Fighting Austerity

Alternatives — 2015-06-01T15:25:45Z

You are kindly invited to join us at this third edition of The Festival of Solidarity to be held in Montreal, on June 13th, at Salle Agora- Coeur des sciences de l'UQAM, from 9:30am to 5:30pm.

This event, co-organized by Alternatives and the New York office of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, will feature not only speakers from the Quebec and North American social movements but also spokespeople for the anti-austerity radical left from Europe. Joining us will be representatives of SYRIZA, the Coalition of the Radical Left recently elected to government in Greece; Podemos, the newly formed anti-austerity party that is challenging the old-line parties in Spain; Die Linke, the party of the radical left in Germany.

During the Festival, we will discuss the following issues:

- What are the perspectives for mass mobilization this coming fall ?
– How can we better link climate issues and anti-austerity mobilizations?
– What lessons can be drawn from the European experience in fighting austerity?

Date: Saturday, June 13th 2015, from 9:30am to 5:30pm
Location: Salle Agora, Coeur des sciences de l'UQAM, 175 Avenue Président Kennedy, Montreal. Metro Places des Arts

PROGRAM

9:30-10:00AM
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
Speakers: Ronald Cameron, president of Alternatives and Albert Scharenberg, co-director of the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung—New York Office

10:00-12:00am
FIGHT AUSTERITY, SAVE THE CLIMATE: STRATEGIES AND CHALLENGES
With: Idle No More; CSN; Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (Cornell University); COVO (Coalition against the pipelines); ECO-Students Against Pipelines, and RQGE ( Quebec Network of Ecological Groups)

12:00-1:30pm LUNCH

1:30-3:30pm
FROM SPRING TO FALL 2015:PERSPECTIVES FOR CHALLENGING AUSTERITY
With: FTQ; Teachers' Union activist; ASSÉ member of the executive board; Red Hand Coalition (Community and Women's groups), and ATTAC-Quebec.

3:30- 5:30pm
BUILDING A POLITICAL ALTERNATIVE TO AUSTERITY: THE EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE
Speakers:
• Yiannis Bournous, Political Secretariat, SYRIZA, Greece;
• Caren Lay, Member of Parliament, DIE LINKE, Germany ;
• Pablo Bustinduy Amador, International Representative, PODEMOS, Spain;
• Amir Khadir, National Assembly person, QUEBEC SOLIDAIRE
For all Questions and Info: Roger Rashi (e-mail:roger@alternatives.ca)

Alternatives International

Fighting Austerity