7/24/07

Melbourne Activists Solidarity Gathering (Encuentro)

"In Solidarity with Latin American and Australian
Struggles and Resistance against Neoliberalism"

"Remembering at a time of forgetting"

"Against the love of death and For the love of life"

Dear Friends:
The Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET) in collaboration with other networks and groups is holding a gathering in solidarity with the Latin American, Australian and this part of the world (Asia pacific) social movements who continue to battle tirelessly to reach justice and dignity for all those that suffer under and resist against neoliberalism.

We believe it is very important to create spaces for discussion and to look for paths that lead us to the solutions to the exploitation of workers and humanity as a whole at the hands of the transnational corporations and the dominant sectors of our societies, the discrimination and marginalisation of the first nations, violence against minority groups and gay and lesbian people, the destruction of our natural resources and above all the irreparable damage that climate change is causing and will cause.

Other matters that focus the attention of activists of our nations are the topic of the validity of democracy under a neoliberal system, what type of socialism if any is possible in our societies, the violence or "security" that the nation state perpetrates against its people through its 'anti-terrorist' laws and the wars that the imperial powers are conducting at this moment against the poor of our countries under the pretext of the fight against terrorism.

We don't believe we can come up with the solutions today to these complex problems that humanity faces, but we can contribute to the discussion. The resolutions from this event
will be put for consideration at the gatherings to be held in Latin America in the next few
months and at the Forum in Solidarity with Latin America and the Asia Pacific to be held in
October in Australia.

We are having this solidarity gathering on Saturday 28 July 2007, from 9am-5pm at the MUA offices, 54 Ireland St, West Melbourne. It will be a simple day of workshops and central sessions which will allow space for participation and discussion.

At this gathering will be two international activists from the social movements. Claudio Castro will be representing the Popular Assemblies Movement from Chile, and there will be a Maori activist from New Zealand.

Registration is $10 waged, $5 unwaged and students.

Schedule:

9am: registration

9:30 am: Opening

10 am - 12 noon First plenary session

Organising, resisting and fighting against neoliberalism
Main Speakers:Claudio Castro, Chilean Activist from Popular Assemblies Movement from Chile;
Maori Activist; Dave kerin, Union solidarity

Lunch

1 - 2pm: Workshops

-Workers Organising against neoliberalism(Dave Kerin, Union Solidarity)

-Latin American struggles and resistances (Jody Betzien AVSN rep, John Clearly ETU, Claudio
Castro Chile, Lucho-LASNET)

- Anti-globalisation movements (Anti-APEC)(David Glanz)

-First Nations struggles, Indigenous resistances (Sina, Marisol. Canopy)

2-3 pm Workshops session 2

-Peace and anti-war movements in Australia (Jacob Grench)

-Climate Change (Cam Walker(FOE), Beyond Zero emissions)

-Student and youth Movements (Julia Dehm, Liz Turner, Claudio Castro)

3.15pm - 5pm Second plenary session and close

-Proposing a path....

-What should be the central points of our struggle?

-What type of struggle should we wage?

-Finally, what should we propose?

5:30 Movie Premier "La Segunda Conquista", The Second Conquest...Plunder,
corruption, and resistance of the people of Patagonia, Argentina...An independant
documentary by Denali DeGraft and Joao Dujon Pereira, An Argentinian/Ausytralia
collaboration

6:30 Film "Che Guevara: Hasta la Victoria Siempre", leading to the 9th of October
Commemoration of his Assasination by Bolivian and USA Army

7:30 Solidarity Dinner same place MUA, Music, dance, drinks and food available

To register or for more information
Write to
lasnet@latinlasnet.org or visit www.latinlasnet.org

Or call

Marisol: (03) 9481 2273
Pablo: 0421 011 182
Lucho: 0402 754 818

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