Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Central America, the Caribbean, North America: More than one-hundred actions throughout the world against multinationals and their control over agriculture and food.

 

EUROPE :

1.Switzerland, Geneva. April 17: Actions “Of the Local Heart.” Visit dairy; launch the bread “turn-dream Uniterre.” Documentary screening, round table, etc. Contact : info[at]uniterre.ch

2. Switzerland, Fribourg, April 17: actions on equitable milk sales. Contact : info[at]uniterre.ch

3. Switzerland, Zurich, April 17: Under the slogan “no speculation but production” the new section of Uniterre Zurich organized a direct action in the heart of the city : seedlings of an urban wasteland.

 

4. Spain, Andalousia, Séville. April 12-16 : Various workshops, round table, seed exchange, visits to collective peri-urban gardens, and a tasting of organic products, organised by the network « Semillas Resembrando e Intercambiando”. Contact : correo[at]redsemillas.info

5. Spain, Basque Country, Bilbao, April 9: Conference series, “neoliberal political discontents: migrations and food sovereignty”. Press conference for presenting the recipe book « A lamb, one thousand recipes: Food sovereignty here and now! » Published by EHNE and other social organizations. Multicultural culinary fair, lamb “Bizkaiko bildotsa” prepared in different manners (Kuskus, .hoya colombiana)

6. Spain, Basque Country, Gasteiz, April 14: Documentary screening « The World According to Monsanto»

7. Spain, Basque Country, Gernika – Lumo, April 15: Conference series, “neoliberal political discontents: migrations and food sovereignty.” Sharing of experiences between youth from Rif and from Euskadie. Contact : olate[at]ehne.org

8. Spain, Madrid, April 17: Large national demonstration against genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Contact : plataformarural[at]nodo50.org

9. Spain, Leon, Cacabelos, April 18: public meals with organic food; market of organic & fair trade products, second-hand objects, barter, and crafts; activities for children; workshop on healthy cooking; organic honey tasting; concerts. Organized by the association la Olla del Bierzo. Contact : vangel[at]telecentroscyl.net

10. Spain, Aragon, Zaragosse, April 12-26, Exhibition on transgenic plants.

11. Spain, Catalogne, Barcelone, April 12 : Screening & debate on the film “Our Daily Bread.” April 14: Sreening & Debate on the film “The Market of Hunger.”

12. Spain, Asturias, Oviedo, April 17: Noon to 15 hours, “paseos de los alamos”, various cultural activities are organized (Exhibition of varieties of seeds and fruit, readings, theatre).

13. Belgium, Brussels, April 17 : workshop on the food crisis and dairy crisis during the Belgium Social Forum. Lead by FUGEA, Oxfam-Solidarity, Greenpeace, 11.11.11, CRIOC and WERVEL. Contact : xd[at]fugea.be.

14. Belgium, Brussels, April 17 : members of Reclaim the Fields Belgium changed the name of the park on Avenue Tervuren previously named “Parc Monsanto” to “Parc Eldorado dos Carajás 17 avril”

15. Germany, Berlin : April 17: Protest against land grabbing. Organized by FIAN and other groups. Theatre performance, visit to a community garden, sharing information about seeds and agriculture, symbolic actions. frisch_serviert_vom_krisenherd[at]yahoo.de – Tel : 0049 (0)176 – 2934 1957

16. Germany, Eberswalde, (near Berlin). “GMO-free cafeteria” organized in the university, information sharing about the international day of peasant struggles to students, many of whom are studying agriculture. www.globale-landwirtschaft.net/veranstaltungsreihe

17. Germany, Wuppertal, April 17, small, spontaneous street action focussing onto agrofuels and Monsanto/GMOs.

18. Italy, Rome. April 17: Traditional Brazilian dish (Fagiolata Brasiliana) prepared by the Friends of the Mouvement des Sans Terre (MST) (Landless Workers Movement) – Italy, and the Italian association for Organic Agriculture (AIAB). Press conference and round table. Presentation of a plan to commericialze organic sucre produced by the MST cooperative, COPAVI, in Parana. This fair trade plan is carried by the Friends of the MST – Italie , AIAB, Ya Basta di Reggio Emilia, the Semilla Cooperativa, GAS emiliano-romagnoli and the numerous Italian fair trade stores. Contact : l.misuraca[at]aiab.it

19. Italy, Lucca. Dissemination of the call of April 17^th in the many networks of the Neno Zanchetta Foundation. Contact : aldozan[at]tele2.it

20. Italy, Verona, April 17: The small organic farmers association of Verona mountains (Antica Terra gentile) met in a village called Gorgusello to keep alive and pass on the peasant knowledge of gnocci preparation (made with hot water, salt, wheat flour and flavored with cheese and butter). After cooking and before having this food together, they read the story of April 17 massacre and Via Campesina call for actions.

