Guide to GM related meetings at the ESF.

This all happens in London 15th - 17th Oct.

Beyond these meetings below there are also many other meetings on related issues to GM ... Global Justice, Trade Rules, Environment, Food Politics, alternative science and research policy, etc etc. (Not to mention other vital meetings from War to Racism to Privatisation, etc.....) And also, beyond the official programme there are hundreds more 'autonomous spaces ' events by the more 'direct action / direct democracy' participants of our movement.

For more information please see:
 http://www.fse-esf.org (Official site)
 http://www.esf2004.net (Alternative site)

The 'official' parts of the ESF happen in the giant Alexandra Palace, North London and Bloomsbury, Central London, near Euston.

There are three types of meeting: 1) Plenary, with thousands, ii) Seminar with hundreds, and iii) Workshops with dozens. For details of the location of each venue, see programme at event.
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1) Friday 15th. 9am-12pm. Seminar. GM-Free Europe. Venue: NATFHE, Bloomsbury.

SpeakersClaire Deveraux (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).

Organisation: GeneWatch (UK); Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and Northern Ireland); Friends of the Earth (Europe); Greek Net against GMO's .The Institute of Science In Society.; Greenpeace; GM-Free (Cymru); Five Year Freeze; Save our World .

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 and GM animal feed.


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2) Friday 15th. 1-3pm. Seminar: A Trans-Atlantic GMO Trade War: US attempts to use the WTO against European citizens. Congress House. Bloomsbury.

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) .

Organisation: Friends of the Earth Europe (on behalf of the Bite Back); Hands off our Food campaign and The Five Year Freeze campaign (on behalf of the International Public Interest Amicus Coalition.

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3) Friday 15th. 4-6pm. GMO-free Zones. Smaller Workshop. NATFHE Brunswick. Bloomsbury.
Organisation: 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 poses an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences, discuss and improve strategies and inspire new people to join the campaign for a GMO
free Europe.
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4) Friday 15th. 7-9pm. Smaller workshop on 'Trans-Atlantic GMO Trade War' will follow on from the seminar on the same subject, giving people the chance to discuss strategy and action around the WTO case in the future. NATFHE, Brunswick, Bloomsbury.
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5) Friday 15th. 7-9pm. Smaller Workshop: Science For the People. NATFHE Argyle. Bloomsbury.

Speakers: Sue Meyer, Genewatch; Claudia Neubauer, Fondation Sciences citoyennes
Malcolm Povey, Science for the People; Diana Wittendorp, Science for the People.
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6) Saturday 9-11am. European Agriculture: Citizens and farmers fighting together for a fair and sustainable CAP .Seminar

Alexandra Palace. Jenin

Agriculture policies do not only affects farmers but also consumers and the environment. The current CAP, shaped mainly according to the interest of agribusiness corporations, encourages intensive farming and the production of low quality food. Therefore, changing the CAP towards food sovereignty is a priority: How can we achieve it?
OrganisationCPE - European Farmers Coordination; Plataforma rural (Spain); UK Food Group (UK); French Platform for fair and sustainable agricultures (France); FUJA - Front Uni des Jeunes Agriculteurs (Belgium); VODO (Belgium); Platform Ander Landbouwbeleid (Nederlands); Africa Europe Faith and Justice Network (International)

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7) Saturday 16th11.30am-1.30pm. Major Plenary. Politics on your plate - European agriculture, its global impact and future.
Alexandra Palace.

Speakers: Jennifer Mourin (Asian Peoples’ Caravan for Food Sovereignty, Malaysia); Adrian Bebb (Friends of the Earth Europe); Penny Fowler (Oxfam International); Lidia Senra (SLG/Galicia); Jenny Jones (Green Party, UK). Facilitators: Giorgos Emmanouil (Co-Ordinator Greek Network Against GMO) and James Lloyd (National Union of Students, UK)


8) Saturday 16th. 11.30am-1.30pm. Large Workshop. Beyond GM: Nanotechnology in Food and Agriculture.

