ADELAIDE Sosseh, co-chair of one of the largest anti-poverty campaigns in the world will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Big Tent Festival.
Adelaide, a renowned campaigner from The Gambia, who co-chairs the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), will be at the launch of Big Tent on Friday 23rd July and will address festival go-ers at a joint presentation with Malcolm Fleming, Oxfam Scotland’s campaigns manager.
The Big Tent’s theme is Moving with Africa and their discussion will focus on the need for global solidarity and climate justice, focusing on the impact on the world’s poorest people.
Says a spokesperson: “Climate justice is the key link between the environmental movement in this country and aid and poverty in the global south.
“There is an inherent injustice in the fact that the north caused climate change, but people who have had none of the benefits of industrialisation are suffering the impact.
“It is five years since the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, the catalyst for the creation of the Big Tent as Scotland’s leading green festival. Oxfam Scotland’s recent ‘Auchterarder Audit’ looked at the progress made since the G8 in 2005 and Big Tent will provide a further forum to ask which promises were delivered – and which weren’t.
“In 2005, leaders at the G8 responded to growing public pressure to fight poverty and pledged to increase overseas aid by $50 billion by 2010, with $25 billion of this going to Africa. But five years on, they are $20 billion short.”
Mike Small, festival programme director said: “We are delighted to welcome Adelaide to Scotland and make these connections between ecology and international aid and solidarity. The globalised world exploits people and the planet and GCAP’s work represents a future for environmental justice and a world based on equity not exploitation.”
Adelaide Sosseh, co-chair of GCAP, commented: “I am so looking forward to speaking at Big Tent. My work in Gambia is about giving people a voice, to empower them to have a say in the issues that affect them. Big Tent puts this philosophy into action here in Scotland.
“The people of Scotland have a reputation for having a keen sense of justice… and enjoying a good party. I hope that Big Tent will offer both.”
Malcom Fleming, Oxfam Scotland camapigns manager, concluded: “We’re really proud to be a partner in Big Tent, as it’s unique among festivals in giving people a chance not only to have a good time, but to engage in world issues and make a difference.
“At Oxfam Scotland, we know that it is the world’s poorest people who are suffering the effects of climate change right now. That’s not fair. Big Tent began after the G8 summit at Gleneagles. Five years later, Oxfam Scotland is here, harnessing people power to hold leaders to account and make a fairer world.”
Big Tent’s Head Zone Partners for 2010 include IACD, Oxfam Scotland, WWF Scotland and Take One Action.
With less than two weeks until opening night, tickets and Big Green discounts are still available at www.bigtentfestival.co.uk
For further information on Oxfam Scotland visit www.oxfam.org.uk/scotland
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Contact: Anna Gormley
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Email: anna.gormley@bigpartnership.co.uk
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