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1,000 GMO-FREE ZONES ON EARTH DAY 2005
The GM-free Ireland Network cordially invites you to collaborate in launching local GMO-free zones across the whole island of Ireland at 2pm on Earth Day, 22 April 2005.
Our objective is for 1,000 organic and conventional farmers, hotels, restaurants, pubs, retailers, schools and homes North and South of the border to display GMO-free zone signs and simultaneously declare their lands and premises GMO-free. See our guidelines for details.
This goal is ambitious but within reach: there are some 1,000 organic farmers in Ireland and our network now includes 53 organisations representing over 30,000 conventional and organic farmers, foresters, food producers / distributors / exporters, retailers, chefs, restaurants, Non Governmental Organisation (NGOs), professional associations, doctors, economists, lawyers, journalists, students, and consumers collaborating to keep GM food and farming out of Ireland.
The GMO-free sites will be revealed at the following events in Dublin, when we will unveil a map register of their locations, and call for cross-border and EC legislation to protect participating organic and conventional farms (together with National Parks, SACs, REPS and other areas) seeking protection from contamination by GMO animal feed, seeds, trees, crops, livestock and fish.
11am: media briefing at Buswell's Hotel, Dublin
Confirmed speakers include Michael O'Callaghan, GM-free Ireland Network, Kathy Sinnott, MEP and Cllr. Brian Meany, Clare County Council. Buswell's Hotel is located at 25 Molesworth St, Dublin.
2pm: presentation at the Convergence Festival, Dublin
The seventh Convergence Festival is designed to educate and expand our understanding of community, and what it means to build healthy, sustainable environments. Venue: Sustainable Culture Centre, 15-19 Essex Street West, Temple Bar, Dublin 8. Admission to the GM-free Ireland presentation is free.
Local events throughout the country
As part of this action, we invite you to use our guidelines and local contacts to organise and co-host related events in your community, in collaboration with members of the organisational affiliates of the GM-free Ireland Network who may live or work in your area, especially participating farming groups, restaurants and chefs. We have included information on how you can participate below, and will provide organising tips, a list of local contacts, a promotional DVD, leaflets, posters and more information here in the weeks ahead.
EU Governments still hesitate to ban GMOs due to a US-led WTO dispute with the EC, but 100 regional and 3,500 sub-regional areas in 22 EU countries have already passed legislation which prohibits or restricts the release of GMO seeds and crops. Across the water, Cornwall, the Highlands of Scotland, the whole of Wales, and 22 Councils in the UK now have GM bans in place. The Assembly of European Regions (AER), Friends of the Earth Europe and a wide coalition of EU regional governments, local authorities and NGOs have launched a campaign for EC legislation that clearly recognises the democratic right of Regions (including Irish Counties) to declare themselves GMO-free.
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County councils and local authorities:
Please sign the EU-wide GMO-free zones petition to strengthen your democratic right to ban GMO crops. If your area has passed a GMO-free motion, please display our official GMO-free zone signs on all roads entering your area. (This is important because of the very high threat of GMO contamination by GMO rapeseed which may soon be legalised by the EC for use as animal feed; thousands of these GMO seeds could spill from lorries transporting them by road from ports of entry to animal feed compounders around the country.) We have been informed that Co. Clare, Co. Down, and Co. Fermanagh have already declared themselves GMO-free. Co. Leitrim is considering a GM-free motion, and Co. Sligo has included a GM crops exclusion clause in its Draft Development Plan. City Councils and other Local Authorities which have passed GM-free motions include Clonakilty, Derry, Mourne, Navan and Newry. GM-free motions have been tabled in Dublin City Council and South Dublin County Council.
Organic and conventional farmers: we urge you to join together to declare your local area GMO-free. Consider expanding your local GMO-free zone to include National parks and designated biological and ecological whose biodiversity deserves protection from GMO contamination in your area. These include Nature Reserves, SACs (Special Areas of Conservation for wildlife habitats under EC law), SPAs (Special Protected Areas for birds under EC law), Natural Heritage Areas, Refuges for Flora, Refuges for Fauna, and all Irish Atlantic Bioregeographical region Sites of Community Importance (SCI) listed in Directive 2004/813/EC.
Organic farmers and food producers: since you will lose your organic certification if contaminated by GMOs, please stand up for your constitutional right to earn a livelihood and lead the organising of your local event. Remember Gandhiís advice: ìYou have to be the change you want to see in the world!î
The lead-up to 22 April is an exercise in building civil society, participatory democracy, local community organising, rural development and good governance. The GM-free Ireland Network secretariat will provide a co-ordinating role, but the success and impact of this event depends on you. This is your project!
So long as the Irish and UK governments continue to place the economic interests of transnational agri-biotech corporations above the health, food security, and farming future of their citizens, itís up to us to take action now before the first shipments of GMO animal feed, seeds and crops contaminate our country for generations to come. As Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world!"
For more information, please see our participants guide.
For enquiries call Michael O'Callaghan on (0404) 43 885.
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