---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 23 Jan 1998 12:51:01 +0000 From: Sara Murphy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: People's Summit 98 (TOES) - Background and Programme "Come to the People's Summit as THE event to reclaim the economy for people and nature" Vandana Shiva 18th December 1997 LAUNCH LETTER TO 1000 ORGANISATIONS in the UK and OVERSEAS Dear Colleague, The People's Summit As you may know, leaders of the world's most powerful countries come to Birmingham on May 15 - 17th 1998 for the G8 Summit. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to help set the case for social and environmental change. I am writing to let you know how you can get involved. The G8 Summit is the most powerful economic summit of the year. It is a self-selected club of the rich but their decisions affect the whole world, it's people and nature. The G8 are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, the USA and, most recently, Russia. This is the first summit in Britain since 1991. Every year since 1984, a citizens event (originally called The Other Economic Summit) has taken place alongside the G8 Summit, to raise key social and ecological campaign issues, to challenge the right of the G8 to take decisions that affect the world, and to present alternatives. These events have had a very real effect, helping to alter the agenda of the G8 Summit, changing where the G8 Summits have met and at times stealing the media limelight from the official G8 event. The New Economics Foundation grew out of the first of these events and has been involved in facilitating them ever since. Now, after extensive and creative preparation and consultation, I am delighted to let you know of the People's Summit, which promises to be our best chance yet to assert the case for a just and sustainable world economy. One year in to a new government's term of office, we hope to enable progressive elements of all parts of civil society to use this opportunity to raise awareness, concern and profile of practical and policy alternatives. There are signs that the People's Summit could be a breakthrough event. The British Foreign Office has invited and is considering proposals on how to make a link with the official G8 Summit. A number of mainstream businesses are willing to join the proceedings. Around four thousand journalists are expected to come to Birmingham. On one important issue alone within the People's Summit, the agony caused by third world debt, the Jubilee 2000 campaign aim to attract 50,000 people for a mass action. I enclose an outline programme for you to look at. It will evolve as you and others respond to the opportunity. Our overall aim is to: · challenge world leaders to create a just and sustainable economy · call for a more democratic way to take decisions that affect people globally · demonstrate people power · celebrate practical alternatives · set an agenda for policy change · demonstrate pride in the wider environmental and social movements The People's Summit is not an organisation but a framework for organisations of many forms to put on or join events and campaigns. By taking an enabling role, the People's Summit can better project the incredible energy of a broad alliance and a multitude of ideas and people in action. The importance of the event reflects the extent to which the dynamic of globalisation now affects so many social and environmental issues. The G8 Summit is a powerful advocate of economic globalisation but has also helped to dismantle or disable legitimate global institutions. Our challenge to the G8 is for it to frame `public policy' that fosters rather than erodes responsible citizenship, by individuals and by companies. I think that the People's Summit therefore provides an unparalleled opportunity to influence and impact the world's opinion leaders and decisions makers. Can you afford not to be involved? How You can Get Involved The People's Summit can provide space for meetings, workshops and press briefings and a programme of events for a public audience. We have attached a reply form that will enable you to let us know how you would like to be involved. In order for us to plan the publicity and programme we will need your reply by 31st January 1998. This will leave enough time for those who are involved in organising events to have their name on the full programme for distribution. The event will receive a large amount of pre-publicity and we would like to ask you to assist us with this. The People's Summit is not a formal coalition but there are opportunities for organisations to co-brand the programme where they are assisting with distributing the programme, organising major events or contributing to our People's Summit Fighting Fund. We have set up a People's Summit Fighting Fund to help finance the organisation and advertising of the event. If you, or your supporters, would be interested in contributing to the Fund please tick the relevant box on the reply form. An advisory group for the People's Summit has been meeting since April this year. If you would like to be involved in this group please contact Sara for details. Prior to the G8 Summit the Finance Ministers of the G8 countries will be meeting in London on 21st-22nd February 1998. We are organising a press conference for Sunday 22nd February to launch the People's Summit in the press. In addition, we are holding a public launch for the People's Summit for New Economics Foundation supporters and others the week following, on Saturday 28th February at Westminster Central Hall in London. Wolfgang Sachs of the Wuppertal Institute has been invited to speak at both of these events. If you would like to attend, please let us know in the space provided on the reply form. Your involvement in the People's Summit programme will contribute enormously to making the People's Summit a truly representative event dealing with the REAL issues in complete contrast to the official G8 Summit. We look forward to seeing you there! Best wishes, Ed Mayo Executive Director A wide range of agencies are active in making the People's Summit a success. These include, on the initial advisory group: Ronni Hall, Friends of the Earth; Ed Posey, Gaia Foundation; Helen Appleton, Intermediate Technology; Herbert Girardet, Schumacher Circle, James Marriot, Platform; Jayanti Durai, Consumers International; John Elkington, Sustainability Ltd, Judith Hannah, NEF Trustee; Julian Parr, Prince of Wales Business Leaders Forum; Ken Dixon, St Lukes; Paul Ekins, Forum for the Future; Pryanthi Fernando, NEF Trustee; Ann Pettifor, Jubilee 2000; Vicki Hird, SAFE Alliance; David Kingsley, Schumacher Circle; Andrew Simms, Christian Aid; Jakob Von Uexkull, Right Livelihood Foundation; Jessica Woodroffe, World Development Movement; Larry Elliot, The Guardian; Nick Mayhew, Oikos; Roger Levett, CAG Consultants; Tracy Worcester, Schumacher Circle; Neil Cooper, Church Action on Poverty. PEOPLE'S SUMMIT Programme 15-17th May 1998 Friday 15th May 1998 Sustainable Consumption conference Sustainable consumption is becoming one of the defining dilemmas of the millennium. An all day conference will explore the issues in recognition of the central challenge that changing "consumption" patterns now plays in the transition to a just and sustainable society. Saturday 16th May 1998 People's Tribunal on the G8 and Globalisation A `calling to account' of the G8 and a questioning of the legitimacy of the G8's disproportionate economic and political impact. The P8 Summit Shadowing the G8 agenda this forum will offer visionary yet practical ways forward around the issues of global institutional and economic governance. Make a Chain to Break the Chains of Debt The Jubilee 2000 Coalition is organising a series of events that will culminate in the formation of a human chain around the G8 Summit venue to focus attention on the ongoing debt crisis in developing countries. Sunday 17th May 1998 People's Summit Rally Participants in the People's Summit will come together on the Sunday to listen to key-note speakers and issue the People's Summit communiqué. all three days 15th-17th May 98 People Power Site An illustration of the ways in which communities can transform themselves using the tools of the new economics focusing on turning a piece of degraded ground into a blooming organic garden over the week-end of the People's Summit. People's Space A forum within which organisations can hold their own workshop or other event. The People's Space programme will receive the same billing on the publicity as the main People's Summit programme. People's Summits around the country An organisers pack is available to assist people in organising a people's summit in their own community. People's Summit Newspaper and the People's Summit Website
