Building an international youth activist network at the ATTAC Summer University

Building an international youth activist network at the ATTAC Summer University

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By: Kirsty Haigh
Date: 30 August 2017

img_9041small_versionLast week I had the pleasure of joining other Global Justice Now staff and members at the ATTAC Summer University for social movements. This four day event brought together more than 2,000 people from across Europe to learn, debate, discuss and plan how we can build our movements and alternatives to the current political context.

As many – including our politicians – seek to divide us with divisive and hateful rhetoric it’s more important than ever that we come together to collectively fight back. It’s important that we have connections with our counterparts and are part of a global movement. As the UK chapter of the ATTAC network we were proud to be one of the nearly 100 associations and trade unions, citizen networks, alternative media, local struggles who helped pull this event together.

We were delighted that (with the financial support of our members) we were able to bring 16 people from the youth network on the trip. Together we’ve already been planning ways that we can make sure the youth network is more international. Currently we’re the only members of ATTAC with a youth network but we’re hoping to help change that. Along with others at the camp we started planning for a European youth network that would at the very least facilitate discussion of young people across Europe but maybe even have joint policy platforms and take joint actions so, watch this space!

GJN helped run various seminars and workshops throughout the course of the event including on: The Future Isn’t Working: Automation, precarious work and the future of employment; Bridges not borders: Building a Europe where migrants are welcome; From the internet to the streets: Young people reclaim the power; Building resistance and solidarity to counter new authoritarianism, Right-wing populism and fascism: a global perspective and Subverting big pharma. Some of our activists also took part in an action challenging airport expansions. You can watch their short video below.