Summit of the Peoples – Santiago de Chile

The Summit of the Peoples of Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe will take place in Santiago, Chile from January 25 to 27. Over 120 social movements, organisations and networks have been involved in setting up the event under the theme “For social justice, international solidarity and peoples’ sovereignty”. The meeting will take place in the Urban Planning and Architecture School of the University of Chile, in parallel to the EU-CELAC Summit taking place on the same dates.

The summit aims to “give visibility to the demands and proposals of peoples (…) who struggle against neoliberal policies that impact our societies and eliminate our rights” according to the public call to attend.

According to the organisers, the sectors that caused and profited from the ongoing crisis want the peoples to pay, imposing “huge” social and democratic setbacks. “The “austerity” policies implemented in Europe combined with the political evolution in Latin America and the rest of the world, demand a unified answer from our peoples and an alternative to the strengthening of the current neoliberal model”, reads the call. “This historic moment requires [us] to reassess the relationship between both continents”, it adds.

For the over 120 social organisations, movements and networks involved, the summit is an important opportunity to question the different dimensions of the crisis and governmental attempts to use European capital in Latin America as a way out.

“The peoples of Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe say no to these FTAs. We demand the renegotiation of those in force and an end to the negotiation or ratification [of those in advanced stages]”. The organisers demand that the peoples be consulted about relations between the two continents; that these relations serve their interests and not the interests of investors or transnational corporations.

They further call for the establishment of a new type of relationship between the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean, based on equality, decolonization, the primacy of the rights of the population over the profits of transnational corporations and respect for sovereignty and the rights of the peoples. “We don’t accept that the crisis caused by the transnational financial system serves to promote social setbacks to the detriment of rights and the wellbeing of the peoples”, they say. “This meeting will demand an end to adjustment and austerity policies and a reassessment of the international financial architecture”, they add.

For the social organisations, movements and networks, the Summit of the Peoples should address a number of key elements including; the model of society they want, democracy and citizen participation, human rights, the claims of native peoples, women and different sectors, common goods, nature, integration, investments and trade, the democratization of communications, global governance.

Real World Radio will cover the different activities, preparations and outcomes at the Summit of the Peoples, as part of a media platform that will work with others to follow and report on the developments at the meeting.

For more information on the summit: www.cumbrechile2013.org

Real World Radio’s special section on the summit www.radiomundoreal.fm/Cumbre-de-los-Pueblos-Santiago-de