 |
 |
|
 |
WORLD FOOD DAY @ ESF
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![UKabc Noticeboard, Latest Updates [Alpacas watching out]](gif_jpg/alpacas-c.jpg){kind=small}
![Sustaining Agricultural Biodiversity, Agro-ecosystems and Production. & Introduction to Agricultural Biodiversity issues [Maragwa Seed Show 1998, Kenya]](gif_jpg/pmm4-c.jpg){kind=small}
![Governance and Advocacy: the International Agricultural Biodiversity Agenda [Logos of FAO, WTO, CBD, CSD]](gif_jpg/IntLogos2.gif){kind=small}
![Regulating Genetic Engineering, Biotechnology and Biosafety [GenetiX symbol in sunflower]](gif_jpg/Sunflr-c.gif){kind=small}
![Benefit Sharing, Intellectual Property, TRIPs [Women sorting seed potatoes in Peru]](gif_jpg/Potato_Peru5-c.jpg){kind=small}
![Open Directory Project for links on Agricultural Biodiversity [Artisanal fisherfolk launching boat in Kerala, India]](gif_jpg/ICSFcat-c.jpg){kind=small}
World Food Day @ ESF 9:00am - 9:00pm
World Food Day (16th October) events @ ESF will champion the demands of smallholder farmers organisations and CSOs for international recognition of the right to Food Sovereignty. They will challenge WTO and TNC dominance of the global food system that feeds corporations not people. It will promote fair trade, regulation of agri-food TNCs, local control of natural resources and GM-free agroecology / agricultural biodiversity that feeds the world. They will also send messages of solidarity with organisations across the world that are campaigning on World Food Day to criticise pro-biotech international development organisations, especially the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for the publication of its annual report which promotes GM crops - see < http://www.grain.org/front/?id=41 > • 840 million people go to bed hungry each night in a world with 1.5 billion overfed people that spends $900 billion a year on weapons and war. • 1 European farm disappears every minute of every day • Unfair trade and dumping of surplus food impoverishes small-scale food producers throughout the world • 10% of the population owns 90% of the fertile land in Brazil • 4 supermarket chains control 75% of the food market in the UK • 95% of the world's crop varieties, developed by farmers, have disappeared since the advent of industrial agriculture • 75% of maize seed sales controlled by 4 Trans National Corporations • FAO and other UN agencies are now promoting GM crops Food sovereignty policies are needed now to ensure that 6.5 billion people are fed today and 9 billion tomorrow. These policies will: • regulate international trade in favour of local markets, farmers and consumers; • implement the fundamental Right to Food for all peoples and ensure Farmers' Rights; • ensure equitable access to land, water, GM-free seeds, livestock breeds and agricultural biodiversity for threatened farmers and landless families; • promote sustainable, GM-free, localised food production and agroecology.
For more information see Item / Event numbers in printed programme or visit www.fse-esf.org
GM crop and food events on
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Seminars at Alexandra Palace |
||
|
9:00 - 12:00 noon Seminar Venue: Alexandra Palace Marquee 2
Event no: 1825 |
GM-Free Europe (with translation into English, Spanish, French, Turkish and Greek). Speakers: Claire Devereux (chair); Lim Li Ching (The Third World Network); Victor Campos (Nicaragua); Helena Paul (UK); Adrian Bebb; Yiannis Tolios; Babis Moulgelas; Abdullah Aysu; Robert Fidrish; Jacques Leford (Confederation Paysanne) |
The current state of play regarding GM crops and foods around Europe and the world. Including contributions from European and international grassroots campaigners with time for discussion and debate. There will also be an introduction to three workshops on the GM WTO dispute, GM Free Zones. |
|
1:00 - 3:00pm Seminar Venue: Alexandra Palace Great Hall 5 Event no: 1845 |
A Trans-Atlantic GMO Trade War (with translation into French, Spanish, German and Italian). Speakers: Alexandra Wandel (Friends of the Earth Europe, Germany); Alice Palmer (Foundation for International Law and Development , UK); Peter Rossman (International Union of Food); Meena Raman (Third World Network); Dr Sue Mayer -Chair (Executive Director of GeneWatch, UK) |
This seminar will provide an update and details of the US WTO challenge on the EU's precautionary stance on GMOs. There will be a chance for questions and discussions. A strategy workshop follows this seminar. |
Workshops in Bloomsbury
|
||
|
4:00 - 6:00pm Workshop Venue: Bloomsbury NATFHE Brunswick Event no: 748 |
GM-Free Zones Friends of the Earth Europe, supported by Inf'OGM (France), Freeze (UK), ELTE Nature Conservation Club (Hungary), Legambiente (Italy), VELT (Belgium), BUND (Germany) |
This workshop will be organised to discuss and further strengthen local and regional initiatives throughout Europe to declare geographical areas GMO free. The ESF gives an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences, discuss and improve strategies and inspire new people to join the campaign for a GMO free Europe. |
|
7:00 - 9:00pm Workshop Venue: Bollomsbury NATFHE Brunswick Event no: 842 |
A Trans-Atlantic GMO Trade War Friends of the Earth Europe on behalf of the Bite Back: Hands off our Food campaign and The Five Year Freeze on behalf of the International Public Interest Coalition. |
This workshop follows on from the seminar on the same subject, giving people the chance to discuss strategy and action around the WTO case in the future. |
For more information see Item / Event numbers in printed programme
or visit www.fse-esf.org or Genewatch www.genewatch.org/esf.htm
Travel Directions to Alexandra Palace <http://www.alexandrapalace.com/s/ap/page_289.htm>
A free shuttle bus service is available on most show days connecting you to the Palace grounds.
