Successful Belfast anarchist bookfair

antrim | worker & community struggles and protests | other press

Thursday September 11, 2008 22:39

by Sean Matthews-personal capacity - Belfast WSM

The 2ND Belfast Anarchist Bookfair recently took place building on the success of the previous year. Stalls were provided by the WSM, Choice Ireland, Just Books, Organise! and Revolutionary Anarcha-feminist group(RAG) as well as groups from as far as England and Scotland including Solidarity Federation giving the bookfair an international flavour. The Bookfair provides a healthy platform for constructive debate and discussion from past to present struggles. To exchange experiences, to reflect and agitate are all essential ingredients for a stronger, more vibrant class struggle anarchist movement in the future. Below are some of the audio recordings from of the public meetings which took place on the day.

Immigrant Workers and Racism

Contribution from Francois and member of Organise! on recent wave of immigration. Davy Carlin member of WSM also spoke on his involvement as Chair of the Anti-Racist Network in confronting racism and racist attacks.

Currents in Working Class Self Organisation: Anarcho-Syndicalism

Jacque from Solidarity Federation spoke on the tradition and history of anarcho-syndicalism as a current, often the strongest within revolutionary class struggle which still continues to this day.

Fighting Unions - panel and discussion on workplace resistance and the Trades Unions

Contributions from Jason Brannighan of Organise! and Alan MacSimon of the WSM. Both gave a thorough and articulate talk on their respective organisation’s take on trade unions and workplace resistance. Members of the audience also contributed including members of the Socialist Party who gave a brief up to date on the struggle of the sacked airport workers against their employers and Trade union bureaucracy. The debate ensued on key questions from the potential of mainstream unions to revolutionary transform society to the illusion in bringing about change by electing lefty trade union officials.

All are well worth the download

Please click on the link below for detailed info and reports from the Bookfair
http://belfastanarchistbookfair2008.blogspot.com/

Special thanks to Organise! For hosting and organising the book fair and everyone who attended.

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Comments (9 of 9)

by mikesmith

Tue Dec 02, 2008 08:30

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Mike
http://www.widecircles.com

RE:

by Michael Smith

Tue Dec 02, 2008 07:53

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Michael Smith
Link Building

Yep

by Davy Carlin - Belfast WSM {PC}

Fri Sep 12, 2008 13:26

Yep, hope the trend grows. The Belfast WSM has recorded its meetings from its beginnings, as the new technology can now enable such talks and disscussions to get to a wider audience, and also the archiving of an oral record or history of the times, teh debates, talks etc..

widening the discussion - Belfast to Barcelona, via letterfrack

by dunk

Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:11

well done on documenting by audio these talks, i hope it is a trend that grows. As long as there important things being talked about, there is a need to constantly include them in the ever growing databanks, our collective archive, for those unable to physically get there but also for people to eventually come to and listen to.

I hope more take this approach on, built up our tools and spaces of communication, and with that help bring about change

related is an audio file we recently made with architect and activist Brian Anson about his work with the community of Divis street to pull down the old flats and create a bottom up community designed plan for what they wanted... he spoke in august in letterfrack about this story

http://radio.indymedia.org/en/node/16996

more about him and his stories here
http://radio.indymedia.org/en/node/17004

http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/Brian_Anson_interview_at_EASA_letterfrack.mp3

Embedded audio: http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/Brian_Anson_interview_at_EASA_letterfrack.mp3

Thanks also

by Jason Brannigan - Organise!

Fri Sep 12, 2008 00:56

organiseireland at yahoo dot ie

to the Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre for letting us use their venue, to Francois and David for sorting out the free vegan food, to the Glasgow Anarchists, Solidarity Federation, Back to Front magazine, RAG, Choice Ireland, the WSM and everyone else who had a stall, to all the speakers, especially the Organise! education workers branch who hosted an discussion for education workers (just cos the article above left em out), the Educational Shakespeare Company, everyone who came along to browse, buy, chat, discuss, drink (outside the venue), eat and who basically made the event great craic.

Oh, and thanks surprisingly (well we were surprised) for the unsolicited publicity provided by the CPI in their paper Unity - still doesn't make up for what your lot did to us in Spain though, not by a long shot ;)

Fri Sep 12, 2008 00:46

Ta for that but there's not 'aitch' in my surname mate.

Yeah, a good day all round looking forward to next year. We really need to get more photos next time.

Audio recording: Fighting Unions - panel and discussion on workplace resistance and the Trades Unio

by J

Thu Sep 11, 2008 22:58

audio

trade_unions_2.mp3 8.43 Mb

Audio recording: Currents in Working Class Self Organisation: Anarcho-Syndicalism

Thu Sep 11, 2008 22:50

audio recording

anarchosyndicalism_2.mp3 6.22 Mb

Audio recording: Immigrant Workers and Racism

Thu Sep 11, 2008 22:44

racism_and_immigrant_workers_2.mp3 4.52 Mb

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Successful Belfast anarchist bookfair

Comments (9 of 9)