Seattle Demonstration Preparations for Global Trade Meeting
Thousands of organizers, demonstrators, and other activists are expected to come to Seattle for the meeting of the world's trade ministers, November 29 - December 3 (which coincidentally includes World AIDS Day, December 1). This meeting will begin the process of setting new international trade rules which will have enormous impact for years to come. For example, pharmaceutical industry lobbyists may try to eliminate the treaty rules that now allow developing countries to import or manufacture generic copies of drugs patented elsewhere, in order to meet a public-health emergency.One resource group to help grassroots voices be heard is The Ruckus Society, in Berkeley, California, http://www.ruckus.org . The Ruckus Society, which "provides training in the skills of non-violent civil disobedience to help environmental and human rights organizations achieve their goals," is holding an action camp called Globalize THIS!, September 16 to 22 in Arlington, Washington (near Seattle); training includes strategies, press work, banner making, climbing (to place the banners), and other skills. The organization's 16th action camp "will be bringing together over a hundred of the most spirited and prominent human rights, environmental, social justice and trade activists from around the world to learn the strategies and tactics they'll need to speak truth to power when the World Trade Organization Ministerial Summit meets in Seattle just two months later... The Camp promises to be an unprecedented opportunity to build a movement toward real global community and fair trade."
The Web site also includes manuals on press relations and other skills for getting one's message out. For more information, see http://www.ruckus.org or email han@ruckus.org , or call 510-848-9565.
