1. Public Meeting: Political Parties debate Trade and Aid Policy, 9 October, 6pm, Pitt St Uniting Church, 264 Pitt St, Sydney
2. Website for World Forum on the WTO, Beirut, 6-8 November 2001
3. "Our World is not for Sale" Global Statement needs your signature
4. Vision of Human Unity from World Council of Churches

1. Public Meeting: Political Parties debate Trade and Aid Policy

Tuesday 9 th October, 6.00 - 8.30pm, Pitt St Uniting Church, 264 Pitt St, Sydney.

Speakers:

Representative of the Minister for Trade
Senator Peter Cook, ALP Shadow Minister for Trade
Senator Vicki Bourne, Australian Democrats
Ms Kerry Nettle, NSW Greens Senate Candidate

Chair: Rev. Dorothy McRae-McMahon, ABC Broadcaster and writer

Come and voice your concerns!

2. Website for World Forum on the WTO, Beirut, 6-8 November 2001

As reported in the last bulletin, Lebanese Civil Society groups are holding a World Forum on the WTO in Beirut on November 6 - 8, before the Ministerial Meeting in Doha, Qatar.

The Forum will act as a focus for civil society debate and protest which cannot take place in Qatar because of restrictions on entry visas and on protest.Civil society groups from around the world will attend the Forum, which will be followed by a public rally.

The website for further information is www.worldforumbeirut2001.org

3. "WTO: Our World is not for Sale" Global Statement needs your organisation’s signature

This Global Statement sets out in simple language the main faults of the WTO, opposes a new round of WTO negotiations and agreements and calls for a review of existing WTO agreements. The Statement can be viewed here.

If your organisation has not already signed, please consider doing so by 25 September. The aim is to maximise the number of signatures leading up to the WTO Ministerial meeting in November. The list of signatories can be found at www.canadians.org.au

4. Vision of Human Unity from World Council of Churches

A vision of the unity of humankind and the whole inhabited earth is competing with a vision of economic globalization, said representatives from churches in 29 countries at an international consultation in Fiji organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in cooperation with the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC).

The 12-16 August consultation called on churches to be more prophetic in their opposition to economic globalization. It challenged the churches to search for viable alternatives to the current economic system that has produced increased human suffering and poverty, the exploitation of labour and widespread environmental devastation.

A presentation from the Pacific churches on what they called the "Island of Hope" was central to the meeting. "Island of Hope" is a metaphor for the wholeness of life, of which generosity, reciprocity and the sharing of communal resources are essential features - in stark contrast to the prevailing features of globalization. The Pacific churches presented real and viable alternatives to globalization that have sustained Pacific societies for generations. Participants from other regions of the world were able to identify with this Pacific concept.

The Pacific representatives contrasted Western economic patterns that focus on profits and economic growth with their own traditional economies, which are concerned with the holistic quality of people's lives. They described land, sea and people as being integral parts of one's identity, and called for a vision of solidarity in defence of creation.

"The specific role of the church is to provide insights into ethics and values of life. We must create places of sharing; spaces where God's people, with their diverse gifts, resources and experiences, can come to give and receive. A place where they begin a journey together," said Dr Agnes Abuom of Kenya, one of the presidents of the WCC. "That is what we began here in Fiji. A journey of affirming an alternative global family. Economic globalization has separated people and fragmented communities. The people of God are called to walk together," she said. "The Island of Hope concept we heard here can be the anchor for that journey."

The international meeting in Fiji was preceded by regional meetings in Budapest and Bangkok, one in the Pacific in May and a consultation at which international youth representatives met with their Pacific counterparts. The WCC is planning further international and regional meetings in Latin America, the Caribbean, North America and Africa. This international meeting was held in the Pacific so that the "Island of Hope" concept could help inform and be further developed at the later consultations.

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