Sustaining Activism’s Fire: Caring, Campaigning, Creating

This is an invitation to activists and others interested in environmental issues, development, solidarity and our planet’s fragile future. It aims to increase our awareness of the global and justice dimensions of environmental issues and to explore the elements that enable sustainable activism – not only at the levels of the group and the movement, but also in the too-often neglected personal dimension. We have chosen Uisneach because it is a hill near the centre of Ireland, location of the Festival of Fires: a place of imagination, creativity and beauty.

The day will consist of presentations, conversations, stories and music from among others Abjata Khalif of the Kenya Pastoralist Journalists Network, who works on issues of sustainability, conflict resolution and women’s empowerment in extremely challenging conditions on the borders of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia. We will also be joined by representatives of ‘Be the Change’, and activists, academics and artists looking at campaigns, successful and less successful, present and past.

We will hear about two campaigns in particular – the anti-nuclear campaign of the late ‘70s, which saved Ireland from nuclear power, and the Dunnes Stores anti-apartheid strike of the early ‘80s, a remarkable campaign which achieved results beyond what its instigators could have hoped for or imagined. We will also explore the spirit of other movements of today and yesterday: why does one campaign succeed and another fail? What is success? What is failure?

Sustainability is a critical concept. But what do we mean by sustainability? How do we achieve it? How do we sustain ourselves as individual activists, as communities and as a movement working towards greater justice and the preservation of our planet? How do we increase solidarity and work in such a way as to recognise the global and justice dimensions of our work? At the end of the event, we hope that participants will have a better sense of how they might sustain themselves in their struggles for justice and for the environment. This event will have ideas aplenty – and in the words of the poet Rumi: “Out beyond ideas /of wrongdoing/ and rightdoing/there is a field.

I will meet you there.”

~ Joe Murray (Afri)

This event is organised by Afri in association with Friends of the Earth

Programme/Clár

10am Arrival and registration

10.30am Fáilte and music

10.45am Expectations workshop

11.15am Abjata Khalif – Soil and Sustainability: An East African Perspective

12pm Stories and Conversations: Dunnes Stores Strike and Anti-Nuclear Campaign with Catherine O’Reilly and Michael Ewing

1.15-2.15pm Lunch break, tree planting and time to walk in the beautiful grounds

2.15pm Sustaining the Activist, Sustaining the Action: Suggestions for Healthy Campaigning

2.30pm Reflective Workshop including the River of Life

3.30pm Feedback

4.25pm An Arrow Through Time – Choctaw Gary White Deer

4.30pm Tea/coffee

4.45pm A Visit to Uisneach – with Ruth Illingworth

6pm Conclusion

Biographies:

Abjata Khalif: is a freelance journalist and a development worker from Kenya, with an interest in climate change and renewable energy. He is Chair of the Kenya Pastoralist Journalist Network, a community media organisation in northern Kenya that uses media in advocating peace, offering peace education, reconciling communities through radio talk shows and community forums. He is also a regular contributor to the Climate & Development Knowledge Network, which supports developing countries in delivering climate compatible development. The KPJN, in partnership with Afri is providing solar powered lights for school children, community groups and mid-wives in the region.

Catherine O’Reilly: was one of the famous Dunnes Stores Strikers who participated in an extraordinary strike beginning in 1984 and running for over two years. The strikers were demanding that their right to refuse to handle the fruits of apartheid be recognised and respected. They achieved an extraordinary victory when the Irish Government eventually banned the importation of fruit and vegetable from Apartheid South Africa. Desmond Tutu said that the strikers are written into the history of South Africa’s struggle for freedom. Nelson Mandela, who met the strikers when he visited Ireland after his release also commended the strikers on their heroic action. Since the strike Catherine has continued to work with marginalised groups in Ireland.

Michael Ewing: is Coordinator of the Irish Environmental Network and has a particular interest in people working together in a creative way. Seeing The War Game – a BBC documentary banned by Margaret Thatcher for fear it would cause mass panic – at age 14 kick-started it all. He then took part in the march to Aldermaston, street events and agit-prop theatre; was active in relation to Hiroshima and Nagasaki; engaged in group sessions to create solidarity in CND including providing organic food for protesters in Carnsore. He also pushed a ‘perishing missile’ from Ballyshannon to Ballyporeen – gate crashing the Paddy’s day parade in Longford en route! Michael will speak about lessons learned and not learned.

Gary White Deer: Choctaw, is an internationally known painter, tribal chanter and dance leader who has represented the Irish-Choctaw Famine link on many occasions. The link originated when the Choctaw, despite their meagre resources, sent $170 to Ireland for Famine Relief in 1847. The second Choctaw donation to Ireland was presented by Gary Whitedeer to the community resisting Shell’s activities in Erris, Co Mayo in 2008. Gary has made documentary film appearances on RTE, BBC and National Geographic Explorer, and most recently appeared on Fair City and Nationwide. Gary’s memoirs ‘Touched by Thunder’ was published in 2012.

Ruth Illingworth: is a Mullingar native who still resides in the town. She is a lecturer, writer, broadcaster and tour guide. A graduate of the NUI, she is a lecturer at Maynooth University, where she teaches Irish History to visiting American students, as well as lecturing to historical societies around the Midlands and elsewhere in Ireland. Ruth is currently President of the Westmeath Historical and Archaeological Society and provides guided tours of historic and literary Mullingar. She also works with local schools on local history projects providing tours for school children.

Why Uisneach?

Uisneach is traditionally seen as the place where four provinces meet and thus, in Celtic belief, where a fifth territory or province opened out. By choosing Uisneach as the meeting place we are recognising the need to step aside as it were from our own territories and find a common ground where we can rest, replenish and re-energise...it's the field where we can meet and create new realities of being and doing.

What is the purpose of the day?

• To explore the elements that enable sustainable activism at a personal, group and movement level;
• To promote an increased awareness of the global and justice dimensions of environmental issues.

Why would I want to attend?

This event is for campaigners and activists and those interested in the preservation of the planet to share their stories and gain from hearing others sharing their stories. It is a day when time will be given to exploring what helps to sustain us while keeping the fire of activism burning as opposed to unsustainable practices that leave us burnt out.

To Book:

In order to ensure that we can arrange food and transport we ask that you book in advance. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to facilitate last minute bookings. Please note: we would like as many people to attend as possible. If you would like to pay a donation appropriate to your means please contact Afri directly (admin@afri.ie) or 01 8827563.

The Art of Activism

On the day, a selection of photos/placards/leaflets from the Afri archive will be on display. Afri has had over 35 years’ experience in campaigning. We would like to invite you to participate in this exhibition by bringing along 1 or 2 items only of campaigning material from your own archives to share on the wall.

The Venue:

We have picked Mount Druid, in Castletown Geoghegan as it is adjacent to the Hill of Uisneach and is a family run business, with an organic sheep farm attached together with acres of native Irish trees. If you would like to find directions to Mount Druid please go to their website: http://boutiquecamping.ie/contact/ which has directions from Sligo, Galway, Dublin, Belfast, Tullamore and Killarney.

Cutting Carbon Emissions:

In order to make the day as environmentally friendly as possible we will arrange transport to pick people up from the train station in Mullingar at 9.15am on the Saturday morning. If you would like to avail of this please indicate this when you are booking (you can send an email to admin@afri.ie). We would also recommend car pooling where possible, or even cycling if you have the energy for it!

Afri gratefully acknowledges the support of Concern, Dóchas and the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. This event has also received financial support from the European Commission