01/09/2005 : President Bush promptly reacts to Katrina's wrath (le président Bush réagit rapidement à la colère de Katrina)

- Mr Président, will the recent events make you eventually sign the Kyoto agreement ?

- Hmm... Don't see the point. My scientific advisors said they would soon be able to design a strong new GM corn that needs six times more water than a normal one. By planting this technology in regions that often undergo hurricanes, we expect possible future floods to be quickly dried up.

- M. le président, est-ce que les récents événement vous incitent à finalement signer les accords de Kyoto ?

- Hmm... vois pas où vous voulez en venir. Mes conseillers scientifiques disent qu'il pourront bientôt fabriquer un maïs OGM solide qui aura besoin de six fois plus d'eau qu'un autre. En plantant cette technologie dans les zones qui subissent souvent des ouragans, on s'attend à ce que les éventuelles futures inondations soient vite asséchées.

autre dessin


GMO European Opposition Day
18th of June 2005

 

In Spring 2004, three major French organizations (La Confédération paysanne, Greenpeace, Attac) co-ordinated a national meeting meant to inform people of the risks related to the trade of Genetically Modified Organisms.

Twenty “information sites” distributed over 15 of the 22 French “regions” have thus been settled by local joint organizations, which were responsible for setting their own event. Communication between the local teams was carried out via this dedicated web site.

 Despite adverse weather conditions, this demonstration gathered about 7000 people together. The media coverage was satisfying at both local and national levels (main radio stations and TV channels, newspapers articles). We got in touch with the elect, thus participating in the “anti-GMO campaign” in both regions and towns. The local cooperation between organizations was well appreciated, opening the way to subsequent joint demonstrations.

Given its positive outcome, the experiment has been revived this year, by trying to increase both its weight and impact. This is why, as a European citizen, you are encouraged to participate in this event by setting your own "information site", that could involve at least one of the co-ordinating organizations (Friend of the Earth, Attac,...).

The Coordination Committee of the 2nd GMO Opposition Day, currently composed of Greenpeace, La Confédération Paysanne, Attac, Friends of the Earth France, the National Federation of Organic Farming (FNAB), and France-Nature-Environnement (FNE).

Contacts : email to : alter.campagne@laposte.net , subject : GMO.

Loadable "Call for Participation" : GMO-OppDay_Call4Partic.pdf

http://altercampagne.free.fr/


Towards a « June 18th appeal » for a GMP-free Europe

  For several years, Non Governmental Organizations have been offering resistance to the trading of agro alimentary GMO, showing their preference for alternative methods that respect both the environment and agriculture. A year ago, on 8th of May 2004, several meeting points had been settled all over France, that were meant to inform citizens and policy-makers.
  On June 18th 2005, seven such organizations co-ordinate a second GMO Opposition Day that may extend this year to some European countries. This historical date will offer the opportunity of a « June 18th appeal » for European countries free of Genetically Modified Plants.
The program of this event will gradually be completed until the “D” Day, and displayed on this website.

Contact : Vincent Perrot, (33) 06 84 10 43 79

[1] http://www.i-sis.org.uk/list.php
[2] Richard, S, Moslemi, S, Sipahutar, H, Benachour, N, Seralini, G-E (2005) « Differential effects of glyphosate and Roundup on human placental cells and aromatase », to appear in Environmental Health Perspectives, accessible on http://dx.doi.org/  code : 10.1289/ehp.7728
[3] Vélot, C. (2005) « PGM : les risques de pollution génétique par transferts horizontaux », accessible on : H-Transfer
[4] Berlan, J.P. et al (2005) « Sous le prétexte médical, vaincre l’opposition de la population à l’agriculture et l’alimentation transgénique », to be published.


"18 June 2005" Agenda

month
Local teams
coordinating team
april

Connections between local militants

search for potential information sites

Call for participation

Definition of the symbol common to all sites (flying banner)

may

contact of potential gests

(elect, musicians, talkers...)

making of the banner kit

preparation of the Press file

beginning of June

receipt of the banner kit

placard of the event

making of the information site plan

sending of the kit and poster

media connections

"D" day
animations, information

following of the parallel events, communication


Frequently asked questions :

  1. What does an "information site" consist of ?
    Anything that may fulfil the goal of informing people, from the set of documents delivered at the entrance of a a supermarket, to the large set of stalls in the middle of a town, including exhibitions, attractions involving musicians, talks, movies...

