Event

Austerity is working... for the 1%

Saturday 16 March, 11am-5.30pm
Faraday House, 48-51 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AE

Austerity is devastating people's lives. The welfare state is under attack, workers’ rights are being eroded and poverty and inequality are on the rise. To the majority of the world, this is not a new crisis. The austerity being imposed in the UK and across Europe has been repeated across the world for decades. These policies make the richest richer at the expense of everyone else, concentrating wealth, increasing inequality and failing to serve the needs of the many.

But this is not a one sided story – people across the world are resisting these unjust policies. Join us for an inspiring day of discussion, film and practical workshops on the impact of the economic crisis and austerity - and resistance across the world.

Find out what you can do to build the global fight back.

Speakers will include:

Emma Avilés, PACD (Citizen’s Debt Audit Platform), Spain
Alfamir Castillo, Women Sugar Cane Cutters Committee, Colombia
Adam Hanieh, SOAS
Andy Greene, Disabled People Against Cuts
Christina Laskaridis,...

Growing Change: building the movement for food sovereignty

Film screening and discussion

When: Wednesday 6 March, 12noon - 2pm

Where: St Mary's University College, 191 Falls Road, Belfast

Joinus in Belfast for a free screening of Growing Change: A journey inside Venezuela's food revolution, followed by a discussion led by Sarah Reader, World Development Movement campaigner.

About the film:

Growing Change is a journey that aims to understand why the current food systems leave hundreds of millions of people in hunger. How will the world feed itself in the future in the face of major environmental challenges? The film tells the story of how Venezuela developed a more equitable and sustainable food and agricultural system after decades of government neglect of agriculture. What are the lessons we can learn from Venezuela's food revolution? This is an inspirational story full of lively characters, thought provoking insights, stunning scenery and ideas to transform the food system.

For more information visit www.simoncunich.com.au

Speaker: Sarah Reader

Sarah works for the World Development Movement, which brings...

Women, food, film and power

Saturday 2 March, Dundee

A double bill of inspirational films with a global view of food justice, a free workshop and WDM get-together.

When: Saturday 2 March. Workshop 3-4pm, films 4-6pm, meet WDM 6-7pm
Where: Dundee Contemporary Arts, 152 Nethergate, Dundee DD1 4DY

Women, food, film and power

Take One Action Film Festivals Scottish Tour, supported by WDM, presents two positive films of hope, self sufficiency and reclaiming power. The Dancing Forest celebrates the extraordinary women of rural Togo who are taking back their food system from overseas control, while Best Before offers a snapshot of similar projects in the UK. The films will be followed by audience and panel discussion with Liz Murray, World Development Movement and Sara Cowen, Oxfam.

£6.50/£4.50 concessions. Tickets available on the door or in advance by clicking here or telephone 01382 909 900.

The film will be preceded...

The People versus the Banks: Programme

12.30pm REGISTRATION OPENS

Stalls including Housmans bookshop with a wide selection of titles. Plus pick up WDM reports, briefings and campaigns material, and find out how to join a local group and get involved.

Even if you pre-registered online, please ensure you arrive by 1pm so we can get everyone in and start on time.

1.30pm-2.45pm OPENING KEYNOTE

Bankocracy: How Britain is run for the banks, by the banks
Aditya Chakrabortty on how and why the financial services industry has so much power, and how their interests have dominated responses to the European financial crisis at the expense of the needs of European populations.
Respondent: Yiorgos Vassalos of Corporate Europe Observatory

2.45pm-4pm WORKSHOPS

Stop the sell off
From land grabs to carbon trading, investment banks, hedge funds and pension funds are increasingly seeking to make a profit from the basic resources of life. This process has been called ‘financialisation’. Why is it happening, and what can we do about it?
With Hannah Griffiths, WDM’s head of campaigns and policy, and Nicholas Hildyard of The Cornerhouse

...

The People versus the Banks: practical information

How to find the venue

Or follow this link to find ULU on googlemaps.

Travelling to ULU by bike: there are many bike racks on Malet Street.

Travelling to ULU by tube:

Northern Line to Euston, Warren Street and Goodge Street stations.
Piccadilly Line to Russell Square station.
Victoria Line to Euston and Warren Street stations.
Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City Lines to Euston Square station.

Travelling to ULU by bus:

Gower Street: 10, 24, 29, 73, 134, 390
Euston Road: 18, 30, 91, 205, 253, 476
Woburn Place/Southampton Row: 59, 68, 91, 168, 188

Lunch and refreshments

We will be providing tea and coffee during the break in the conference from 4pm to 4.30pm.
Lunch is not provided. There...

An economy for the 99%: Ideas, stories and tactics from around the world

What would an economy that really worked in the interests of people look like? This event, organised jointly by WDM and Jubilee Debt Campaign and held on 17 March at Manchester Metropolitan University, addressed that question.

Below are some sound recordings and video from the day. You can find photos of the event on WDM's flickr photostream.

Opening plenary: An economy for the 99%

Hilary Wainwright (Transnational Institute), Almudena Serpis (Spain’s ‘indignados’ movement) and Nessa Ní Chasaide (Debt Justice Action, Ireland), speak about the economy of the 1% and the movements emerging to challenge it.

Download recording (Right click and choose 'save as' to download)

An economy for the 99%: practical information

Lunch

There will be several options for lunch at the event:

A Manchester-based ethical caterer will be supplying lunches at the venue for £5 each. They will be made from locally-sourced, mainly organic ingredients. We will be selling lunch tickets at the registration desk as you come in, as there will be a maximum capacity of 100 lunches.
The Eighth Day vegetarian café is just next door to the venue, and is a workers’ co-operative committed to ethical food.
There are no restrictions on eating your own packed lunch in the bar area of the venue (the bar will not be open, but we will be providing tea and coffee).
There are also some other food outlets in the local area.

Getting there

The nearest station is Manchester Oxford Road. Catching a train to here is easier than trying to get a bus from the bigger Manchester Piccadilly station.

If you are coming by bike there is bike parking on Oxford Road right outside the venue.

...

An economy for the 99%: programme

Download a pdf version of the full programme

OPENING PLENARY: An economy for the 99% (10.30- 11.30)

Hilary Wainwright (Transnational Institute), Almudena Serpis (Spain’s ‘indignados’ movement) and Nessa Ní Chasaide (Debt Justice Action, Ireland), will speak about the economy of the 1% and the movements emerging to challenge it

THEORIES AND IDEAS workshops (11.30-1)

Building a solidarity economy: Co-operatives and economic justice
Do co-operatives and other organisations based on mutual help have the potential to create an economy for the 99%? This session will examine the idea of a solidarity economy, and consider the relationships between co-operatives and social movements in the fight for economic justice.
With Hilary Wainwright, Transnational Institute, and Jenny Carlyle, Suma Wholefoods workers' co-operative.

A tour through the financial crisis
No question is too big or too small for this workshop which explains the financial crisis from the credit crunch to the eurozone crisis and looks at what might happen next.
With Adam Leaver, Centre for Research on Socio-Cultural...

Event

Austerity is working... for the 1%

Growing Change: building the movement for food sovereignty

Women, food, film and power