A call to social movements, frontline communities
and campaigning networks, and progressive NGOs,
academics and parliamentarians across Asia and Europe:
Join the 10th Asia-Europe Peoples’ Forum
“Towards a Just and Equal Asia and Europe -
Building States of Citizens for Citizens”
Milan, Italy, 10-12 October 2014
On 16-17th October 2014 the 10th Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM10) will take place in Milan hosted by The European Union. Heads of State and Government from across Asia and Europe will meet to discuss their future priorities and plans.
Prior to ASEM10, the Asia-Europe People’s Forum (AEPF) will hold its 10th biennial People’s Forum on
10-12 October 2014 under the title “Towards a Just and Equal Asia and Europe - Building States of Citizens for Citizens”.
AEPF10 will tackle major themes or People’s Visions, which represent AEPF’s hopes for citizens of Europe and Asia. These are:
− Socially Just Trade and Investment
− Universal Social Protection – Guaranteed decent jobs, access to Essential Services and Social Security;
− Food Sovereignty and Sustainable Land and Natural Resource Management;
− Climate Justice, Sustainable Energy Production and Zero Waste; and
− Peace and Security
Progress towards the realisation of these People’s Visions, or Alternatives, is at the heart of a way out of the multiple crises confronting people, states and institutions. The ecological, debt, financial, energy and food crises, which have been caused and compounded by the policies and practices of many governments in both rich and poor countries and their approaches to regulation of business, have caused increasing social polarization between peoples and states. In Asia the crises are exacerbating poverty and inequality, already widespread before the present crises. In Europe the crises are creating indebtedness, joblessness and insecurity. We are increasingly experiencing ‘corporate capture’–multinational and national corporations structuring and determining our lives and livelihoods. The responses of citizens are often at local and national levels and to complement these, the AEPF is looking to encourage and strengthen cooperation and solidarity of people’s networks regionally, inter-regionally and globally.
This is a call to social movements, frontline communities and campaigning networks, and progressive NGOs, academics and parliamentarians across Asia and Europe to come and join us, to be part of the AEPF10 Forum. You can be part of an event that is open, dynamic and inclusive and focuses on meaningful and practical discussions for change.
AEPF10 will be an exciting series of interlinked dialogues, workshops, actions, policy debates and open spaces. You can be part of this in many ways: you can actively participate in the discussions and building of People’s Visions, co-organize an event, and/or contribute human and financial resources. There will be a call for expressions of interest to organise workshops and events soon.
Interested in joining us? Contribute your knowledge, resources or time to enable AEPF10 to be a success.
This is your forum!
Please watch out for announcements on AEPF10 activities and on how to register as participant or co-organizer of events at the AEPF website www.aepf.info. For further information, you may contact aepf10milano gmail.com