21. Turkey, Of, (city in Northern Turkey), April 17: peasant demonstration organized by Farmer Unions’ Confederation of Turkey, Ciftci-SEN, against the neoliberal transformation in the Tea Law.

22. Turkey, Bogazici University, April 17: Speech by Hasan Cengiz Yazar, Chairman of the Olive Union, member unions of  Ciftci-SEN, about La Via Campesina, International Day of Peasant Struggle and Ciftci-SEN.

23. Turkey, grave of Yucel Seref, Commemoration of Yucel Seref, Ciftci-SEN organizer of the peasant movement in Turkey, who died in 17 April 2007. Contact : ekinkurtic[at]gmail.com

24.  Portugal, Porto and Lisbon, April 17, march to celebrate the international day of peasant struggle.

25. France, Bonnieux, April 17: action to defend farmland against a project of golf course organized by the Confederation Paysanne, Faucheurs volontaires, Collectif sans OGM, Terre de liens, Biocoop, les Amis de la Terre,Agribio, ATTAC, CREA, AVEC, D3P, Fruits Oubliés PACA, Alliance Provence, Association du pays des Sorgues, Foll’Avoine, Bioconsommacteurs, Le Thor autrement, Le Panier Paysan, Le Parc du Luberon.

26. France, Questembert, 10am, meeting “Place du marché au veaux” where activists of the Confederation Paysanne 56 and sympathizers will disseminate information on the supermarkets and the mass market system and its adverse effects. At noon open picnic and entertainment.

27. France, Clermont l’Hérault, Confederation Paysanne organize a peasant picnic in, followed by debates about peasants’ struggles and the fight against supermarkets and the mass market.

 

ASIA :

28. East Timor, Dili April 15, talk show on TV organized by HASATIL with movement and student alliance to raise awareness on international peasant struggle day.

29. East Timor, Dili : April 16: long march, debate, and press conference in Dili to commemorate peasant struggle day.

30. East Timor, Dili : April 17: Flower ceremony. Contact : arsen_ctl[at]yahoo.com.au

31. India, Karnataka state. State level Youth Training Camp April 17-19, organized by KRRS. Contact : secretariatlvcsouthasia[at]gmail.com

32. Indonesia, April 14 – 20: “Week of Action of Indonesian Peasant Union (SPI) against Corporate Control in Agriculture and Food in Indonesia.” Seminars, mass action, or direct action in the field, such as: harvesting, planting and action to reclaim and defend the land. Indonesia, Jakarta: April 13: press conference. Contact : spi[at]spi.or.id

33. Indonesia, Jakarta, April 14: Food Estate Seminar

34. Indonesia, South Sumatra, April 14: Mass action.

35. Indonesia, Jakarta, April 19: Consolidation and Socialization of Peasants Rights Struggle.

36. Indonesia, Jakarta, April 20: Day of Indonesian Peasants’ Rights, Discussion with Indonesian House of Representatives about Peasants Rights to the Legislative.

37. Pakistan, Lahore, April 17: Anjaman Mozareen Punjab (Punjab Tenant Association) will organize a protest demonstration. Peasants, tenants and their representatives from Lahore, Okara, Depalpur, Renala Khurd, Kala Shah Kakoo, Pakpattan, Rahim Yar Khan, Khanewal Sarghoda and other districts demand the land rights from Government of Punjab and an end of corporate control over the food and agriculture system. Contact : Mehr Abdul Sattar (AMP). Tel : + 92 (0) 300 6961545 et amppunjab[at]yahoo.com

38. Pakistan, Okara, April 17 : demonstration in front of Okara Press Club organized by Anjuman-e-Muzareen, Punjab Pakistan (AMP) (A Movement of Landless peasants). Contact : amp_pk2003[at]yahoo.com

39. Nepal, April 17 : All Nepal Peasants’ Federation organized a talk program among the leaders of Peasants’ movements including Mr. Bamdev Gautam, ex-deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Keshav Badal , ex-minister for industry and commerce, Mr. Prem Dangal, Secretary General of ANPFa, etc…Contact : balram[at]anpfa.org.np

AFRICA

40. Democratic Republic of Congo, April 12, Radio broadcast on the day of April 17^th, 2009 by the RTNC  (National Radio Television RDC).

