Arctic Initiative demands change in current politics

Arctic Initiative took place 6 of June in Helsinki. It was a joint initiative and an open forum for political parties, NGO´s, civil societies activists – environmental- peace- and human rights and indigenous rights organizations, workers and individual activists, of the Communist Party of Finland and the Environmental Working Group of the Party of the European Left.

In the invitation to the event organizers underlined that  International global neoliberal plans to exploit the natural resources hit the Arctic. Confrontation of the NATO and Russia is present. Indigenous rights are oppressed by the interests of the big capital. Time urges political parties, NGO´s, environmental – human rights and peace organizations activists, investigators and researchers, workers, artists and intellectuals to make a statement and participate in common discussion about environment-security and human right issues in the Arctic.

Arctic Initiative from its beginning stated clearly to function as a tool to make collective radical leftist argumentation in Arctic issues stronger. In the Spirit of Arctic Initiative several concrete initiatives were formulated for all participants to take the Initiatives as new collective tools for the work in demanding change in current political situation in the Arctic.

Arctic Initiative 6.6.2016 in Helsinki

Initiative to support the movements and activities of the indigenous peoples for self-determination.

Initiative to support the activities of the indigenous peoples against the capitalist exploitation of the environment and the natural resources of their territories.

Initiative to end collaboration with NATO, leave Partnership for Peace and the Host Nation Agreement.

Initiative to struggle for peace inseparable from the anti-capitalist struggle

Initiative to coordinate and strengthen common actions between all parties and organizations in the future

Initiative to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement on the climate - because everything is registered but everything remains to do.

Initiative to  demand as requested by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change),
of the States concerned to leave fossil fuels in the Arctic subsoil. We promote the campaign “keep it in the ground”

Initiative to to stop the military escalation and to remove the surface soil-, sea- and air-presence of national armies or a block such as NATO

Initiative to demand more public research on climate evolution, the preservation of biodiversity and on renewable energy systems.

Initiative to the development of mutually beneficial cooperation with the Arctic peoples and the respect of indigenous peoples' traditions.

Initiative to ask Europe to contribute to the development of a treaty, within the Arctic Council and together with indigenous peoples, similar to the Antarctic one, which would silence the territorial claims. Such a treaty would ensure, in the interest of all mankind, that the Arctic would be used only for peaceful purposes and research, as well as it would not become the scene or object of international dispute.

ARCTIC INITIATIVE IN NUMBERS AND  FIGURES

Two principal organizers; Communist Party of Finland and European Left party

Participants from 13 countries; USA, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Belgium, France, Greece, Portugal and Italy

Two political youth organizations; Left Youth and The Communist Youth League of Finland

Speakers from three Universities; Univeristy of Lapland, Finland, Univeristy of Wienna, Austria and University, Giellakas Instituutti, Finland.

10 communist parties from the Arctic region; Communist Party of the USA, Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Communist Party of Sweden, Communist Party of Norway, Communist Party of Denmark, Communist Party in Denmark, Communist Party of Norway, Communist Workers Party (Finland), Communist League (Finland) and Communist Party of Finland

Three NGO´s; City Saamit (Saami Peoples rights), Performers and Artists for Nuclear Disarmament (PAND) and The Democratic Civic Association (DCA)

8 participants from the European Left Environmental Working Group including EL vice-president and the office workers.

FACTS ABOUT ARCTIC INITIATIVE

6.6. Helsinki – Finland

WHAT: workshops, interventions and panel discussion on three major topics; Security, Environment and Indigenous Rights.

