Bloom- movement for global justice

Bloom is a movement of people in Ireland taking action together for global justice. The thinking behind Bloom: Movement for Global Justice began among some of our most creative activists. They include people such as Conall O’ Caoimh, Jean Somers, Michael O’ Sullivan, Dier Tong and Mary Kinane. This group started thinking creatively together about how to tackle the challenges that small, under-resourced, political organisations experience all the time. Challenges like, taking on big political battles, but with tiny amounts of resources. Challenges like, needing increased political support when engaging in tough campaigns. And the growing challenge of sustaining political action in an inclusive way on global justice in what often feels like a very narrow political environment in Ireland.

As these discussions developed, the group formalised itself into a political alliance on public activism now made up of the Africa Centre, Comhlámh, Latin America Solidarity Centre and Debt and Development Coalition Ireland.

Our website for Bloom will be up and running soon...

Bloom's Conference 7th and 8th November
Campaigners Demand Just Economic System, Saturday 8th November 2008
 
Leaders of a new movement for global justice that brings together four of Ireland's foremost campaigning groups, today demanded a fairer global economic system. The demand was issued in advance of next week's major summit on the financial crisis called by outgoing US President George Bush, G8 leaders, and governments of 20 of the world's biggest countries.
 
According to Mbemba Jabbi of the Africa Centre, the summit planned in Washington for November 15th is fundamentally flawed, as "it excludes the majority of countries that have suffered the most under a system that allows the world's wealth to remain in the hands of a few."
 
Campaigners point out that the swift response of the governments of the richest countries to bail out banks and financial institutions is in stark contrast to their failure to respond decisively to the unabated crisis of poverty and deprivation affecting the majority of the world's people.
 
Nessa Ní Chasaide of Debt and Development Coalition Ireland commented, "We fear that the reforms proposed in Washington next week will give greater legitimacy to global institutions, such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), that have damaged the economies of countries around the world through their disastrous policy prescriptions."
 
The campaigners pointed out that it took over a decade for rich governments to agree to pay out some US$100 billion in debt relief payments to impoverished countries –where millions of people are living on less than $1 dollar per day – yet it took only days to arrange a multi-trillion dollar bailout of their banks.
 
The campaigners were joined by leading international activists in their call, including: Oscar Olivera, Industrial Workers Trade Union, Bolivia; Njoki Njehu , Jubilee South, Kenya; and Eyad Burrnat, Friends of Freedom and Justice in Bil'in, Palestine.   

 We had a very interesting and inspiring two days at both the launch of Bloom and the conference on the 7th and 8th of November. To hear the panelists of Irish speakers from the conference on Saturday, please log onto http://www.indymedia.ie/article/89797

For an interesting article, 'Some Thoughts on Building a Global Justice Movement in Ireland' please visit http://www.indymedia.ie/article/89668