[van-announce] Thurs., Nov. 5 - 2010 Welcoming Committee meeting

[alissa w]

----------  next meeting call-out (* please post widely)

WELCOME THE OLYMPIC TORCH AND OPENING CEREMONIES WITH A MASS
DEMONSTRATION!  Help build the 2010 Welcoming Committee!  (* Post Widely.)

Meeting to plan a public mobilization for the opening ceremonies of the
2010 Winter Olympics (on February 12, 2010):

**  Thursday, Nov. 5, 7 - 9pm
SFU - Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings St., room 2245
Vancouver BC - Coast Salish Territory

The Olympic Resistance Network, StopWar.ca, Vancouver Status of Women,
Anti-Poverty Committee, No One Is Illegal - Vancouver, Work Less Party,
Social Justice Centre - UBC, Pink Resistance, Student Christian Movement -
UBC, and Streams of Justice have endorsed the 2010 Welcoming Committee and
a mass demonstration to coincide with the opening ceremonies of the 2010
Winter Olympic Games and the arrival of the Olympic torch from its RBC
sponsored cross-country relay.

The 2010 Welcoming Committee invites you/your group to join in organizing
this event. Other than the date and general location (Feb. 12 and close to
the opening ceremonies at BC Place Stadium), the messaging, event plan,
and specifics are up to those who choose to participate in the planning.
The goal is to include a wide range of activist, Indigenous, social
justice, environmental, anti-poverty, labour, civil libertarian, anti
globalization, community, anti-war, women's and other groups and
individuals to build a broad and accessible protest presence.  This group
is united by a social justice critique of the 2010 Olympics.

As the Winter Olympics begin, we need to show the world that there is
opposition and to articulate the negative impact it has on our communities
and environment.  The very act of demonstrating and marching in the
downtown core has become a defiant act as many of the streets and sites
have been specially purposed for the Games with bylaws that restrict
speech, protest, mobility, and assembly.

The agenda is open to public input and determined by who participates, but
includes further outreach, brainstorming ways of creative resistance and
protest, and gathering feedback and input about how the 2010 Welcoming
Committee could help develop an inclusive, accessible and vocal public
mobilization.

**  Thursday, Nov. 5, 7 - 9pm
SFU - Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings St., room 2245
Vancouver BC - Coast Salish Territory

Contact:  2010welcoming at resist.ca
If you are unable to attend but are interested in being involved, please
email us your contact information so we can add you to the organizing
list.