As politicians fail in Paris, people power prevails
Weekend of peaceful demonstrations expected in Paris as climate talks concludeMedia advisories for: December 11 and 12, 2015
PARIS, FRANCE – Over 2,000 activists from more than 30 countries, all members of the Friends of the Earth International federation, will arrive in Paris on Friday for a weekend of peaceful demonstrations [1].
They will join thousands more on the streets of Paris on Saturday morning to send a global message for climate justice and peace, writ large across the entirety of metropolitan Paris [2]. The demonstrations will denounce the outcomes of the climate talks in Paris, and call for transformation away from our corporate-driven fossil fuel system to a socially controlled and owned renewable energy system.
Spokespeople and experts will be available throughout for interviews, analyses of the COP21 outcomes, and forward-looking perspectives on what to expect from the climate movement in 2016.
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Event 1: People. Power. Action!
When: Friday afternoon, December 11
14:00 – Doors open, with a warm welcome to everyone. There’ll be a welcome hub, hot drinks, creative workshops, story-telling and an area to decompress after trip to Paris.
14:30-18:30 – There’ll be a diversity of workshops open to everyone, ranging from practical briefings on the weekend of action, big picture analyses of the COP21 discussions, and creative banner-making, to technical content discussions on topics like dirty energy, climate justice and false solutions.
In parallel, from 16:30-18:30, Young Friends of the Earth Europe will run a climate justice assembly with around 300 young people from around the world.
19:00 – People. Power. Action will install a giant message in lights (photos available). Speakers from across the FoEI federation will celebrate people power, joined by representatives of some of our international struggles.
21:00 until close – there’ll be music, networking, and dancing.
What: Friends of the Earth International invite you to join an evening of inspiring speakers, music, discussion, networking and solidarity. There will be a photo-opportunity, where activists light the way to people-powered solutions, and speakers calling for justice for people affected by climate change and for a community-owned sustainable energy system.
Interview opportunities: Representatives of front line energy struggles; people who have built alternative energy systems; 300 youth activists; directors of Friends of the Earth International network.
Visuals: Light show, banners, workshop for hundreds of activists and young people, music and dancing.
Where: Palais des Congrès Paris-Est, 128 Rue de Paris, 93100 Montreuil, Paris
Social media: #PeoplePower
More information: https://www.wearetheenergyrevolution.org/en/get-active/people-power-action/
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Event 2: Climate Justice Peace
When: Saturday morning, December 12
9:30 – Briefings for activists on how to geolocate across the city
10:00-11:00 – Activists travel in groups to locations across Paris to geolocate
11:00-11:30 – ‘Write History’ map of activists spelling “climate justice peace” will appear online; activists will document their movements with pictures and videos on Twitter, Facebook, social media.
What: Friends of the Earth International will join thousands of activists on the streets of Paris to send a global message for climate justice and peace, writ large across the entirety of metropolitan Paris [1]. This will kick-start a day of peaceful demonstrations denouncing the outcomes of the international climate talks [2]. People will write history in Paris, not politicians.
The demonstration will be live-streamed online here (live Saturday from 10:00): http://www.climatejusticepeace.org/
Visuals: Our sanctioned solution to the Parisian restrictions on organizing large groups in Paris is Geolocation. Thousands of small groups of people with smartphones and Twitter accounts will legally and peacefully map a giant message on the streets of Paris. People power and creative activism will spell out CLIMATE JUSTICE and PEACE.
Where: The demonstration will occur across Paris. Journalists are invited to join the coordination team at the ‘Write History’ headquarters, CCFD-Terre Solidaire, 4 Rue Jean Lantier, 75001 Paris
Social media: #PeoplePower; #ClimateJusticePeace
More information: In English: http://www.amisdelaterre-cop21.org/?lang=en; In French: http://www.amisdelaterre-cop21.org
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NOTES:
[1] The demonstration will occur across Paris. Journalists are invited to join the coordination team at the ‘Write History’ headquarters, CCFD-Terre Solidaire, 4 Rue Jean Lantier, 75001 Paris. For more information: http://www.amisdelaterre-cop21.org/
[2] The Friends of the Earth demonstration is followed by a number of peaceful demonstrations planned by the French Coalition Climat 21. This includes a 350.org ‘red-lines’ convergence in Paris, followed by a demonstration in a symbolic location, led by Alternatiba.
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Hosts: Friends of the Earth International, Friends of the Earth France
Contacts:
(EN) Sam Fleet, communications officer for Friends of the Earth Europe,
Tel: +33 (0) 7 88 999 442, email: [email protected]
(FR) Lucie Pinson, Friends of the Earth France,
Tel: +33 (0) 6 79 543 715, email: [email protected]