WHEN: 6.6.2016 at 10-19 o’clock

WHERE: Kirjan Talo, Kirjatyöntekijänkatu 10, Helsinki, Finland

EVENT AT GOOGLE MAPS: https://www.google.fi/maps/place/Kirjaty%C3%B6ntekij%C3%A4nkatu+10,+0017...@60.176075,24.9541659,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x46920bd13884142b:0x860cf079d0228bc2

WHY:  International global neoliberal plans to exploit the natural resources hit the Arctic. Confrontation of the NATO and Russia is present. Indigenous rights are oppressed by the interests of the big capital. Time urges political parties, civil society, NGO´s, environmental – human rights and peace organizations, academic people,  investigators and researchers, workers, artists, intellectuals and activists to make a statement and participate in common discussion about environment-security and human right issues in the Arctic.

WHO: Joint initiative of the Communist Party of Finland and the Environmental Working Group of the Party of the European Left.

WITH WHOM: An open forum for political parties, NGO´s, civil societies activists – environmental- peace- and human rights / indigenous rights organizations, workers and individual activists.

HASHTAG: #arcticinitiative

FB PAGE: www.facebook.com/arcticinitiative

FB EVENT: www.facebook.com/events/143805929355997

SHORT DESCRIPTION: International Event on Environment, Security and Indigenous Rights hosted by Communist party of Finland and Environmental Working Group of European Left

EVENT LANGUAGE: English with simultaneous translation into Finnish

LOGO: Designed for SKP by visual artist Jani Leinonen

ARCTIC CAFÉ: Small snack and dinner, coffee and tea for sale with reasonable prices

WHEEL CHAIR ACCESSIBLY: Partly yes contact + 358 (0) 50 573 8598

SUPPORT US: Make a donation to SKP Danske: FI72 8000 1970 504222

WIFI: name: Spartacus-wifi code:M4YB4E3N

RECALAIM: Before the opening of the event 6.6. at 9.00 o´clock international guests gather outside the Cumulus hotel and march together from Hotel to the Event ( 800 meters / 10 minutes) carrying the event banner with logo and text “ For Environment, Peace and Indigenous Rights”. Photo session at Pitkäsilta-bridge which is a Finnish symbol of class division. Hotel Cumulus is at the working class part of the city and Event place Kirjan talo at the bourgeois part.

QUESTIONS: skp@skp.fi  and +358 (0) 50 573 8598

ARCTIC INITIATIVE is a joint initiative of the Environmental Working Group of the Party of the European Left and the Communist Party of Finland to invite 6.6.2015 in Helsinki to an Open Forum; political parties of the European Left and  the Arctic region, activists of the civil society in Arctic Region countries and Europe, NGO´s, environmental – Indigenous rights and peace organizations, academic people,  investigators and researchers, artists, intellectuals and activists in the Arctic Region countries and Europe to discuss three topics; security, environment and human rights.

Each participant brings own knowledge to the common understanding and argumentation, has possibility to make proposals for common actions and can participate in the debate.

Arctic Initiative is also an Open Forum for public in Helsinki to participate without any costs. Event is organized in different spaces at Kirjan Talo ( House of the Book)  in Helsinki, Kirjantyöntekijänkatu 10. Kirjan talo is event centre owned by Bookmakers’ Syndicate.

FINNISH NGO´S COLLABORATING WITH ARCTIC INITIATIVE:

Performers and Artist for Nuclear Disarmament (PAND)

PAND is 1983 founded politically independent organization for all artists and cultural workers in the struggle for disarmament, peace and human rights. PAND stands up in the Finnish peace movement by using art and different cultural approaches as its tools. PAND is a member of the international movement for peace, PAND International.

The Democratic Civic Association (DCA)

DCA is a nationwide educational association for adult learning. It is a Non-Governmental Organization, established in 1986.

The association’s operations are focused on the traditions of the leftist and the working class movement. The main principles are global solidarity, social and economical justice, and the ideas of peace, humanism and socialism.

POLITICAL YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS

The Communist Youth League of Finland (KomNL)

KomNL was founded in August 2000. KomNL works together with other progressive movements, struggling for socialism and communism – a world without oppression, inequality and poverty.

The Communist Youth League of Finland is a member of the World Federation of Democratic Youth.

