From the Citizen Debt Audit Platform in Spain (PACD), we have worked on convergence with different groups in the Debt axis in order to be able to come up with common strategies, dynamics and calender (with Florence10+10 in mind) and the objective of building a united international resistance movement to face the neoliberal agenda.

Why we consider it important? European economic austerity policies are attacking our rights, draining our democracy and destroying what we knew as «welfare state», particularly affecting vulnerable groups (children and young people, women, immigrants, precarious workers…) and regardless of the environmental perspective, betting on dead economic growth.

This is why we consider strategic to directly attack the root of our problems. Austerity, cuts, loss of rights, the depletion of our imperfect democracy… are symptoms produced by the debt mechanism; a tool in hands of EU neoliberal policies. Africa, Latin America, Asia … have already been through this, now it’s our turn.  ¡No pasarán!

 

AGORA99 2nd-4th Nov, Madrid

http://99agora.net/2012/07/euro-mediterranean-meeting-debt-rights-democracy/

PROGRAM – DEBT AXIS

Thursday Nov 1st.17h-21h: welcome at Patio Maravillas (Calle del Pez, nº21).

Friday Nov 2nd, 10h-12h: Debt workshops presentation at EKO + lunch.

Friday Nov 2nd, 12:30h-14:30h: Round Table on Debt, Rights and Democracy, at EKO.

Friday Nov 2nd, 19h-21h ==> Workshop 1 «Don’t owe, Won’t pay! The disastrous European policies», at EKO.

Saturday Nov 3rd, 10h-12h & 12:30-14:30h ==> Workshops 2 & 3 Don’t Owe, Won’t Pay! International Context & Strengths and Strategies, at EKO.

Saturday Nov 3rd, 17:30h-20:30h: Debt Working group: consensus and GA presentation, at EKO.

Sunday Nov 4th, 12h-14h: General Assembly in Sol Square.

 

EKO: http://eslaeko.net/contacto/
Entrance: calle Ánade, nº 10.
Closest metro Oporto (lines 5 & 6), also close Urgel (line 5).

Workshop 1, Title: Don’t owe, Won’t pay! The disastrous European policies

– Description: Discussion and awareness of agreements and treaties signed in Europe and in Spain by our governments. The EU governing institutions have lost their democratic legitimacy and are governed by a series of agreements and treaties that work, not just behind parliaments, but decidedly against the interests of workers, citizens and people.  Far-reaching signed and  implemented agreements influence our daily lives and our future and few know about them – Stability Treaty, TSCG, EFSF, ESM…  The new «European governance» (European Commission, ECB and IMF – Troika) serves financial powers. Given this expropriation of the political rights of  our citizens, we have to organise in order to defend and strengthen our  resistance at a European level.

– Objective:  Find common ground and interest in working on these issues at European  coordinated level, ideas to take to Florence10+10. Networking and connection with European groups working in these areas.

– Participants: Economia Sol15M (Madrid), PACD, open debate.

– Program: Presentation and information on resistance campaigns, with special emphasis on the  European peripheral countries – Spain, Greece, Portugal, Italy, Ireland (40 minutes), debate/discussion (60 minutes) and strategies to follow, to be worked on Saturday afternoon (20 minutes).

– Promoters: Economia Sol 15M & PACD.

– Language: Spanish with English translation.

 

Workshop 2, Title: Don’t Owe, Won’t Pay! International Context.

– Description: A look into the extortion mechanism of illegitimate debt in several European countries and alternatives to not paying, based on experiences that took place in Latin America and how resistance in building in the North.
– Objectives: Learn about the situation in different countries and their experiences (for later work in workshop 3). Growth of the international network working on debt. Intersection of grassroots movements and expert organisations, on the path to Florence 10 +10.

– Participants: Giorgos Mitralias CADTM and Syriza member (Greece), Jérémie Cravatte CADTM (Belgium), Jérôme Duval ATTAC (Spain & France) & PACD Valencia, Dario Di Nepi (Rivolta Il Debito, Italy), PACD Spain, insight to the International Citizen Audit Network – ICAN (PACD), Raúl Camargo (Izquierda Anticapitalista).

– Program: introduction 1h, debate and exchange 1h.

– Promoters: PACD & Anticapitalistas.

– Language: Spanish & English with translation.

 

Workshop 3, Title: Don’t Owe, Won’t Pay! Strengths and Strategies.

– Description: Presentations and exchange between groups working on debt (or interested!) from the  perspective of their work dynamics and action strategies (citizenship education, analysis, reach-out and communication, mobilisations and political incidence, control and   transparency tools – Citizen Municipal Observatory, calender and strategies, etc). Related groups, collectives and similar experiences (15MpaRato, debt referendum, housing-health-education-democracy-taxes-basic income-gender, civil disobedience, territorial assemblies…).  Strike Debt, a project of Occupy Wall Street in New York City will bring discussion around debt assemblies, spokes councils, the rolling jubilee, the people’s bailout, and an international debtors union.

– Objectives: Create a workspace for sharing and creating synergies and possible common strategies, national/international network strengthening (communication and working lines).

– Participants (join if interested!): PACD Spain, Economía Sol 15M, Strike Debt – a project of Occupy Wall Street…

– Program: There will be facilitation for collective discussion.

– Promoter: PACD Spain.

– Language: Spanish with English translation.

 

Links:

EconomíaSol http://madrid.tomalaplaza.net/category/grupos-de-trabajo/g_economia/

IA http://www.anticapitalistas.org