  2. Is it possible for an organization that does not belong to the coordinating committee to join in an information site ?
    Of course. This was definitely the case both the 8th of May 2004 and 18 June 2005. New international associations are welcome to join in, provided that they share the same aim : helping people to better understand the GMO files.


  3. From a practical point of view, how can an information site be settled in our city ?
    This implies : 1/ to contact possible partners in your surroundings ; to organize a meeting between all of you 2/ to look for a site that could support stalls, possibly a room aimed at showing movies and setting up talks ; 3/ to possibly contact potential guests (politicians, journalists, stars,..); 4/ to let the coordinating team know about the development of your project (CooCom-email); 5/ to advertise ; 6/ to get ready to receive the banner kit, as a signature of your information site.


  4. I am the president of "No GMO Anywhere Anytime". Can I get some more detailed information on what role you would like me to take on?
    There are several ways in which you and NoGMOAA could participe in this Civil Society project. The idea behind the GM Opposition Day is that, provided enough promotion at both local and global levels about this world-wide and united event, any stall installed downtown would be visited by people who wish to know more about GMOs. Obviously, if several local associations could meet and decide to organize something bigger (workshop, lectures, press conference, invited politicians, demonstration, attractions, ...), the public information would even be more effective. You may play a "prime mover" part in this contingency.


Information Site presented in English : St David in Wales, in Croatia : Zagreb


the 18th of June 2005: a wide variety of actions in 60 sites

 

39 groups of stalls, including 16 on markets : issoire, Mably, Aix-en-Provence, Pau, Foix, Pamiers, St Girons, Tarbes, Angers, Brives, St Gilles, Nice, Tarare, Mouais Sartoux, Valbonne, St Cezaire
and 24 downtown: Avignon, Habère-Lullin, Grenoble, Roanne, Paris, Montpellier, Rouen, Pontivy, Tarbes, Boulac, Nevers, Besancon, Neuville, Limoges, St David's, Dijon, Zagreb, Bruxelles, Namur, Never, Boulouc, Epinal, Pontivy

 

28 conferences : issoire, Antibes, Habère-Lullin, Lyon, Saint-Aubin de Médoc, Paris, Eyne, Rennes, Zagreb, Mably

 

22 distributions of leaflets : St Bonnet, Malintrat, Joze, At Myon, Le Broc, Baulieu, issoire, Nonette, Neschers, Nice, Antibes, Mouans Sartou, Valbonne, St Césaire, Besancon, Rouen, Tarbes, Angers, Die, Crest, Dieulefit, Valence

20 "specific of the day" banners (NO GMO), including 6 flying banners : issoire, Habère-Lullin, Rouen, Paris, Eyne, Grenoble

14 pique-niques : St Bonnet, Malintrat, Joze, At Myon, Le Broc, Baulieu, issoire, Nonette, Neschers, Aix-en-Provence, Douai, Mondonville, Neuville, Habère-Lullin

13 visited supermarkets : Tarare, Poitiers (Monoprix), Niort (Leclerc), Eynes, Montpellier (Hyper U), Brest (Leclerc), Tarbes (Casino, Leclerc), Brives, Limoges, Nevers, Angers, Pontivy

9 petitions : Pamiers, Tarbes, Avignon, Nevers, Paris, Dijon, Zagreb, St David's, Rouen

7 Press Conférences : Antibes, Paris, Douai, Fobomade, Poitiers, Dijon, Zagreb

7 Press Releases : Besancon, Neuville, Dijon, Bruxelles, St David's, Vienne, Nevers

7 projections of films : Pontivy, Paris, Zagreb, Besancon, Vienne, Habère-Lullin, Pontivy

4 drinks / sandwiches stalls : Besancon, Paris, Dijon, Pontivy

3 Walks for discovering PGM : Poitiers, Mondonville, Neuville

3 creation of 3 anti-OGM comities : Neuville-aux-bois, Valais suisse, Paris,

2 bike rides : St David's, Neuville-aux-bois

2 concerts : Nohanent, Eyne

original initiatives :

- Meeting with the prefecture headquarter : Poitiers

- Green (GM-free) and red tables of food : Tarare

- Zeppelin : Epinal

- Tractor : Rouen

- Bonfire : Douai

- folk-song choir : Paris

- Batucada and concert : Eyne