41. Democratic Republic of Congo, Kinshasa , April 16: Radio broadcast on SSM  SANGO MALAMU on the theme: peasant struggle in RDC, the loss of small farmers and the seizure of land by miners and loggers.

42. Democratic Republic of Congo, Mbanza Ngungu, province in southern Congo, April 17: meeting of the agricultural and rural management council (a body which elaborates the development program for the territory Mbanza Ngungu); a farm visit and meeting of market gardeners, organized by the farmer cooperative Fongo Dia Minvati. Sending a letter to the company Jules Van Lanker, a Belgian company which seized 50,000 hectares of land in 1923, and has still not restored that land, even after the independence of the RDC in 1960. Contact : victor_nzuzi2000[at]yahoo.fr

43. Senegal, Dakar, April 17: press conference by the National Council of Cooperation and Rural Cooperation (CNCR) on the worldwide day of peasant struggle. The leaders and members of the CNCR, originally from the various production chains, will read in the national languages of Senegal—in French, Wolof, Poular, Sérère, Diola et Mandingue—a declaration addressed to the press, to the entire Senegalese population as well as its public and private partners. Contact : danielle.lavoie[at]cncr.org

LATIN AMERICA

44. Peru, Ica region, April 17, Capmaign to demand a regional ordinance to declare the Ica territory GMO-free, as this is already the case in several other terrirories, such as: Ayacucho, San Martin, Cajamarca, and Cusco. Actions against Seminis, a subsidiary of Monsanto. Screening of the film by Marie-Monique Robin, “The World According to Monsanto.”

45. Brazil, April 17: Union forum, organized by the central union UST (União Sindical dos Trabalhadores) on the destruction of the planet provoked by the multinationals, the economic benefits generated by family agriculture.

46. Brazil, Bahia, Vitoria da Conquista: April 12 to 16, III national meeting National of MPA (Movement of Small Farmers).

47 – 103. Brazil, April 17 : 42 occupations of large properties (19 large estates in State of Pernambuco, 9 of those in Sao Paulo, 5 in the state of Paraiba, 3 in the state Serfipe, 2 of those in Ceara, one in each of the following states : Rio Grande Do Sul, Santa Catarina, Minas Geras, Mato Grosso do Sul). 16 actions of marches in public places to demand the permanent installation of more than 90 thousand families, and the public policy of agrarian reform. Sao Paulo (occupation of INCRA), Parana (encampment in front of INCRA, Curitiba), Mato Grosso (campment in front of INCRA in Cuiaba), Goias (march with 850 rural workers), Rio Grande di Norte (occupation of Mossoro at the hotel de ville), Ceara (occupation of the prefecture of Itapiuna) et Para (2 encampment in Eldorado de Carajas and in Bethleem).

104. Argentina, Buenos Aires : April 17: action to demand that they open the wall painted on the last observance of April 17, 2009. This wall, which is situated in front of the governmental palace in the center of Buenos Aires, has been re-covered for some weeks, par the political billboards of the national government. Contact : cristianfalabella[at]hotmail.com www.noticiasmercedinas.com/100408luchacampesina.htm

105. Argentina, Patagonie, Bariloche. The Radio El Arka prepared a special program for April 17 on the struggles of La Via Campesina and food sovereignty. Contact : momenna[at]hotmail.com. www.radioelarka.com.ar

106. Argentina, Salta, Vallée de Luracatao, Cuchiyaco, April 17-18 : 4^th annual farmer celebration and livestock fair, organized by 14 farmer communities, members of United Communities of Molinos (CUM), in memory of them and those who have fallen in the struggle for farmers and peasants. Contact : cum.salta[at]hotmail.com

107. Argentina, south of Santiago del Estero, Ojo de Agua, April 15-17 : Forum, sharing of information, protest. Market of products that are the result of peasant struggles. Music festival. Organized by the Indigenous Farmer Movement, the CLOC- Via Campesina Argentine.

108. Argentina, San Rafael Mendoza, Agua de la Mula, April 16-18. Festival, demonstration of training, courses, traditional games, rituals and ceremonies on the theme of peasant struggle. Organized by the Indigenous Farmer Movement, the CLOC- Via Campesina Argentine.

