The Livable Blog

Ten years ago, tens of thousands of people converged on Seattle to stand up against corporate globalization, and for environmental justice. The People's Summit was the biggest of many counter-conferences before the World Trade Organization summit.

I went, and it was a life-changing experience. There were delegates from around the globe, all united in a sense of urgency to stop the destruction of our communities and planet by corporations such as Exxon and General Motors. The sense of urgency on the environment was fed by Hurricane Mitch, which killed over 10,000 mostly poor people in Central America.

At that time the link between global heating and more powerful and dangerous storms was just emerging, but it was obvious that the corporate controlled IMF had impoverished people in the region and made them much more vulnerable to the unprecedented size and power of Hurricane Mitch.

Now, well the need for action is even more urgent. And the reasons for hope are different, now that WTO-type growth-at-all-cost policies have been discredited by a global economic crisis that is still raging (Japan just went into deflation). And it is worth remembering that the World Bank and International Monitary Fund still has a strong pro-freeway, anti-railway bias despite the climate crisis and the end of cheap oil.

The US call-out for action on November 30 is at http://www.actforclimatejustice.org/actions/n30-actions-seattle/

Details on the People's Summit +10 is below and at http://seattleplus10.org

The People’s Summit: Global Justice Forward! The Climate is Changing, it’s Time for Solutions!

The People’s Summit will be a three day Teach-in and Strategy Session at multiple venues in Seattle: Nov 27, 28, 29, 2009!
SCHEDULE – See list of Workshops Here

Friday Nov 27th:

* The Yes Men’s new documentary, The Yes Men Fix the World, premieres at NW Film Forum, Screenings at 7 and 9pm, Yes Men in attendance!
* Amy Goodman speaks at Town Hall!

Saturday Nov 28th: All Day-time events at Seattle University

* 9 – 5pm: Morning plenary followed by multiple educational, movement building & skills-building workshops

* 6pm: Dinner & Evening plenary at New Hope Baptist Church, 116 21st Ave, Seattle

Sunday Nov 29th: All Day-time events at Seattle University

* 10 – 11:30 Workshops
* 12:30 – 1:30 Plenary: Cross-Sector Organizing
* 1:30 – 5pm Cross-Sector Organizing Strategy Session
* 1:30 – 3:00 Workshops (simultaneous with optional Strategy Session)

* 7pm: Evening Plenary at Town Hall, 1119 8th Ave, Seattle

Confirmed speakers:

Leo Gerard, United Steel-Workers

Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!

Walter Hayden, Marketing and sales director of Clean Greens

Dena Hoff, National Family Farm Coalition & Via Campesina

Eric Holt-Gimenez & Annie Shattuck, Food First

Rev. Robert Jeffrey, Black Dollar Days Task Force

David Korten (When Corporations Rule the World, Agenda For a New Economy)

Thea Lee, AFL-CIO

Sylvia Orduño, Michigan Welfare Rights Organization and National Planning Committee, U.S. Social Forum

The Yes Men, The Yes Men Fix the World