Ian Angus (pictured right),who edits the excellent
Climate & Capitalism blog , summed up his Australian tour with a
parting note on the GLW list.
I'm about to head back to Canada after more than two weeks in Australia. I want to thank the comrades of the DSP, Socialist Alliance, Resistance, Ecosocialist Network, Green Left Weekly and others who made my visit such a valuable experience.
I started out by visiting and speaking on climate change in four cities -- Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart. The meetings varied in size, but in every city the audience include new young people who were keen to get involved, as well as activists who are playing leading roles in the Climate Emergency campaign. From a distance, it has been my impression that Australia is really setting the pace for building a climate change campaign in the wealthy countries -- up close that's very clearly true.
The talk I gave during this tour was recorded by a radio station in Adelaide --the audio is available online here:
Then I went to Sydney for the World at a Crossroads Conference organized by DSP, Green Left and Socialist Alliance. I attend a lot of conferences -- this was by far one of the best I've been to in years.
It was this a meeting not of academics or sectarians, but of people who are actually fighting on the front lines, for climate justice, for indigenous sovereignty, against imperialism, for workers' rights and more.
In addition to hundreds of Australians (the official registration count was 440) there were communists from many other countries -- I counted guests from 14 countries on the speakers list, and there were more I was able to speak to and share experiences with informally. The international speakers included governmental representatives from Cuba, Venezuela and Vietnam.
Conference photos here:
If there is one thing that was crystal clear at this meeting, it was that the revolutionary left today faces opportunities to grow far beyond what has been possible for some time. Our resources are still small, but we have enormous potential. The big challenge before us, I think, is to break out of our traditional ways of operating, to reach out to new radicals who don't speak the traditional "left language," and to work with them to create a new radical and global left.
Once again, thanks to the comrades who organized this conference and my tour, and who were so welcoming on a political and personal basis. I look forward to working with you on an ongoing basis.
Ian Angus
Editor, ClimateandCapitalism.com
Associate Editor, SocialistVoice.ca
