Shifting Ground: the fightback against corporate power in Scotland and the world

Shifting Ground: the fightback against corporate power in Scotland and the world

Jun13

When: June 13, 2015

1pm-6.30pm,
Saturday 13 June
The Renfield Centre,
260 Bath Street,
Glasgow G2 4JP

In the last year Scotland has experienced a political transformation, with the space for radical, progressive politics opening up significantly. Join us to discuss internationalism and global solidarity and their place in the new Scottish landscape – plus what those in the rest of the UK can learn from Scotland.

Ken Henshaw, a campaigner from Social Action in Nigeria, will be our international speaker, and will talk about the social costs of electricity privatisation in Nigeria.

Other speakers include Philippa Whitford MP from Common Weal and Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice Now. And award-winning performance poet Jenny Lindsay will bring her political wit to poems written and performed during the day.

The event will also feature:

The Stop TTIP assembly: With campaigners from local and national anti-TTIP groups, inclduing Students Against TTIP, this organising assembly is for anyone who wants to take action against the dangerous EU-US trade deal. After an introduction to the latest developments on TTIP and the campaign against it, we’ll focus on strengthening opposition at local and national levels and laying concrete plans for the future.

There’ll be sessions on:

  • Food sovereignty in action – stories from Ghana, Scotland and beyond: The global food sovereignty movement aims for community control over the way food is produced, traded and consumed. Join Heidi Chow (food sovereignty campaigner at Global Justice Now), freshly back from meeting small-scale farmers and activists in Ghana, to discuss opposition to the corporate takeover of food, and to find out about food sovereignty movements happening in Scotland, the UK and beyond.
  • Corporate controlled energy and democratic alternatives at home and globally: The corporate grip over energy keeps 1.3 billion people without access to electricity. Energy privatisation, funded by the UK government, is putting access even further out of reach. Join energy justice campaigners Ken Henshaw (Social Action Nigeria) and Christine Haigh (Global Justice Now) to find out how we can ensure everyone has access to energy, tackle climate change, and take control of energy from big business and finance.

You can also take part in some practical skills workshops:

  • Social media: How can we get our message across most effectively on social media and build support for campaigns? How can we maximise the impact of our offline activism? Come for a participatory workshop facilitated by communications worker Morten Thaysen.
  • Activist photography: What kinds of photos help get your campaigns and actions into the press? What attracts the eye of a social media browser? Join activist and campaigner Alice Hooker-Stroud for a practical try-it-yourself session on event photography. Bring a basic camera or phone-camera if you have one. No professional equipment or expertise required!

Book your free ticket here: shifting-ground.eventbrite.co.uk

Shifting Sounds

After Shifting Ground, join us for Shifting Sounds, a cultural celebration of internationalism and global solidarity at the Rum Shack (Caribbean Bar and Canteen), 657-659 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow G41 2AB.

Featuring New Orleans-style jazz from Tradeston Brass Agreement; an excerpt from the forthcoming documentary Hip Hop Revolucion about Venezuela’s hip-hop schools movement; award-winning performance poetry from Jenny Lindsay; and world music, reggae and funky disco beats from DJ Drysdale.

From 8pm. Tickets £5/£3 concessions, available on the door. Food will be available from the Rum Shack Caribbean Canteen, but get there early before it gets busy!

More info and updates can be found on the Facebook event page.