Friends and comrades, please take a moment to read this important message, and please forward along. From Jan. 31 to Feb. 4, the World Economic Forum (WEF) will be meeting at the Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan for its annual summit. Alexander Downer, who attended the 1998 Summit, describes the Summit as the world's 'Business Olympics'. The yearly meeting, usually held at WEF headquarters in Davos, Switzerland, was rescheduled to meet in New York as a token of support for the injuries our city sustained on September 11th. In reality, this meeting and the agenda it represents are an affront to the people of New York, who, like many others around the world, face a period of economic uncertainty and austerity which threatens their very livelihoods. The WEF is, in a way, a big cocktail party for the global corporate elite. As an organization, it has no power to actually set policy, but it creates a space in which international "leaders" can hash out their vision for the rest of us. In their own words, "they are fully engaged in the process of defining and advancing the global agenda." More specifically, it's our globe, but it's their agenda. One way in which the WEF has advanced this “agenda” was by helping to create the notorious World Trade Organization (WTO). For the first time in many years, anti-capitalist protest has returned to the capitalist heartland, and to the global stage. These protests open up the ideological space for the articulation of alternative guiding principles, putting on the agenda the possibility of transformation away from the current pro-corporate malaise. As the promotion of capitalist discipline is questioned, protest targeted at the agents of neo-liberal globalization gains remarkable political leverage. In this political climate WEF meetings start to take on a special significance. Since 1996 the WEF has attracted increasingly militant opposition, and it has responded by attempting to re-chart the neo-liberal project. The WEF response is to deliberately avoid the appearance of backroom strategizing, and instead to seek a higher public profile, attempting to reground its legitimacy by being seen to engage with prominent advocates of the emerging alternatives. But in reality the WEF meetings are still overwhelmingly comprised of the most powerful and wealthy corporations, individuals, and government officials; in fact, mostly male and mostly representative of the developed countries. Below you will find links to information on how you could get involved in the planning and carrying out of diverse, imaginative, and impassioned actions against the WEF, including actions in the streets, a counter-summit being held at Columbia University, and an evening concert. The main day of action is being planned for Saturday, Feb 2. Please join the people of New York and the world from Jan 31 to Feb 4 as we say “NO!” to corporate globalization, neo-liberalism, global economic apartheid, militarism, and the destruction of our planet; as we present our vision of another, more just, democratic, and sustainable world. Thank you. low-traffic announcements list: http://lists.riseup.net/www/subscribe/wef-announce/ ----- “Another World is Possible” Coalition: http://www.anotherworldispossible.com/ Stop the WEF and mobilize for global justice. Site features a comprehensive calendar of events and information on logistics such as housing, subway maps, and maps of the Waldorf. ----- “Globalizing Justice”: http://www.studentsforglobaljustice.org/ A Call for a WEF Counter-Summit and National Student Mobilization From Thursday, January 31st to Sunday, February 3rd 2002 at Columbia University in New York City Featuring speakers, workshops on a variety of topics, and more. *Deadline for proposing workshops is Jan 11. Check the site for schedules, information on housing, etc., and subscribe to these lists for more detailed information or to help plan: http://www.studentsforglobaljustice.org/contact.htm ----- “Anti-Capitalist Convergence Against the World Economic Forum”: http://www.accnyc.org/ JOIN US AS NEW YORKERS STRIKE BACK AGAINST CORPORATE TERROR! SHUTDOWN THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ! Join us January 31st (Thursday) through February 1st (Friday) in NYC for two days of workshops, infosessions, and teach-ins held in conjunction with The Another World Is Possible Coalition, Eye on Davos, and The National Student Mobilization. After Friday's activity has ended, a legal vigil will be held in Union Square, followed by a spokes council, to which each affinity group is invited to send a representative. Please send a member who is familiar with the processes of facilitation and consensus. February 2nd (Saturday) will be the universal day of action against the World Economic Forum. Legal marches and rallies are being planned by The Another World Coalition and The International ANSWER Coalition. ACCNYC is in the process of determining its role in the street action. More info will be available soon. Check back for scenario updates: www.accnyc.org Start spreading the word! Flyers and Agitprop will be soon available here: www.accnyc.org/outreachIndex.html ----- *NOTE: for those of you who will be in town: THE REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING AGAINST THE WEF Saturday, January 19 @ 2pm Chashama Theatre - 129 W 42nd St (Between Bdway & 6th in Times Sq) The NYC Anti-Capitalist Convergence calls on all anarchists and anti-authoritarians to join us for a regional organizational meeting in preparation for the mass mobilization against the WEF, January 31 to February 4. For more information contact - David Graeber drg9@drg9.mail.yale.edu Note - Space on Times Square has been provided for this meeting by The Intergalactic Anarchist Convention - Jan 17 to Jan 20: Proceeds benefit May Day Books and WEF actions-related legal funds. ----- check www.nyc.indymedia.org for coverage of the events. other relevant links: http://www.citizen.org/ http://www.otherdavos.net/ http://www.davos2001.ch/ http://www.buko24.de/