Rm 3D.ULU University of London Union, Malet St, Bloomsbury.
Organisation: ETC Group (Action Group on Erosion, technology and Concentration) also UK Food Group.

After much controversy over GM the frontier of molecular agriculture has moved down from genomes to atoms. This workshop will explore how the same agribusiness and food interests that brought us GM are now employing nanotechnology (manipulation at the atomic scale) to usher in the next stage of industrial agriculture and food production . the workshop will consider implications for farmers, consumers and the south and and discuss resistance strategies.

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9) Saturday 16th. 2-4pm. Small Workshop: Resisting corporate monopolies and new enclosures. Bloomsbury .ULU Malet Room.


Erosion, technology and Concentration), Green Party of Europe.

While Corporations are applying and using monopoly patents to gain increasing control over life, over software and over the fundamental building bocks of nature they are also applying a series of new legal and technological strategies to enforce their monopolies, enclose common knowledge and deny access.
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10) Saturday 16th. 2-4pm. Big Seminar: From Cancun to Hong-kong: Challenging the role of Europe in corporate led trade deals.

Chiapas Hall, Alexandra Palace.


Speakers: Meena Raman (Third World Network, Malaysia); Susan George (Attac France and Transnational Institute); Zsolt Boda, Protect the Future (Hungary); Alexandra Strickner (IATP, Geneva); Alexandra Wandel (FoEE).

Organisation: Seattle to Brussels Network (with the support of Friends of the Earth Europe, Belgium); Campagna per la Riforma della Banca Mondiale (Italy); Roba (Italy); Mani Tese and ReteLilliput (Italy); WIDE (Belgium); Wold Development Movement (UK); Pro Nature (Hungary); IATP (Switzerland); Corporate Europe Observatory (Netherlands); Attac (Austria/Denmark/Hungary/Switzerland, Milieudefensie, Netherlands, EED, Germany); Campaign to Reform the Welfare State (Norway); Attac (France).

Following the collapse of the WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancun and EU accession, the EU continues to pursue a dangerous corporate led trade agenda that will have detrimental impacts for people and the environment around the world. Under the leadership of the European Commission, the EU not only pushes for trade liberalisation in the WTO, but increasingly also advances a neo-liberal globalisation agenda at regional and bilateral level.This workshop will highlight Europe’s current position in trade deals and propose future civil society strategies.


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11) Saturday 2-4pm.Small workshop: Forest Fraud - tree planting to 'offset' fossil fuel guzzling activities will not slow climate change.

Bloomsbury Venue SOAS G52.

Initiatives offering to 'offset' luxury greenhouse gas emissions through tree planting are on the rise. The workshop will explore why these claims to render fossil fuel guzzling activities 'carbon neutral' are fraudulent and may hinder rather than help real solutions to curb the climate crisis.
Organisation: FERN SinksWatch Initiative


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12) Saturday 2-4pm Large Workshop: Cotton and international trade: how to build a fair and sustainable supply chain.

Bloomsbury Birkbeck 541

Speakers: Monica Di Sisto (ROBA); Simon Ferrigno (Pan Uk); Paolo Foglia (ICEA); Christine Gent (Ifat); Tamsin Lejeune (Ethical Fashion Forum).
The workshop aim is to exchange informations on cotton international market, to compare different experiences on sustainable and fair supply chain on cotton and to mobilitate several organisations to build up new supply chains and a new campaign toward Hong Kong Wto ministerial (dec 2005).

