Putting the Green into Trade Justice
| When? | Monday 11th & Tuesday 12th April 2005 |
| Where? | Exchange Square & St. Ann's Square |
| Why? | To encourage members of the public to vote for green trade justice. |
In April 2005, Manchester Friends of the Earth and Manchester World Development Movement held a two day action in central Manchester as part of the Global Week of Action for Trade Justice. Passers-by were invited to vote for green trade justice - an end to poverty and protection of the environment - by crossing and signing Friends of the Earth ballot cards, which will be sent to the Prime Minister. There was a fantastic response and over two days more than 300 passers-by stopped to give their support.
People were also given the opportunity to protest at the European Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson's, petition on trade as he enters into crucial negotiations with the World Trade Organisation (WTO). There was an open invitation to daub a life-size cardboard cut-out of him with green paint to make up for his record on the environment. He recently said that in trade policy, environmental and social considerations should only be taken into account if they improve competitiveness. Fortunately there are plenty who disagree and a number of people were happy to take up the offer of 'greening Mandy'!
During the Global Week of Action for Trade Justice, people up and down the UK and across the globe were campaigning for better and fairer global trad e rules to redress the imbalances in the current system. At the moment global trading rules are pretty much set by the rich countries in their own interests, and developing countries have to trade according to rules set by the WTO, itself dominated by rich countries in the North. The result for many developing countries is tremendous poverty and hardship - more than 1bn people live on less than a dollar a day - and this in turn leads to a great deal of environmental damage.
Manchester Friends of the Earth trade campaigner Karen Keen said:
"Who depends on the outcome of the general election, but shortly the Prime Minister of Great Britain will be President of the G8 group of rich countries. We want him to use that time to deal with the issues that cause global poverty and environmental degradation, and get the other G8 countries on board. We asked the people of Manchester to support that and the wonderful, positive reaction we have had shows how close the issue is to the hearts of many Mancunians."
Press releases
Mancunians
Give Their Vote for Green Trade Justice
Campaign
for Trade Justice Aims to Turn EU Trade Commissioner Green
Photos
 |
High
resolution photo |
 |
High
resolution photo |
 |
High
resolution photo |
 |
High
resolution photo |