After three years of struggling against large dams and heavy industry, the Saving Iceland campaign will connect with struggles around the globe. Around the world, heavy industry and large dams have displaced millions of people, mostly without any compensation. They have destroyed terrestrial and acquatic ecosystems, erased wildlife. They have polluted our air and water and are changing our climate beyond repair - in the name of progress.

Former Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru put it this way: "If you are to suffer, you should suffer in the interest of the country", speaking to villagers who were to be displaced by the Hirakud Dam, 1948. Both the governments of India and Iceland still regard megahydro as a symbol of ingenuity, progress and a matter of national pride.
In Trinidad and Tobago, and in Iceland, the aluminium industry is looking for abundant sources of power, in a time of increasing energy insecurity.

But history has always shown undercurrents who would not conform to the prevailing views of progress. Many people resist being sacrificed for the sake of the country or the economy and many have resisted their land and wilderness being sacrificed.

The Saving Iceland 2007 Conference will broaden your perspective on the struggle against heavy industry.

Conference Agenda

SATURDAY JULY 7TH

Breakfast, coffee and tea will be served in the morning on the Saving Iceland campsite.

1100
Conference opening
Reverend Billy and Savitri (Church of Stop Shopping)

1130
Blue eyes in the pool of sharks
An innocent nation in retreat from responsibility
Gudbergur Bergsson

1200
Iceland under threat
Introduction to how Iceland is threatened by heavy industry.
Ómar Ragnarsson

1230
A Smelter in Trinidad?
People's struggle against a new ALCAO and AluTrint smelter in Trinidad & Tobago.
(Rights Action Group)

1310
The history of civil disobedience and direct action
From the past to the future - how direct action can change the course of history.
Helen B (Road Alert, UK)

1340
Narmada Bachao Andolan
Most well-known people's movement in India, fighting for adivasi (tribal) rights displaced by megadams.
(NBA)

1420
Lunch

1500
Powering Heavy Industry - From Kyoto to Peak Oil
Heavy industry developing strategies for the climate and energy crises.
Jaap Krater (Saving Iceland)

1530
The effects of large dams on climate
A presentation on the output of greenhouse gases of hydroelectric reservoirs.
Dr. Eric Duchemin (University of Québec)

1630
A green or grey future?
Panel discussion - Differing visions of progress.

1730
Saving Iceland press conference

1800
Ends

Evening
Organic vegetarian supper
Musical entertainment

SUNDAY JULY 8TH

Breakfast, coffee and tea will be served in the morning on the Saving Iceland campsite.

1100
The largest wilderness in Europe
Threatened wildlife and geology in Iceland
Einar Thorleifson (Natturuvaktin / Naturewatch; Icelandic Society for Protection of Birds)

1140
Strategies to save Iceland
Panel discussion from the grassroots for the struggle against heavy industry in Iceland.

1240
Struggle in Kashipur
The fight against UTKAL/ALCAN in East India.
Samarendra Das

1320
Struggle in South Africa
Experiences of the fight against ALCAN in South Africa.
Earthlife South Africa

1400
Lunch

1440
Genetic Modification
On transnational companies way of manipulating countries and Iceland’s genetic experiments with barley.
Sir Julian Rose (International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside)

1520
Damning the Amazon
Aluminium threatening the Amazon basin and it’s people.
Movement of Dam-Affected People

1600
How heavy industry is connected to the big picture of 'civilization'
What will it take for us to stop the horrors that characterize our way of being?
Videoconference with green anarchist author Derrick Jensen in the US.

1640
Momentum against the megamachine
Sharing experiences of people’s movements against heavy industry, large dams, the anti-roads movement and globalisation.
Discussion of how to bring the global movement for ecolocical harmony and justice and against overdevelopment forward.

1740
Closure and declaration
Reverend Billy and Savitri

1800
Ends

Evening
Organic vegetarian supper

Contact

Saving Iceland Conference 2007
conference [at] savingiceland.org
 http://www.savingiceland.org/conference