Organisation: Pesticides Action Network, UK. ROBA dell'Altro Mondo, Associazione Botteghe del Mondo, ICEA, AIAB, Rete Economia Solidale, CTM Altromercato, Campagna Riforma Banca Mondiale, Mani Tese, Rete Lilliput

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13) Saturday 4.30-6.30pm. Major Plenary. Environmental crisis and European responsibility.
Alexandra Palace


Jose Bove (CPE France); Magda Stoczkiewicz (EE Bankwatch); Mehmet Soganci (Network Chamber of Engineers and Architects, Turkey) ; Athena Ronquilo (Greenpeace International); George Monbiot (writer and campaigner, UK). Facilitators: Dr Liudmila Bulavga (Alternatives, Russia); Helen Lynn (Women’s Environment Network).
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14) Saturday 4.30-6.30pm. Small Workshop. Human cloning and genetic engineering: what's at stake?
Bloomsbury SOAS (classroom)
Speakers: Dr Michael Antoniou, King's College London University
David King, Human Genetics Alert
Sarah Sexton, The Cornerhouse
Part of a series of workshops/seminars on human genetics including:
Bar-coding people
Prenatal screening
Police States and Fortress Europe
Developments in Human Genetics.

Do reproductive rights allow cloning of humans or are people becoming just another designed consumer commodity? What are the implications for human rights and social equality? Organisation: Human Genetics Alert
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15) Saturday 4.30-6.30pm. Military research, science and engineering. Small Workshop
Bloomsbury NATFHE Bloomsbury
Speakers: Ottfried Nassauer (Director of the Berlin Information Center on Transatlantic Security (BITS), Germany); Dr. Stuart Parkinson ( Director of Scientists for global responsibility (SGR) UK); Alexis Vlandas (Nanotechnology, Materials Department University of Oxford, UK); Reiner Braun (International Network of Engineers and Scientists for global responsibility, Germany). Moderator/ Chair: Prof. Jean-Paul Laine (SNESup, France)
This meeting will expose the strong influence that the military has on scientific research and technological development, and argue for major changes in the way science and engineering are run. It will include new, up-to date research on this issue. There will be 4-5 speakers from UK, France Germany and eastern Europe.
Organisation: SGR - Scientists for global responsibility (UK); INES - International Network of Engineers and Scientists for global responsibility (German and international network); SNES-UP -Syndicat national de l´ensignement superieur (France).
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16) Saturday 4.30-6.30pm Science and citizenship. Small Workshop.
Bloomsbury. NATFHE Bloomsbury.
Our workshop will consider how to:
-Build equitable and supportive research partnerships between scientists and NGOs
-Support the development of scientists' and policy makers' awareness of public concern issues
-Democratise science and empower people - who needs, controls and benefits from the scientific process?
OrganisationFondation Sciences citoyennes (France); Science for the people (UK); INES (International network of engineers and scientists, Germany); Espace Marx (France)
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17) Saturday 4.30-6.30pm. Food Sovereignty, Fair Trade and Diversity: challenging corporate control. Seminar.
Alexandra Palace . Chiapas
On World Food Day ­ this seminar champions smallholder farmers’ organisations’ and CSOs’ demands for international recognition of the right to Food Sovereignty. It will challenge WTO and TNC dominance 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.
Speakers: Action Aid; Peoples; Caravan for Food Sovereignty; Artisans Du Monde; CIIR (Nicaraguan Farmer); CPE; Plataforma Rural; Altromercato; Barbara Stocking, Director, Oxfam GB

Organisation: UK Food Group (Action Aid,CIIR, ITDG and others); CPE; Amis de la Terre; Platforma Rural; Artisans du Monde; Associazione Botteghe del Mondo Italia; Roba dell'Altro Mondo; Rete Lilliput; CTM Altromercato.
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18) Saturday 7-9pm. Land Rights - equitable access to land and resources in Europe and the Global South .Seminar.

