G8 2007 – There are alternatives!

Support the international G8-alternative-summit
Rostock, June 5-7, 2007

In 2007 the summit of the eight richest and most powerful states in the world will take place in Heiligendamm near the City of Rostock on the Baltic coast of Germany. The politics of the G8 have triggered criticism and worldwide protest for a long time. During the 2007 summit in Germany this will be visible in its various forms. One important event will be the Alternative Summit to be held in Rostock from June 5 - 7. Anyone who is searching for alternatives to globalisation in its current form is invited.

Even though the heads of state and governments of the G8 represent only 13% of the world's population, they will nevertheless deal with questions concerning the world economy, development, environment, war and peace, as well as other issues which concern all of humankind. As usual however, priority will be given to satisfying national interests which are often narrow-minded and short-term.

This will not change in 2007. Revealingly, the German government has declared
“investment security” to be the leitmotiv of the summit. The current form of globalisation has produced and continues to produce many losers and very few winners.

One of those losers is social justice. Poverty and social polarisation are increasing worldwide. While the number of people fighting starvation has risen from 840 million to 854 million over the last ten years, the tiny minority of millionaires and the super-rich were able to double their wealth from 16 trillion to 33 trillion dollars. Another group that benefits from this type of globalisation are the so-called ‘global players’ such as institutional investors and multinational corporations. Simultaneously, poverty and social insecurity are on the rise even in most developed countries.

Another loser is the environment. The current economic model and the corresponding way of life is leading to a catastrophic climate change, destroying bio-diversity, and plundering the planet’s natural resources. The very basis for human life on this planet is being destroyed. And the politics of the G8, focussed on unlimited growth and unregulated market dynamics, severely intensify global environmental problems.

Peace and international security are on the losing side as well. More and more causes for conflict are accumulating incessantly. Nationalism, racism, fundamentalism, violence, terror, and war are once again being promoted. Instead of long-term conflict prevention strategies we are witnessing an increasing militarisation of international politics. G8 states are either at war, or in some indirect way involved in armed conflicts. Among the losers of globalisation, women are especially affected. Millions of people are forced into migration or sheer plight by miserable living-conditions. Alongside, the first world is increasing its fortification against migrants.

We cannot allow all this to continue! Globalisation in the interest of the majority of the people works differently. We want a democratic globalisation from below, globalisation of justice and social security. We want fair relations and fair trade between developed and developing countries. We want an economy based on solidarity. The economy must serve the people, not the other way round! We demand a responsible and sustainable treatment of our environment. We stand for peaceful and political solutions of conflicts.

There are alternatives to the politics of the G8. We want to present and discuss them in public. Also, we want to exchange ideas, and collectively work on answers to the many remaining questions.

The Alternative Summit will be held from June 5 (5pm) through June 7 (1pm). Additionally, there will be various connected events that will focus on specific topics. Interested organisations, networks, and individuals may register for holding workshops during the Alternative Summit. Contact: workshops@g8-alternative-summit.org, Phone: +49 (0)30 28041811

Initiators: Aktionsbündnis AIDS, Aktionsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft (ABL), Attac Deutschland, BDKJ, BUND, Bund demokratischer WissenschaftlerInnen, Deutscher Naturschutzring (DNR), Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (EED), Eine Welt Landesnetzwerk MV, Erlassjahr.de, FIAN, Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung, Freier Zusammenschluss von StudentInnenschaften (fzs), Gerechtigkeit jetzt!, Greenpeace Deutschland, Heinrich Böll Stiftung, IG Metall, Inkota, Interventionistische Linke, IPPNW, Landesflüchtlingsrat MV, Leipziger Missionswerk, Medico international, Misereor, Netzwerk Friedenskooperation, Netzwerk Grundeinkommen, Ökumenische Initiative eine Welt, Oxfam Deutschland, Pro Asyl, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, Stiftung Nord-Süd Brücken, Terre des Femmes, Urgewald, Verband Entwicklungspolitik deutscher Nichtregierungsorganisationen (VENRO), WEED. International: Action Aid, FOE Europe, Focus on the Global South, Via Campesina

Another World is Possible!

At the beginning of June 2007, the governments of the seven most important industrialised countries and Russia will meet for the ‘G8 Summit’ at the Baltic seaside resort of Heiligendamm. The ‘Group of 8’ (G8) is an institution without legitimacy. Nevertheless, as a self-appointed informal world government, they make decisions which affect the whole of humanity. The policies of the G8 stand for a neoliberal globalisation and deregulation, economic policies oriented towards the capital returns of international financial investors and companies.

• Every five seconds, a child dies somewhere in the world from hunger. More than 800 million people are chronically malnourished. Primarily responsible are unjust world trade policies, forwarded by the rich industrialised countries within the G8 and other international institutions.
• Despite the whole-hearted promises of the G8 Summit at Gleneagles in 2005, until now only a small proportion of the debt of Southern countries has been cancelled.
• Through their promotion of liberalisation and privatisation, the G8 have not only increased poverty in the global South, but also in the industrialised countries. The worldwide plundering of raw materials and other natural resources is being accelerated.
• At the same time as the rich industrialised countries seal themselves off from refugees and migrants, those who nevertheless arrive are illegalised and exploited as cheap labourers without rights.
• The G8 states are the biggest destroyers of the climate. They are alone responsible for 43% of worldwide CO2 emissions as well as being in favour of a renaissance of nuclear energy, which we decidedly reject.
• The G8 states are responsible for 90% of worldwide weapons exports and a new era of war for raw materials. They are the leaders of a world order based on war, which leads to migration, displacement, new hate and violence in many countries.

The world shaped by the dominance of the G8 is a world of war, hunger, social divisions, environmental destruction and barriers against migrants and refugees. At our mass demonstration on 2 June 2007 in Rostock, we want to protest against this and show the alternatives. Together with millions of people around the world we say: Another World Is Possible!

• For the immediate cancellation of illegitimate debt and comprehensive debt relief for the countries of the global South!
• Against the sale of public goods and services – for equal social rights and standards worldwide!
• For a speedy and radical transfer to renewable energies! Dangerous climate change and further wars for oil and gas reserves can only be prevented through a significant rise in energy efficiency and the transfer to a sustainable economy.
• For the immediate and permanent abandonment of nuclear energy and for complete worldwide nuclear disarmament!
• For the showing of solidarity with, and the living together with equal rights, of all people – against every form of racism and fascism!
• For the overcoming of walls and borders! Against detention camps and deportation!
• For a peaceful world! End the military imposition of economic and power-political interests through the G8 states!

Globalisation in the interests of the majority of people requires a fair relationship between industrialised and developing countries, and means freedom, justice, social security, democracy and the conservation of the planet’s natural resources for the next generation.

Such an alternative globalisation will not result from exclusive and insular summit meetings, but rather from below out of the global movement of people and initiatives who stand up for another, better world. This global movement will make itself heard through numerous actions and events during the G8 Summit. At the International Demonstration on 2 June 2007 in Rostock, we will make the size, strength and diversity of our colourful and broad protests visible.