): will bring together local and international thinkers to collaborate on broad themes: The Economy: Growth Vs Sustainability, Environment, Climate, & Earth Rights, Dispossession Decolonisation, Politics, Democracies …existing and beyond?, Social Justice: Human, Labour, Gender Rights.., and De-militarisation & Peace. The Peoples Summit will provide a safe, inclusive, family-friendly space to discuss the issues that really matter to us. You are invited to get involved by proposing, developing and collaborating on a section of the Peoples Summit program and/or organising a satellite event. Your involvement can take any shape: This may be a panel with a string of speakers, a key speaker with discussants, or a collaborative conversation space. It might be music or theatre or an art exhibition. It may be a film showing, a debate or a DIY workshop… it may be some other form of talk fest, forum, installation, performance or happening…
The Peoples Rally and March – Nov 15: While demonstrations will be taking place throughout the G20 Summit week, we are calling the community to rally together on the first day of the Leaders Summit. The Peoples Rally and March will be a colourful celebration of diversity and unity in action. Join us in this united call for global social and ecological justice!
Week of action: We are planning for vibrant community action to take place throughout the week of the G20 Summit. You are invited to contribute to the planned events and to organise your own creative response to the G20. Help form a peoples choir, start a radical cheerleading group, host an art event, put on a comedy or film night or gig… A calendar of events will be available on our website soon. You will be able to add your event, ideas or meeting to the program there.
More details: While we are still in the planning stages, venues and details of events are yet to be finalised. As your hosts, the Brisbane community hopes to make your participation easy and enjoyable! We are planning for both camping and billeting options, as well as support with food, First aid, transport and other daily needs. How you can help: You can help by coming to organising meetings, organising an event of your own, contributing to our website, hosting a visitor, donating food, volunteering to cook, donating or loaning marquees, photocopying and printing, providing space for an event or meeting, sponsoring a guest speaker, participant or performer from overseas, volunteering to translate, interpret – sign language and other, play at a gig, donating some money…
To register your interest in the Peoples Summit, volunteer, donate your time, skills or money or for more information, please contact: info@briscan.net.au
We look forward to Visioning Another World with you in the lead up to the G20 Summit in Brisbane and beyond.
In peace and solidarity,
Robin Taubenfeld Friends of the Earth Brisbane/Brisbane Community Action Network (BrisCAN)
Mbl (61) 0411 118 737
email: summit@briscan.net.au
www.briscan.net.au www.facebook.com/briscan.g20
The recent conflict in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 1,900 Palestinians and almost 10,000 people being injured, many of whom are women and children.