Alexandra Palace. Woomera
Speakers: Jon Mendel (Henry George Foundation, UK); Lars Rindsig (Henry George Foundation, UK); Dave Wetzel (Labour Land Campaign, UK); Lidia Senra (Coordination Paysanne Europeenne CPE and Sindicato Labrego Galego SLG, Spain); Maria Carmen Sanchez (Sindicato de Obreros del Campo SOC, Spain); Martha Isabel Furtado Bispo; Wilma Strothenke (FoodFirst Information and Action Network FIAN, Germany).
Everyone needs natural resources in order to live, but most are deprived of their rights to these resources. We will therefore explore different approaches to land/resource access, use, ownership and taxation - including Agrarian Reform, the Right to feed oneself and resource rentals. Peasants/Representatives from Europe and Brasil will share their experiences.
OrganisationHenry George Foundation; Labour Land Campaign; FIAN (FoodFirst Information and Action Network, Germany); CPE (Coordination Paysanne Européenne); La Via Campesina (International Peasants Movement)



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19) Saturday 7-9pm. EU Trade Campaign Assembly. Large Workshop

Speakers: Alexandra Wandel (Friends of the Earth Europe); Susan George (Attac, France); Beverly Duckworth (World Development Movement, UK); Andrea Baranes (Campaign to Reform the World Ban, Italy); Erik Wesselius (Corporate Europe Observatory, The Netherlands); Alexandra Strickner, IATP, Geneva; Zsolt Boda, Protect the Future, Hungary and many more.
The WTO Doha round is back on track: governments have agreed a dangerous framework agreement in July 2004 that advances the corporate-driven agenda of the EU and other European governments for continued global trade and investment liberalisation. This campaigning assembly offers a unique opportunity for European NGOs to share information.
OrganisationSeattle to Brussels (S2B) with the support of Friends of the Earth Europe (Belgium); Campagna per la Riforma della Banca Mondiale (Italy) Roba (Italy); Mani Tese and ReteLilliput (Italy); WIDE (Belgium); World Development Movement (UK); Pro Nature (Hungary); IATP (Switzerland); Corporate Europe Observatory (Netherlands) Attac (Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Switzerland); Milieudefensie (Netherlands); WEED (Germany); Campaign to Reform the Welfare State (Norway) .




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20) Sunday 9am-12pm. Why EPA’s hurt: Agriculture, CAP reform and EU-ACP Free Trade Agreements .Large Workshop

ULU 3d. Malet St, Bloomsbury.
A briefing meeting for those organisations working in the area of international trade negotiations, agriculture, CAP and EU-ACP relations. On the dangers of EPAs and free trade on ACP agriculture.

Followed by discussions amongst participants
OrganisationBoth ENDS, CAFOD, ACTSA, and Traidcraft



21) Sunday 9am-12pm Global Footprints: steps to a sustainable future Small Workshop
Interactive workshop involving dynamic role-play techniques, scenarios, debate and information sharing.

An exploration of how the Global Footprints website quiz, available in seven European languages, functions as a tool for questioning peoples’ social, political, ethical and environmental choices. Participative learning and consultation techniques are used to explore the local and global impacts of everyday decisions.
Organisation: Humanities Education Centre
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22) Sunday 9am-12pm. Seminar. Toward citizens assemblies on research in Europe : against the commercial and military control of science, for citizens intervention in new research policy.
Bloomsbury NATFHE
Speakers: Janine Guespin (France); David Margolies (UK); Claudia Neubauer (France); Prof. Dr. Claus Monton (Finland).
Scientific research increasingly depends upon decisions at European level, in board rooms and in secret military meetings. Citizens, including scientists, must intervene in the process of decision making, to democratise science, empower people and prevent war. This seminar prepares for the citizen’s assemblies for research in Europe proposed at the 2nd ESF.
Organisation:
Association of University Teachers -AUT (UK); Espaces Marx (France); Fédération Mondiale de travaillerus Scientifiques/World Federation of Sceintific Workers - FMTS/WFSW (France); Fondation Science Citoyenne -FSC (France); The International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (Germany); syndicat National de l'enseignement supérieur - SNESup (France)
Science fot the People UK
Scientists for global responsibility UK (SGR)