The Left Youth  

is a political youth organization and the youth wing of the Left Alliance,                but it is not officially affiliated with the party - members of the Left                Youth are not automatically members of the Left Alliance.

The organization was founded in 1944. Until 1998, it was known as the                       Finnish Democratic Youth League and until 1990 it served as the youth                       organization of the now-defunct Finnish People´s Democratic League                     (SKDL)  SDNL was a founding member of World Federation of       Democratic, but now its main international frame is  European Network        of Democratic Young Left.

28 speakers; here in alphabetical order

Ahlakorpi, Anni, chairperson of the Left Youth of Finland

Anttila, Max, secretary general of the Communist Youth League of Finland

Baum, Josef, member of EL Environmental WG, Communist Party of Austria, Austria

Brodine, Marc, activist, writer and artist.Chairman of the National Environmental Commission of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA), member of the CPUSA National Committee and National Board, USA

Chondros, Giorgos, Syriza, Greece

Harle Ritva, Community Artist, Performers and Artists for Nuclear Disarmament (PAND), Finland

Heininen, Lassi, Professor Arctic Politics, University of Lapland, Finland

Helander, Hanna, President of the City Sámit, Finland

Hervé, Bramy, member of of EL Environmental WG, Communist Party of France, France

Kaikkonen, Riikka, member of EL Environmental WG, Communist Party of Finland, Finland

Kashin, Boris,  member of the Central committee of the  Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Deputy of the State Duma ( member of Parliament), academician of Russian Academy of Sciences.

Kiviharju,  Merikukka, Singer and song writer, Performers and Artists for Nuclear Disarmament (PAND), Finland

Lehväslaiho Heini, Singer and song writer, Performers and Artists for Nuclear Disarmament (PAND), Finland

Mola, Maite, Vice President of the EL, Communist Party of Spain, Spain

PROFESIONAL ;Licenciada en Ciencias Físicas por la Universidad del País vasco.Catedrática de Matemáticas.

CARGOS POLÍTICOS ACTUALES;Vice presidenta del Partido de la Izquierda europea (PIE), coordinadora del ejecutivo y responsable de internacional de dicho partido.Miembro de la Permanente del PCE. Miembro de la dirección de Izquierda Unida Federal.

SOCIAL;Militante feminista, trabajo en diferentes plataformas de mujeres, principalmente en la de la Abolición de la prostitución.

SINDICALAfiliada al sindicato de enseñanza de CC.OO. desde 1983

Muccigrosso, Piera, Political secretary, EL Office, Brussels, Italy/Belgium

Nielsen, Hjørdis,  Communist Party in Denmark, Denmark

Peralta, Nelson,  member of EL Environmental WG, Left Bloc , Portugal

Polyakoff, Victor,  Member of EL Executive Board, United Estonian Left, Estonia

Raffini, Davide, Political Secretary, EL Office, Brussels, Belgium

Rasmussen, Bjarne, International sekretary, Communist Party  of Denmark, Denmark

Reppesgaard, Harald, chief-editor of "Frihten" newspaper and vice-chairman of the  Communist Party of Norway, Norway

Rinne, Reijo, Member of Environemental Working Group of the Communist Party of Finland

Scheringer-Wright, Johanna, researcher (agriculture and Environment), MP in Thuringia and Speaker for Agriculture and Rural development, Member of National Executive Committee of DIE LINKE., Germany, member of EL Environmental WG

Tapio Siirilä, Lapland Regional Political Secretary of the Communist Party of Finland, Finland

Wright Mike, freelance journalist and activist, speaker of Ecology WG DIE LINKE. Germany, member of EL Environmental WG

Vartiainen, Mikko, chairman of Communist Workers` party (Finland) researcher of international law and peoples rights, in the University of Lapland, Finland.

Väisänen, JP (Juha-Pekka), Chairman of the Communist Party of Finland, EL Executive Board, Finland

Zorikhin-Nilsson, Ilya, International Secretary Communist Party of Sweden, Sweden

Arctic Initiative