18th January: Forever young18 January 2004
Nearby temple
Finally my brain has stopped feeling fuzzed out by jetlag.
This morning at the WSF Youth Forum I spoke at a seminar, using the Ilisu Dam Campaign as an example of how mobilising and working together can be a powerful tool for change.
Mandala of flowers outside the WSF Youth Forum
We discussed tactics that a new student activist group in Bombay might use to challenge corporations.
I love this exchanging of ideas and strategies and I'll be coming home fired up with new ideas for Friends of the Earth's campaiging against corporate power.
This afternoon, a group of organisations including us, Greenpeace and Amnesty held a seminar. We came together under a looseknit coalition - the corporate accountability caucus - formed at the World Summit in Johannesburg.
Human pyramid
It's great to see connections being built upon and reinforced and new contacts being made.
Sometimes in the office, as stories of environmental destruction and human rights abuses flood in daily, I worry about becoming hardened to the terrible tales.
But over here I've already lost count of the number of times I've been moved to the point of tears. Hearing people's stories of horrific sufferings at the hands of corporates and the dignity and strength with which they tell their stories is moving, humbling and inspiring.
Decisions decisions
Where next?
The Libran in me dominates my decision making
capabilities at the best of times. Here it's gone into overdrive - there's so much to choose from.
Aside from the 300 or so seminars and workshops each day, there are three big exhibition halls with:
- art installations and stalls
- film showing
- a theatre
- constant demonstrations
and the sound of drumming is never far away. I feel like a child in a sweet shop - what a feast.
I could almost spend all day people-watching and gathering leaflets and flyers. Today I've acquired a pair of big lips: a mouth shaped mask with the slogan:
your mouth, fundamental against fundamentalists
Don't forget to use your mouth!
Love,
Hannah
Hannah Griffiths, our Corporates Campaigner is sending daily updates direct from the WSF in India.
© Friends of the Earth
