Grassroots Gathering in Galway

Tuesday October 28, 2003 21:56

by Sylvia Pankhurst - Eco Soc

First details of the Grassroots Gathering Six, which is happening in Galway on November the Eight and Ninth.

The Grassroots Gathering is a loose network of people into social,
environmental and community activism, which comes together for tri-
annual forums. The gathering has been going for two years, and takes
place each time in a different city, so as to avoid Dublin-centrism.
So far it's been held in Limerick, Belfast, Cork and Dublin and in
November it's coming to Galway for the first time.

The whole thing
involves two days of discussion, skill sharing workshops, and
drinking. We are also hoping to have lots of recreational relief,
such as music, climbing workshops, films, and a historical walking
tour of Galway. Basically most of the workshops fall into two
categories, discussion/debate on the one hand and skill sharing on
the other – although the distinction is a rough one.

On the skill
sharing front we have confirmed people to expound upon topics as
varied as putting out a magazine, defending yourself in court, herbal
remedies and much much more. The format of the discussion workshops
is of a brief intro from speakers followed by a long open
discussion.

Here's a sample of some of the topics on that front:

Ecology and Community 1: Transport.

Speakers from the Galway cycling Campaign, who successfully halted
the construction of roundabouts on the Seamus Quirke road, from Hands
Across the Corrib, who are opposing the Menlo by-pass which is
planned to go through an area of great scenic beauty and historic
importance, from the Save the Trees campaign which is opposing the
concreting of Eyre Square, and from West on Track who are agitating
for a railway corridor down the long neglected west coast.

Ecology and Community 2: Our Countryside.

Speaker from the Local Action Group against the re-opening of Tynagh
mines for the chemical industry, a speaker from the campaign
organising against Coilte's ecologically unsound policies, hopefully
someone to fill us in on the situation in regard to the motorway
planned to go through Tara.

Ecology and Community 3: The Corrib Gas Pipeline.

Speakers from the campaign organising against Shell's harmful
exploitation of natural resources with no regard for local
communities safety in both Nigeria and Mayo.

Resistance at Work:

Speaker who was involved in setting up a couriers group in Dublin,
and an Easons shop steward.

Resistance in the Community:

Speakers from the Bin Charges campaign in Dublin,
and from the Defend
Free Speech and Assembly campaign in Galway which is opposing
draconian by-laws.

Campaigns against specific institutions/companies – THE BOYCOTT

Speaker from the World Bank Boycott, who aim to get Trade Unions,
universities, etc,, to disinvest from the World Bank, a speaker from
Foyle Ethical Investment Campaign who operate a creative resistance
to Raytheon, the arms manufacturers in Derry, and from other boycott
campaigns such as the people who banned Coca Cola from UCD.

We expect to have many more workshops confirmed closer to the date,
like ones on international solidarity and one given by
refugees/immigrants/exiles.

The Grassroots Gathering aims to be a de-centralised leadership-free
network of people from different movements united around goals such
as the control of the workplace by those who work there, the control
of communities by the people who live there and for a sustainable
environmental, economic and social system, agreed by the people of
the planet.

This is all happening here in NUI Galway on the weekend of the eight
and ninth of November e-mail gatheringgalway@yahoogroups.co.uk, or watch for further posts for more information.