Turning fertile land into open pits, polluting water, air and the climate, the mining industry poses a major threat to hunters, fisher-people and small farmers the world over. But around the planet communities are standing up, at great risk, to defend life-sustaining ecosystems and livelihoods from destruction. Join environmental human rights defenders with first-hand experience of resisting mining from South Africa, Chile, Colombia, Finland and the USA to hear their stories and learn how to stand in solidarity with them.

Register for this free event on Facebook.

This event is part of The Gaia Foundation’s We Feed the World exhibit. The day will consist of a mixture of break-out workshops, presentations led by environmental defenders from around the world and collective panel discussions on key themes, spread throughout the day. You’re welcome to join us for the whole day, or just come along for an hour – more details on timings throughout the day to come soon!

Speakers

-Rosa Maria Mateus – Lawyer from CAJAR (The Jose Alvear Restrepo Lawyers’ Collective), Bogota, Colombia
-Luis Misael Socarras – Wayuu Indigenous Human Rights Defender, La Guajira, Colombia
-Nonhle Mbuthuma – Amadiba Crisis Comittee, South Africa
-Lucio Cuenca – Director of OLCA (Latin American Observatory of Environmental Conflicts), Chile
-Chris Madine – Snowchange Cooperative, Finland
-Roger Featherstone – Arizona Mining Reform Coalition, USA

Schedule for the day

• 1115 – 11:45 – Welcome and introductions from our speakers.
• 11:45 – 1 – Rosa Maria Mateus and Luis Misael Socarras: indigenous resistance and alternatives to coal mining in La Guajira, Colombia.
  
• 1 – 1:30- Chris Madine: film screening and Q&A- community-led re-wilding of post-mining ecosystems in Selkie, Finland
• 1:30 – 2:30- Lunch
• 2:30 – 3:15- Panel discussion: land, water and alternatives to mining-led ‘development’- global perspectives.
• 3:15 – 4- Nonhle Mbuthuma: food, farming and mining on South Africa’s Wild Coast and the global campaign for the Right to say NO to mining
• 4 – 4:30- Lucio Cuenca: mining conflicts in Chile- forces for sustainability?
• 4:30 – 5:00- Roger Featherstone: defending sacred lands from mining in Arizona, USA.
  
• 5:00 – 5:30- Closing plenary with all speakers.

Organised by

The Gaia Foundation, London Mining Network, Yes to Life, No to Mining, Colombia Solidarity Campaign, War on Want.