Contact: kafia.ahmed [at] gmail [dot] com
Press conference to take place inside of the COP27 United Nations Climate talks on Friday, November 11, the first Friday of the COP27 conference
What: Action inside COP27 with speakers from military impacted communities in Africa, The Americas and Polynesia, led by BIPOC, frontline impacted Environmental Justice leaders/workers/communities as part Grassroots Global Justice Alliance and the It Takes Roots Frontline Delegation
When: Friday November 11, 14:30 Sharm El Sheikh Time
Where: Inside Action/Press Conference
Location: Zone 1 Courtyard
Who: Representatives from military impacted communities in Nigeria, Guam, Palestine, and The Americas
SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt – As part of the It Takes Roots (ITR) delegation, representatives of military impacted communities, including Nigeria, Guam, Palestine, and The Americas will be speaking live inside COP27 and bringing the voices and concerns of their communities to the world stage. Demilitarization needs to be on the table at this and any future climate negotiations, militarism has had profound impacts on communities globally and remains a taboo subject when we discuss the future of our planet. Speakers will touch on issues related to extractivism, militarism, criminalization, decolonization and toxic land use. As the subject of loss and damage becomes more prevalent at this COP, we can not forget that militarism constitutes a great deal of past and present harm. We will bring the voices of communities directly impacted by these issues to the world stage. We’ll also be lifting up the grassroots solutions coming directly from the people fighting to protect their communities and the planet.
Among the speakers:
Nnimmo Bassey, world renowned Environmental Justice activist and Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (OLF), an environmental think tank and advocacy organization focusing on food sovereignty and climate justice in Nigeria.
Panganga Pungowiyi (Pangaanga Pangawyi), an Indigenous mother from Sivungaq, located on Dena ina lands in so called Anchorage, AK. Panganga has been involved in many grassroots efforts seeking justice for Indigenous people including efforts to protect lands and water from extractive industry, MMIWG, and DVSA against Indigenous Womxn. Social justice and healing are recurring themes woven within Panganga’s personal and professional life. Many years were spent developing and hosting communal healing spaces for historical trauma and Colonial oppression, and most recently Panganga began training as a Tribal Healer in the so-called Bering Strait Region. Healing, justice and advocacy continues in Panganga’s role at the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) as the Climate Geoengineering Organizer.
Sharif Zakout, an organizer with the Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC) based in the Bay Area, California. For the last 9 years, he has served working class and immigrant Arab and Muslim communities by connecting our struggles in our homelands related to war and occupation, to the struggles of other communities impacted by policing and state repression in the Bay. He loves to create art and music that uplifts his Palestinian roots.
Moñeka De Oro, an indigenous Chamoru mother from the US Occupied Marianas islands in Micronesia. She is a peace and climate justice activist who co-founded the Micronesia Climate Change Alliance.
Ramón Mejía, the anti-militarism national organizer with Grassroots Global Justice Alliance. At the age of 18, to support his family, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and participated in the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003. This experience led to self-reflection, converting to Islam, and becoming an outspoken advocate and organizer against U.S. wars and the growing militarization of our communities.
About Grassroots Global Justice Alliance
Grassroots Global Justice (GGJ) is an alliance of over 60 US-based grassroots organizing (GRO) groups comprised of working and poor people and communities of color. GGJ brings GRO groups into a long-term process of relationship building, political alignment and transformational leadership development. We weave and bridge together US-based GRO groups and global social movements working for climate justice, gender justice, an end to war, and a just transition to the next economy.