Trade Week of Action

Catholic Information Service for Africa—Churches and church-related organizations worldwide, along with other religious and community groups, are gearing up for the Trade Week of Action, October 14-21.

The week will be devoted to calling for alternatives to enforced free trade. Organizers are highlighting current trade practices that are inflicting misery on millions of poor people and advocating for changes in national and international arenas.

Planned events range from hunger strikes and pickets to worship and high-profile seminars.

Southern African churches and civil society organizations are organizing prayers, pickets, radio talk shows, a seminar and a statement on debt cancellation and food security.

“Trade which does not eradicate poverty, enhance equality and care for the environment is not worth promoting,” said Kenyan-born Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

“When trade, as it does today, sends the majority of people into grinding poverty, increasing hunger and loss of livelihoods, while a few enjoy excessive wealth, then as churches we need to intensify our advocacy work.”

The Trade Week of Action coincides with World Food Day (October 16), the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (October 17), and the Joint Annual Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (October 19-21).

The Global Week of Action Against Debt is also taking place this week, meaning millions will be campaigning against unjust economic policies around the globe.

The Trade Week of Action is organized by the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA), an international network of churches and church-related organizations cooperating in advocacy on global trade and HIV and AIDS.

EAA participants include the World Council of Churches, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Lutheran World Federation, Caritas Internationalis, and over 100 more organizations, reaching a constituency of tens of millions, committed to “speak out with one voice against injustice, to confront structures of power, practices and attitudes which deprive human beings of dignity and to offer alternative visions based on the Gospel”, as participants in the December 2000 founding meeting of the Alliance have vowed to do.

Photos, stories and actions being taken around the world are added daily at the Trade Week of Action website: http://www.tradeweek.org

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