GLOBAL GREENS 2001 CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, 14-16 APRIL 2001

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Contacts:
Nancy Allen, Media Coordinator
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Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator
202-518-5624, scottmclarty@yahoo.com

• U.S. Greens to join Greens from Europe,Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas.

• Greens unite globally to address the health of the planet, transnational corporate power and
  the growing gap between rich and poor, and the struggle for human rights, freedoms, and democracy around the world.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Asia-Pacific Greens Network, the European Federation of Green Parties,the African Federation of Green Parties and the Federacion de Partidos Verdes de las Americas have announced the Global Greens 2001 conference to be held in Canberra, Australia, 14-16 April 2001. 

The conference, to take place at the National Convention Centre in Canberra, will bring together Green Parties and political movements from around the world to form a Global Greens Network. 

Organizers of the Association of State Green Parties (ASGP) and Greens from all across the United States will also travel to Canberra to participate. The conference will focus on the Global Greens Charter.

The host of the conference, Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown, said he expected 600 people from more than 60 countries to attend this exciting and historic event. 

"Economic and corporate globalisation have given us a 'democracy deficit' with run-away environmental destruction, an increasing gap between rich and poor and continuing abuse of human rights," said Senator Brown. 

"This Global Greens gathering is the positive face of globalisation -- forging personal and political links that will enable us to act globally as well as locally in the 21st century.  We are looking  forward to welcoming Greens from around the world to a lively, inspiring and optimistic meeting."  

Among the speakers are many prominent Green parliamentarians and activists, including:  

• Dominique Voynet, Environment Minister of France

• Paul Lannoye MEP, Co-leader of the Green Group, European Parliament

• Pekka Haavisto, former MP and Chair of the UNEP/UNCHS Balkans Task Force

• Jorge Gonzales Torres, Leader of the Partido Verde Ecologico de Mexico 

• Ingrid Betancourt MP, Oxigeno Verde, Colombia

• Wangari Maathai, Founder of the Green Belt Movement, Kenya

• Adamou Garba, Secretary-General, African Federation of Green Parties 

• Jean Nke Ndih, Defense l'Environment, Cameroon 

• Satoko Watanabe MP, Leader of the Rainbow and Greens Japan delegation to the conference. 

• Jeanette Fitzsimons, Co-leader of the Greens of Aotearoa-New Zealand

ASGP will be well represented with over 15 members attending the Global Green Conference. The list includes Theresa Amato, campaign manager for Ralph Nader. Three ASGP delegates will deliver formal presentations at the conference: 

• Annie de la Bouillerie Goeke, Green Party of Pennsylvania, Co-Chair of the ASGP International Committee, Co-Chair of the ASGP Steering Committee and author will present a workshop on Democracy, Planetary Government and Ecology. Annie Goeke will chair one of the plenaries and sit on a workshop panel 'Green Trade, Investment and Tax' speaking specifically about International Green Tax Policy.

• John Rensenbrink, Green Party of Maine, Co-Chair of the ASGP International Committee, and author will present a workshop on Democracy, Planetary Government and Ecology.

• Anthony Affigne, Green Party of Rhode Island, Chair of the ASGP Accreditation Committee, will present, with the Canadian Green Party International Secretary Raphael Theirrin, a resolution to create an 'Action Planning Global Green Network' in the main workshop on Global Green Network. 

The list of U.S. Greens who will participate also includes: 

June Lang, Pennsylvania
Vivek Ananthan, Pennsylvania
John Otter, New Mexico
John Strawn, California
Lynn Serpe, California
Mike Feinstein, California
Kevin McKeown, California
Tod Sloan, Oklahoma
Julia Willebrand, New York
Clifford Mark, New York
Starlene Rankin, Massachusetts
Bahram Zandi, Maryland
Theresa Amato, Nader Campaign Manager 

The United States Greens will feature prominently because of the role Green Party candidate Ralph Nader played in the 2000 election. Greens around the world benefited from Mr. Nader's campaign, which in some countries drew more press coverage than their own Green Parties and Green candidates.  

Ralph Nader will not attend, but instead has put together a video to speak to Greens at the conference. 

MORE INFORMATION: 

Global Greens Conference: http://www.global.greens.org.au/

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