Location : home
: 16 may
Sponsored by the Sydney Social Forum and Jubilee Australia
Francisco 'Chico' Whitaker
Chico is a founding figure of the World Social Forum, and
Executive Director of the Brazilian Catholic Bishops Committee
for Justice and Peace. Active in the Brazilian Workers Party,
Chico will be speaking in Sydney for the Sydney Social Forum.
Vincent Chakulya
Former economist for the Zambian government, Vincent will
be speaking about the crippling impact of debt on African
countries.
6:30pm Monday 16th May
Tom Mann Theatre
136 Chalmers Street, Surry Hills (3 mins walk from Central)
Entry by donation. |
Every week, poverty kills more people than the Boxing Day
Tsunami. The poorest countries in the world are forced to
routinely spend more on debt repayments than they do on health.
Each year, while over $1 trillion is spent globally on the
military, a billion people in the developing world are trapped
in a cycle of poverty, struggling under the crushing burden
of debt to rich countries.
The rich creditor nations continue to drag their feet on
debt relief. John Howard, at this year's World Economic Forum
in Switzerland, opposed plans to alleviate poor country debt
saying "the biggest thing the developed world can do
to alleviate poverty is to remove trade barriers". The
reality, though, is that in this era of globalisation and
free trade, the gap between rich and poor has increased massively
-- both within developed countries like Australia, and between
the developed and developing world.
But it's not all bad news. The first few years of the 21st
Century have also seen renewed outpourings of protest and
the formation of movements against the devastating impacts
of neoliberal globalisation, the corporatisation of daily
life and rising inequality. Building on these movements we
need to articulate our own agendas for change -- for a society
based not on division and greed, but on justice, equality
and sustainability.
You're invited to come along on World Debt Day to hear the
latest about the international campaign to drop the debt and
join discussion about the growing international movements
for change encapsulated in inspiring events such as the annual
World Social Forum. Another world is possible.
What is the World Social Forum?
Begun in 2001, the World Social Forum (WSF) is an annual
international event held by the alternative globalisation
movement to help coordinate world campaigns, share and refine
strategies, and inform each other about movements from around
the world and around many different issues. It tends to meet
in January when its 'great capitalist rival', the World Economic
Forum (WEF) is meeting in Davos, Switzerland. This year's
WSF in Porto Alegre, Brazil attracted over 150,000 pople.
The WSF has inspired a social forum 'movement' of which the
Sydney Social Forum is part. This year's Sydney Social Forum
is being held 27-29 August.
For further info:
Phone: Vince 0438 800 244 / Melanie 0403 051 606
Email: info sydneysocialforum.org
Visit: http://www.sydneysocialforum.org
Visit: http://www.jubileeaustralia.org
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