toronto in late june: organize, connect, listen, march

One of the reasons wmtc5 is in late August is that June will be crazy in Toronto. The 2010 G20 Summit will be in town, and a beehive of activity is taking place around it, to protest, respond to and counter the official agendas.

I've never lived in a G8 or G20 Summit city, and I've never traveled to one to join protests or alternative agendas, so for me personally this is an exciting opportunity. I'm very excited about the June 25 Shout Out For Global Justice event; I'm especially looking forward to hearing Vandana Shiva and Pablo Solon.

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From June 18-20, "The People's Summit" will meet to discuss an alternative global agenda.

The actions and policies of the G8 and G20 have significant impacts on millions of lives the world over, and with this, comes an opportunity for us - community organizers, activists, non-governmental organizations, independent media, workers, impacted communities, artists – the people – to work together to educate, empower and ignite the positive change we would like to see in our world.

We converge in Toronto from June 18th – 27th to create a space where diverse local and international movements can democratically organize to advocate and educate on behalf of global justice. The People's Summit is happening from June 18th-20th, and will be followed by a week of autonomous actions throughout Toronto in the lead up to the arrival of the G20 Leaders on June 26th.

The week of action and education culminates in "Shout Out For Global Justice," on Friday, June 25, at Convocation Hall. The evening is jointly sponsored by a coalition of civil society and activist groups, and features:

Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the Council of Canadians and chairs the board of Washington-based Food and Water Watch.

Leading environmental justice activist and author Dr. Vandana Shiva, founder of Navdanya

Pablo Solon, Bolivian ambassador to the United Nations and lead negotiator for Bolivia at the December 2009 climate conference in Copenhagen

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!

John Hilary, executive director of War on Want, which campaigns for human rights and against the root causes of global poverty, inequality and injustice.

Journalist, columnist and author Naomi Klein

Leo Gerard, International President of the United Steelworkers and Vice-President of the AFL-CIO.

The following day, Saturday, June 26, there will be a massive march and rally in Toronto.

For more information on any of this, here are some good links:

G8/G20 Toronto Community Mobilization

Resist G20 on Facebook

The 2010 People's Summit

Shout Out For Global Justice

Shout Out For Global Justice on Facebook