Workshops med afrikanske græsrødder

Join us for four inspiring afternoon workshops and meet progressive African activists fighting for social and political change. Meet representatives from all of Afrika Kontakt’s partner organizations and join the discussion on how to strengthen solidarity across borders and support social movements in the Global South. 

As part of Afrika Kontakt’s partner seminar 2017, “Building stronger alliances for common struggles”, representatives from all our African partner organizations are in Denmark. On this occasion, Afrika Kontakt and our partners invite you to join us for an afternoon of discussion about global solidarity and people’s struggles for social, political and economic justice in the Global South. 

Meet small scale farmers fighting for a sustainable food production and climate justice in southern Africa, democracy campaigners from Swaziland, anti-colonial activists from Western Sahara, women rights activists, union workers and local community organizers from Zimbabwe, South Africa and Uganda. 

Programme

15.30 – 16.00: Welcome and introduction by Afrika Kontakt activists and partners

16.00 – 17.30: Workshops

18.30 – 23.30: Solidarity Dinner (for more info, see below)

Workshop #1: Small scale farmers and the struggle for food sovereignty

All over the world small scale farmers and food producers are mobilizing against the big agribusiness industry and the key drivers of the climate crisis. Learn more about how small scale food producers fight for alternatives that put people and the planet before profit. Meet small scale farmers from Zimbabwe and get to know more about their struggle for food sovereignty both locally amongst rural farmers and as part of the global peasant movement, La Via Campesina. 

Workshop #2: The Danish development strategy – development for who? 

We have witnessed massive cutbacks in the Danish development sector. In the meantime, big players on the development scene in Denmark, as well as internationally, continue to promote certain forms of development policies that put national interests and business investments in the heart of the strategies. In this workshop, activists from Africa Kontakt and partners will discuss western development policies, by looking closer at the new Danish development strategy and ask: who is this development for?

Workshop #3: International solidarity and workers’ rights

Last year the slave-like conditions for the workers in the South African wine industry became a heated topic in Scandinavian news due to Tom Heinemann’s documentary “Bitter Grapes – Slavery in the Wineyards”. In this workshop we will follow up on the situation and the massive wine workers’ strike in the Fall 2016. Together with union workers from South Africa we will discuss how we, as consumers and citizens in Denmark, can support the struggle for workers’ rights in South Africa. 

Workshop #4: Resistance and resource exploitation in Western Sahara 

Western Sahara have been occupied by Morocco for more than since 1975 and is Africa’s last colony. Violations against the Saharawi people and illegal exploitation of the disputed territory’s massive resources are very much evident to this day. Meet young Saharawi activists who work for a peaceful solution to the conflict and through disinvestment campaigns seek to put pressure on foreign investors, as for instance Danish banks and pension funds, in their struggle for independence. 

Registration

The event is free and everybody is welcome. However, registration is necessary. Please send an email with your name and the workshop that you wish to participate in to: [email protected].

After the workshops, the evening ends with a Solidarity Dinner for members and friends of Afrika Kontakt. Everybody is welcome – see more here or Facebook.