What's On...

Below is the first draft of what will be happening at the LUU social forum. Some of it's confirmed, some of it isn't. If you'd like to get involved in organising the event; want to run a stall, workshop or have any requests, objections or support to offer get in touch.



How does it work?

The week is arranged so every day is themed around a certain issue. Each day will feature speakers and workshops explaining an issue alongside students who've taken effective action to change the situation for the better.


Monday 29/09/2008 - Poverty

• Speakers: Nick Dearden - Director of Jubilee Debt Campaign, James O'Nions- World Development Movement

• Workshops: Adam Ma'anit - New Internationalist - Using the Media
  

• Students: Hannah Greenslade - People and Planet, Stop Aids

• Film: The Corporation, Bamako

• Entertainment: Open Mic
  

Tuesday 30/09/2008 - Climate Change

• Speakers: Asad Rehman - Friends of the Earth, Jess Worth - New Internationalist

• Workshops: George Monbiot Vs Paul Chatterton - Is legislation the answer?
  

• Students: Stephan Halpin - People and Planet

• Film: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil, An Inconvenient Truth
  

• Entertainment: Rob Newman - History of Oil

Wednesday 01/10/2008 - Student Focus

• Speakers: Wes Streeting - NUS
  

• Students: Zoe Roberts - How to take over a Refectory, Rebecca Collins - How to take on your Landlord

• Film - Camden 28

• Entertainment: LUU Game of Life

Thursday 02/10/2008 - Is Democracy Dead?

• Speakers: Stephen Coleman Leeds University, Ricardo Blaug Leeds University, Ruth Kinna Nottingham University, Saul Newman Goldsmiths University
  

• Student Workshops: Democ Soc - Why we should vote, Green Action - Working without leaders
  

• Films: The War on Democracy, Taking Liberties
  

• Entertainment: Mark Thomas

Friday 03/10/2008 - Human Rights

• Speakers: Nadia Idle - War on Want, Ewa Jasiewicz - Hands off Iraqi Oil

• Workshops: Amnesty International - Creative Campaigning

• Students: John Ward - No Borders, Mathew Waddington Hands of Iraqi Oil
  

• Films: Lilya 4eva

• Entertainment: Parties Not Punches

P.S - I've asked Mr X to attend. Am still awaiting his reply...

Why have an LUU Social Forum?

Next Monday i will have worked as LUU's Campaigns and Democracy Support Manager for exactly 7 months. Aside from the huge paypacket, I took the job because I thought wow...this place has over 30,000 young, intelligent members who must, like me, have concerns about the world we live in...maybe together we could do something awesome?

People say to me..."but James it's not your job to decide what issues the Union campaigns on" as if I might be approached by a 400-strong block of students who want me to help ensure the University increase its carbon footprint or the Union support a campaign to make the government build more nuclear weapons (maybe spending $4bn a year is enough?) I'm still waiting to hear from those people...

There is a basic common morality to the campaign activity that I've seen at LUU. This morality is one reflected by the activists, NGOs and Social Movements that I've encountered in wider civil society. Very few people believe in the exploitation of people or the environment for the benefit of the few, precisely for that reason - it only benefits the few.

The invite-only, World Economic Forum is by definition, for the selected few. In stark contrast to this, Social Forums across the world are characterised by plurality, diversity and decentralised coordination. Anyone can attend, take part, share their experiences, ideas and meet other people who they can work with to change the world for the better. Should LUU have one of these for its members? Sounds pretty good to me...