SPEAK banner
Patchwork Petition
The Stage
Assembled Crowds (and Corpo's)
Power-logic tipping the balance against the poor!
More Squares (spot the Red and Black)
Bishop in Sackcloth and Ashes, repenting greed and oppression
Bread and Wine, a message of hope in despair.
Stephen Timms MP, good at criticising G8+WTO, but little solution given.
The crowd barely fitted inside the tent/dress as prayers were said acknowledging our failure to question the massive injustices of the garment trade. A rapper made references to GAP and the atrocious slavery-like conditions which its workers must operate in. And sack cloth and ashes were used to further symbolise this grief; all very dramatic.
But the grief was short lived, and following distribution of bread and wine, the DJ mixed up some tunes to celebrate the success of nearly 4 years of work. Delegates from Holland, Germany and Sweden joined in the dancing, as those assembled awaited the visit of several MPs. Meantime many stood gawping at the ceiling trying to find their own handiwork, in all, around 8000 square tiles, with more to be added later, expressing a wide range of opinions, including some pretty tough statements.
Stephen Timms, a long standing supporter of SPEAK spoke from the stage (with little apparent warning) of the lack of interest from the side of the G8 and WTO in tackling capitalisms problems. Though he didn't really offer a way forwards, everyone was glad of the attention this bought. Jenny Tonge, the Lib Dem once under fire for speaking in support of Palestine's greiving mothers, also visited the tent.
Students from York Uni were visited at the tent by John Grogan, who seemed more interested in what they were studying and uni life than the desparate situation on the agenda (typical slime, eh?). Others tried the classic method of "Green Carding", some to very little success, waiting hours in government lobby with no sign of their so-called representatives. However some did see MPs or their aides and a few reported tough opposition, others some sympathy.
The action concluded SoundCheck, SPEAK's annual gathering, during which a minister from Leeds called on everyone to be "more like those Clowns (CIRCA)" in showing the stupidity of the world around them, and in which delegates were warned of fake-successes (like debt relief with harsh conditions, or which simply won't materialise). While a few delegates seemed in awe of Gordon Brown and others, many were fully aware of the problems ahead for the Make Poverty History campaign this summer. One said something like "they'll agree to cut the debt, but then they'll just forget it".
There was also debate about providing "prayer support" to the anarchist and libertarian demonstrators in their convergence space. This may take the form of a creative prayer and arts tent, and creative prayer sessions. An unusual sign of openess came when a main session panelist called on Christians to be prepared to learn from the often more dedicated Secular activists around them.
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