109. Argentina, Buenos Aires, Los Isleños del Delta, April 17: actions in solidarity with the homeless, for the defense of the and the rights of the population of Islena. Live radio broadcasts, film screenings, music, forums. Organized by the Indigenous Farmer Movement, the CLOC- Via Campesina Argentine.

110. Argentina, Cordoba, April 25-May 1 : « Land and Forests in the Hands of All, Healthy Food for All». Long march of peasants for the defense of life. Organized Organized by the Indigenous Farmer Movement, the CLOC- Via Campesina Argentine. Contact : sachayoj[at]gmail.com

NORTH AMERICA

111. Canada, Halifax, in conjunction with protest to the G8 that will take place in Halifax, from 26^th to 27^th of April). April 17: March starting at the Farmer’s Market with instruments, banners, placards, friends and family. In the afternoon, celebration on the North Commons with Food, Speakers, information, entertainment, drum circle, puppets, face painting, guerrilla gardening & goats! Contact : aaronbeale[at]gmail.com

112. Canada, April 17 : Action of the “Stop Monsanto’s GM Alfalfa” campaign. Canadian citizens are asked to send alfalfa seeds to their Member of Parliament! To Tell the government to stop the introduction of Monsanto’s genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa. This action is supported by the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, National Famers Union of Canada and Union Paysanne. More info : www.cban.ca/alfalfa

113. United States, Seattle, April 17 : street theatre at one of the farmers’ markets of the city organized by the Community Alliance for Global Justice in Seattle . Contact : brendabiddle[at]gmail.com

 

CENTRAL AMERICA and the CARIBBEAN

114. Honduras , Tegucigalpa: April 15, Farmer Forum on land reform and food sovereignty, following a a march to demand to the government appropriate policies for the redistribution of land and other natural resources to farmers, peasants and youth. The protests demand that farmers and peasants be liberated from prison or given legal course, thus demanding that the peasant struggle for land be de-criminalized. Organized by the following peasant organizations: CNTC, ANACH, CODIMCA, ADROH, OCH et UTC in coordination with la Vía Campesina. Contact : laviacampesina[at]cablecolor.hn

115. Panama : Radio broadcast on peasant struggles by the radio Temblor. Contact : recologica[at]gmail.com

116. Dominican Republic, Cotui, April 17: National announcement of farmers and peasants and the coordination of la Via Campesina Caraïbe, organizing a large march against Canadian multinational company Barrick Gold. The organizers demand to the president and national congress the repeal of the contract mining contract of the mine Pueblo Viejo by Dominicana Corporación and Barrik Gold. The exploitation of this mine and the water pollution that it generates, leaves more than 600 peasant families of Cotui and San Francisco de Macoris without their main source of work because rice production is rendered impossible by the water contamination. Contact : jean.rousseau[at]veterinariossinfronteras.org

117. Costa Rica, 15,16 and 17 April: seminar at the University of Social Sciences organized by the Network of Rural Women in Costa Rica. On 17 April, women peasant leaders held a discussion with representatives of alternative media and other social organizations, which explained the most urgent needs of rural women

118. Puerto Rico, April 17 : Screening of the documentary, “Food, Inc.” Followed by a debate on the suitability of the US food system and its consequences for Porto Rico, the rest of Latin America, and the entire world. Contact : tierraquel[at]gmail.com

 

INTERNET ACTIONS:

118. This website collects the photos commemorating the International Day of Peasant Struggle. Contact : p.revelli[at]wanadoo.fr 17 avril / Journée internationale des luttes paysannes / www.philipperevelli.com/luttes_paysannes/index.html

119. On the International Day of Peasants’ Struggle, April 17, FIAN International, together with many other civil society actors, calls for an immediate stop of land grabbing. A new report published on April 16 by FIAN International documents the findings of two research missions on land grabbing in Kenya and Mozambique, and concludes that land grabbing violates human rights. The report is available in English at : http://www.fian.org/resources/documents/others/land-grabbing-in-kenya-and-mozambique

120. Article of Gustavo Duch Guillot, «  a World without transnacionals » published in spanish in Diario Publico http://gustavoduch.wordpress.com/

121. Article of Norma Giarracca, El Independiente Digital – La Rioja www.elindependiente.com.ar