In 2012, the G8 will be held on May 19th and 20th at Camp David, and the G20 will be meeting in June 18th and 19th in Mexico.
Why do we take action?
The G8 and G20 are informal summits where members of the eight and twenty largest economies come together to make decisions that help shape economic future for the entire world. Past debt cancellation came through the global Jubilee movement pressuring the world governments, and debt relief was initially promised at the G-7 (before Russia joined) in 1999.
As a movement we have to pressure Congress, the Presidential administration, the Treasury Secretary, as well as these international summits, which represent just one more link holding together the chains of injustice!
We need decisions that benefit the marginalized in our global economy. Not economic policies that feed greed, benefit the 1%, multinational corporations, and keep the globe, and especially the developing world, in economic crisis.
How Can You Get Involved?
This year, Jubilee USA Network is asking our communities to host a G8/G20 Justice event in coordination with our Jubilee Shabbat and Linking our Neighbors initiative. Check out the list of opportunities and resources below to see how you can get involved.
Sign and Spread the petition for an international debt court:
Sign the petition and then table at a local event and have members of your community learn about debt justice and sign onto the petition. You can either bring a laptop and load up the petition for your friends, family, and community members to sign on, or print out the sign-in sheet and send it back to us!
Coordinate One meeting:
Take one step -- set up one meeting with a new faith community or community organization about the issues of Jubilee. If your own community has not become involved, start there!
Have the meeting anytime in the Spring, or plan to have them correspond with other actions that will happen across the country on May 18th. Make building new Jubilee connections and this meeting your action!
- Click here for a guide to setting up and facilitating a meeting
Host a Teach-In
Take the time to have an educational event and teach-in about the global debt crisis. You can hold a small gathering in your home, community organization, or faith community.
- Click here to learn why we take action around the G8/G20
- Click here to download an agenda and interactive exercise for a teach-in in your community
- Click here for the grassroots powerpoint about the G8/G20 and international debt court
- Click here for a more detailed report on Jubilee's stance to develop an international debt court
Interfaith Prayer Service and Reflection
Link hands with your neighbors and organize an interfaith prayer service and dialogue around global justice issues.
- Click here for a guide to plan an interfaith prayer service
Jubilee Shabbat
Jubilee Shabbat is a weekend of prayer, worship, study, and action to end the cycle of poverty caused by international debt and transform our global economic system. Jewish congregations throughout the U.S. will join together in reading parshah Behar-Bechukotai the place where the call to a Jubilee for all communities is first declared.
- Click here to bring Jubilee Shabbat to your Jewish community
Linking Our Neighbors
Use the G8/G20 to Link Our Neighbors to Jubilee justice.
- Click here to learn more about our Linking Our Neighbors
More Questions?
The first step to making a successful event is to connect with local communities in your area. Contact our Outreach Associate at the Jubilee USA office to learn about communities near you. Call our Outreach Associate at (202) 783-3566 x 105 or email at out[email protected].