Hundreds of social-movement activists, trade unionists, students, Indigenous people, environmentalists and other progressive people will be gathering in Melbourne in mid-October to hear the most impressive line-up of international guest speakers to meet in Australia for many years.
The Latin America and Asia Pacific International Solidarity Forum, to be held at Victorian Trades Hall and RMIT on October 11-14, will be addressed by around 40 representatives of anti-imperialist and anti-neoliberal movements and organisations in 22 countries. Forum participants will include indigenous activists from Ecuador, Chile, Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Mexico; labour movement representatives from Colombia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, India, the Philippines, Indonesia and Canada; environmental activists from Venezuela and Bolivia; cultural activists from Chile; human and land rights campaigners from West Papua and Papua New Guinea; and leaders of left political parties in El Salvador, Pakistan, East Timor, Canada, Indonesia and the Philippines.
For anyone interested in social justice, peace, democracy and human solidarity, the participation in the forum of a number of Venezuelans makes this a "must-go" gathering. The revolutionary government of Venezuela will be represented by the vice-minister for Asia, the Middle East and Oceania, Vladimir Villegas. Eva Golinger, author of The Chavez Code and Bush vs Chavez: Washington's War on Venezuela, will also be speaking, along with Communist Party of Venezuela leader Carolus Wimmer and youth activist and communal council organiser Sandino Carrizales.
The international speakers will join together in panel presentations on topics such as: strategies for ecological and human survival; the movements of resistance in the Asia Pacific; the Venezuelan revolution and its global impact; indigenous peoples' resistance; workers' struggles in a global context; rebellion and liberation in Latin America; and building international solidarity. Other major sessions will discuss alternatives to neoliberalism, the influence of Che Guevara's example and ideas today, the Zapatista struggle and the new colonialism in the Pacific.
These major sessions will, throughout the four days, be interspersed by workshops to discuss a wide range of local and international campaigns and issues. The forum organising committee welcomes submissions for workshops, information displays and cultural performances from any group or individual interested in contributing to the forum.
The forum is being jointly organised by the Asia Pacific International Solidarity Conference/Green Left Weekly, the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network, the Latin America Solidarity Network, the Bolivarian Circle and Australia Asia Worker Links.
For more information, to register for the forum or to submit a workshop proposal, visit <http://www.solidarityforum2007.org>, email <info@solidarityforum2007.org> or write to LAAPISF, PO Box 813, North Melbourne 3051.