Fighting Racism Conference in Perth

Fighting Racism Conference in Perth

By Arun Pradhan

PERTH — Plans are well under way for a Fighting Racism Conference here on September 20 and 21. The conference, to be held at the Fremantle Education Centre, will end with a "Reggae against Racism" at the Kulcha club on Sunday night, September 21.

Speakers confirmed so far include Aboriginal activists Yaluritja (Clarrie Isaacs) and Mingili Wanjurri; Miguel Tovar from Mexican indigenous groups; Dorothy Parker, a Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) activist and former anthropology lecturer; Paul Kaplin, a teachers' union organiser and Action Against Racism member; and Chris Hook, a radio RTR journalist and co-editor of Metior, Murdoch University's newspaper.

The conference is being organised by the DSP and Resistance. Sean Martin-Iverson, a conference organiser, told Green Left Weekly that "The agenda includes current issues such as 'Land rights after Wik' and 'Racism, free speech and the media'. But it also attempts to give a longer view with panels such as 'The origins and impact of racism' and 'Women, race and class'."

Other features include a workshop on 'Black rights: from Martin Luther King to Malcolm X' and the final panel on 'Activists organising against racism' which will begin to answer the question 'Where to from here?'."

For more information, contact Arun or Sean on 227 7367, or drop in to the Perth Resistance Bookshop.

From GLW issue 285