They say WTO! We Say Hell No! Bali here we come. GGJ is about to be on its way to Bali, Indonesia to support the Asian Social Movements in challenging the corporate guardian World Trade Organization (WTO). For this exciting and historic delegation GGJ built a team of GGJ leaders who will help represent, distribute and advance GGJ’s framing of No War! No Warming! Building an Economy for the People and the Planet! This opportunity will allow us to be a part of and shape ideas on creating a just transition to a new economy. Our plans will advance rights-based community solutions that cool the planet as the real solutions to climate change as we join with other international social movements.
Click to read reports from our delegates on the ground in Bali
Click here for background readings, photos, list of delegates, and more
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Follow on Facebook: Social Movements for an Alternative Asia, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance
Our primary social justice partners for this delegation are:
- Gerak Lawan (People’s Movement against Neocolonialism and Imperialism)– a national coalition in Indonesia, formed in 2005, which includes peasants, migrants, fisher-folk, women, youth, human rights lawyers, and many others fighting against neo-colonialism and imperialism
- La Via Campesina International – an international movement which brings together millions of peasants, small and medium-size farmers, landless people, women farmers, indigenous people, migrants and agricultural workers from around the world. It defends small-scale sustainable agriculture as a way to promote social justice and dignity. It strongly opposes corporate driven agriculture and transnational companies that are destroying people and nature.
- SMAA -(Social Movements for an Alternative Asia) – a newly formed coordination of social movements in Asia, including La Via Campesina, World March of Women, Migrant Forum in Asia, Jubilee South-APMDD, Focus on the Global South, Alliance of Progressive Labor, Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, several other trade unions, water warriors, and many others, and together, are planning a week of action in Bali including a Peoples Tribunal and an Economic Justice Assembly focused on presenting and debating alternatives to free trade and the WTO.
Delegation Representatives are:
Jose Bravo – Just Transition Alliance
Jaron Browne – People Organizing to Win Employment Rights (POWER)
Tom Goldtooth – Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN)
Edgar Franks – Community to Community Development
Donna Truong – CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities
Cindy Wiesner – Grassroots Global Justice
Delegation Objectives
- To participate in actions and activities that will make demands to stop all Free Trade agreements and curb the role of WTO.
- Participate with international social movement allies in shaping global organizing strategies to challenge corporate-driven policies. GGJ delegates will continue strengthening solidarity across sectors and movements through our joint work with Gerak Lawam, La Via Campesina – International, others in SMAA (Social Movements for an Alternative Asia).
- Gain a deeper understanding of WTO policies and how they will directly affect communities globally.
- As needed help with developing and implementing an international communications plan
- Highlight “our framing” on a Just Transition to a New Economy and share the Our Power Campaign to show alternative economic development that provides social and climate justice
- Participate in report back activities post delegation to further inform people of the actions and activities on delegation and outcomes and future activities by GGJ and allied groups
- Participate in delegation briefings, orientations and strategy discussions to guide GGJ’s work in your community and nationally. We will be intentionally sharing and building amongst GGJ members to strengthen our relationships.
- Report backs – write articles, take photos, tweet workshops to update GGJ delegation activities back to the US to inform membership and allies on GGJ activities
Day to day activity schedule:
- November 24 – Youth Food Movement Caravan departing from Jakarta and going across 5-6 cities in Java until reaching Bali. Then the week of action opens on December 1 with the arrival of the Caravan.
- December 1: SMAA Assembly then the Youth Caravan arrives and the week of action opens
- December 2: Economic Justice Assembly (all day)
- December 3: Global Day of Action (march and program-including international speakers, cultural performances, and others) (all day)
- December 4: Peoples Tribunal (all day)
- December 5: Self-organized activities
- December 6: Self-organized activities
Read More Here – Call to Action, Sponsoring Organizations and Updates on Activities