[antiwar-van] Pan-Canadian Student Anti-War Conference: Jan. 30th to Feb. 2nd

[Tony Tracy]

The enclosed is from Students Against Sanctions and War in Iraq 
(SASWI) in Toronto) -- see their website at 
http://www.project3media.com/iraq/ or the newly-launched website of 
the Toronto Committee Against Sactions and War on IRAQ (TCASWI) at 
http://www.tcaswi.org for more information.

  - t.

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Students Against Sanctions and War in Iraq (SASWI)

Open call to all students across Canada and Québec

Pan-Canadian Student Anti-War Conference
January 30 to February 2, 2003
University of Toronto,
Toronto, Ontario

Opposition to a new war on Iraq is growing worldwide.  In Britain, 
over 400,000 people marched against war at the end of September, 
including thousands of students from all over Britain. The 
mobilization on October 26 of 100,000 in Washington, D.C. and 60,000 
in San Francisco brought many thousands of students onto the streets 
to oppose the war against Iraq. And in Britain on October 31, dozens 
of protests took place at universities and colleges, including 
occupations at Cambridge University, Liverpool, Manchester, Brighton, 
and Leeds. In Sheffield, 500 students occupied a faculty building 
sponsored by Boeing. In London there were occupations at Goldsmith's, 
King's College, the London School of Economics, and many others.

In Canada and Québec, anti-war coalitions are springing up on almost 
every campus with students building both their own campus anti-war 
actions and the January 18 North American day of action against war 
on Iraq. More recently, thousands of students just participated in 
the pan-Canadian day of action against war in Iraq on November 16-17 
which mobilised 35,000 people in Canada and Québec.

At a recent teach-in at the University of Toronto, students from 
fifteen different universities, colleges, and high schools took part 
in a discussion called "Students against war: Building an anti-war 
movement on the campuses". A consensus emerged that it is not only 
possible but also necessary to begin building an anti-war movement 
among students all across the country.

With the threat of war looming larger every day, we feel it is now 
time for students across Canada and Québec to pull together in a 
unified network that can build a massive student movement against war 
in Iraq.  Students Against War and Sanctions in Iraq (SASWI) would 
like to make an open call to all students to participate in a 
pan-Canadian student anti-war conference at the University of Toronto 
from Thursday, January 30 to Sunday, February 2, 2003.  The 
conference will be accessible both to English- and French-speaking 
students.

Already a number of student anti-war coalitions have expressed 
interest in supporting, participating in, and endorsing the 
conference. We welcome any anti-war coalition, peace organisation, 
student union, cultural organisation, faith group, or student club 
that would like to get involved to send your endorsement to 
saswi2003 at yahoo.ca. Further contact details are at the end of this 
announcement.

In the coming weeks, we will be circulating a tentative conference 
programme, including a timetable.  We look forward to your feedback 
and hope to post final details as soon as they are ready on a website 
to be launched at the end of November.

We will also be organising committees of student volunteers to 
organise registration, housing, food, transportation, fundraising, 
and social events.  All students in the Toronto area who are 
interested in working on one of the committees should contact 
saswi_logistics at yahoo.ca.

The possibilities are huge of building a broad, inclusive student 
movement against war right across the country.  We think that a 
pan-Canadian student anti-war co-ordination can play a role in 
helping to reach deeper into every school, every classroom, and every 
campus with the message that we can and must stop this war!

To endorse the conference or for more information:
e-mail saswi2003 at yahoo.ca or phone 416.533.6026.

To get involved in one of the student committees (for students in the 
Toronto area):
e-mail saswi_logistics at yahoo.ca or phone 416.533.6026.

SASWI online: www.project3media.com/iraq/.

The following are just some of the groups that have so far endorsed 
the Pan-Canadian Student Anti-War Conference: University of British 
Columbia Coalition Against War on the People of Iraq (CAWOPI), 
University of British Columbia Medical Students for Global Survival, 
University of Victoria Muslim Students' Association (MSA), Simon 
Fraser University Coalition to Stop the War on Iraq, Simon Fraser 
University Muslim Students' Association (MSA), Emily Carr College of 
Art & Design Coalition Against War in Iraq (CAWI), York University 
Now End War and Sanctions (NEWS) on Iraq, University of Toronto 
Students' Administrative Council (SAC), University of Toronto 
Coalition Against War in Iraq (CAWI), University of Toronto Arab 
Students' Association (ASA), Ryerson University Arab Students' 
Association (RASA), Ryerson University Christian Arab Students' 
Association (CASA), Toronto Committee Against Sanctions & War on Iraq 
(TCASWI), Toronto Trade Unionists Against the War (TUAW), Carleton 
University Middle Eastern Discussion Group, Carleton University 
Solidarity with Iraqi & Palestinian Children (SIPC), University of 
Ottawa Global Peace Coalition, Brock University Anti-War League 
(BAWL), Niagara Palestine Association (NPA), McGill University 
Coalition Against War & Racism (CAWR), Montréal Muslim News, 
Fredericton Residents for Education on the Economically-Motivated 
Deployment of the Military (FREEDOM), Dalhousie University Peace and 
Justice Coalition, St. Mary's University Activist Coalition (SMAC), 
the Arab Palestine Association of Canada (APA), the Canadian 
Federation of Students (CFS), and many others!  We hope we'll be able 
to add your name to the list too!
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