BY UNDERGROUND
Wood Green, on the Piccadilly Line, is the nearest London Underground Station. It connects via King’s Cross to the Circle Line on which main British Rail Stations are located. Journey time from Piccadilly Circus, for example, is 20 minutes. The frequent W3 bus service runs from just outside Wood Green Station to the Palace entrance.
BY RAIL
Alexandra Palace has its own British Rail Station, fittingly called Alexandra Palace Station. It is located at the Wood Green entrance to the Park. On weekdays until 9pm, trains run from King’s Cross Station, changing at Finsbury Park, every 30 minutes. Trains run every 15 minutes direct from Moorgate Station (not on Saturday and Sunday). After 9pm and at weekends, trains run directly from King’s Cross every 15 minutes, except for Sundays when the service is every 30 minutes. Journey time is 11 minutes. The frequent W3 bus service runs from just outside the station to the Palace entrance.
Download full programme of Food Sovereignty and GM Crop events (UPDATED Thursday 14th)
Change of Names of Meeting Rooms in Alexandra Palace
Change of Venue : GM Seminars in Alexandra Palace 9:00am and 1:00pm Friday 15th October
Cancelled: Sugar Dumping Workshop, Bloomsbury
11:30am Saturday 16th October
Added: Resisting Corporate Monopolies Workshop, Saturday 16th October 2:00pm
Details added: Food Sovereignty Seminar 4:30pm 16 October
Message to the Food and Agriculture Organisation from the European Social Forum 2004 on World Food Day criticising this United Nations agency for promoting increased investments in GM crops for the poor
Download Message "No GMOs @ FAO" (150K)
Download letter to Jacques Diouf, Director General of FAO (20K)
World Food Day @ ESF
London, 16 October 2004
On World Food Day 2004 at the European Social Forum in London, speaker after speaker criticised FAO for promoting GM crops as a solution to hunger.
In the context of 840 million people going to bed hungry each night in a world with 1.5 billion overfed people that spends $900 billion a year on weapons and war;
• recognising the immense contribution of, presently highly threatened, smallholder and peasant farmers, pastoralists, fisherfolk, indigenous peoples and other natural resources users to the development and management of the freely accessible agricultural biodiversity that feeds the world;
• also recognising that this agricultural biodiversity, the first link in the food chain, is also threatened by contamination from proprietary genetically modified organisms controlled by Trans National Corporations;
• aware that investments in genetic engineering are skewing resources away from research in sustainable agroecological food production systems that can be developed and controlled by local farmers;
• recognising that European consumers and taxpayers have rejected GM crops and foods;
• and recognising that only through food sovereignty policies will the problems of hunger and poverty be addressed effectively;
Delegates unanimously supported the transmission of a clear and unambiguous message to FAO:
In solidarity with peasant and smallholder farmers' organisations and joining the hundreds of organisations and social movements across the world that have already criticised FAO for the contents of its 2004 SOFA report on biotechnology,
delegates at the European Social Forum 2004 World Food Day events condemn the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) for promoting the development and use of genetically modified crops for eradicating poverty and hunger;
and call on the FAO immediately to reject the agendas and the direct and indirect influences of Trans National Corporations in its normative and operational work;
and to reorient all its efforts to:
- tackling the root causes of hunger,
- promoting sustainable agroecological technologies and
- defending agricultural biodiversity.
-- ends --
Coordination of the publicity of the World Food Day events at the European Social Forum was undertaken by the UK Food Group, which also co-sponsored two Seminars
UK Food Group : the UK network for global food security www.ukfg.org.uk