The World Bank meeting in Barcelona has been cancelled, plans are being made for an on-line discussion instead. The Campaign Barcelona-2001 announced in a press conference the decision to continue organizing anti-capitalist Globalization protests for June 16-25th, despite the cancellation of the WB's conference in the City. Read an updated Call to Action with a full calendar of activities in and around Barcelona.
The plans: Barcelona's Stock Exchange is set to become a People's Building this weekend. Click here for a final list of activities, demonstrations and actions in Barcelona from the 22 to 25 June, and here for specific information about theactions on Sunday 24 and Monday 25 in Barcelona. Read useful information and how to participate in the Barcelona-2001 Campaign, or participate in an open contest of ideas on how to transform Barcelona's Stock Exchange on Monday 25 June.
Many international groups, campaigns and individuals have already announced their intention to respond the renewed Call to Action. Read a call for increased mobilisation by some UK activists.
The story so far:
The World Bank cancelled its summit in Barcelona fearing disruptions from demonstrators. Protesters from around the world planned to converge there June 25 for the 2001 Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics. The World Bank announced that the meeting will take place online instead.
Explaining the decision, World Bank's spokeswoman Caroline Anstey said, "A conference on poverty reduction should take place in a peaceful atmosphere free from heckling, violence and intimidation". She also blamed the groups who plan to convege on Barcelona "of trying to disrupt the Conference", and she added: "We do not want to expose academics from around the world and our hosts in Spain to such a situation." Particularly, she said, "It is time to take a stand against this kind of threat to free discussion."
The co-ordination commission of the Campaign Against the World Bank BCN-2001 stated in a communique that the cancellation of the WB's Conference is an unprecedented success of the Movement against capitalist globalisation. The communique also announced that: "the motives which had inspired the protests still exist, and therefore that the mobilisations will carry on as expected, despite the cancellation of the official meeting".
[ IMC-Barcelona | www.rosadefoc.org | www.j25.org | WB press release about the cancellation | 50years.org: Background info of the WB | Foto]