Bringing the laic and social fight to international level

“Secularism is being attacked at the same time, by religious fanatics of all denominations on one side, and on the other side by the champions of world deregulation who aim at enslaving the weakest under cover of market law.”

Two years after the first International laic meeting (Montreuil, February 2007) this phrase remains powerfully topical. The situation of our world is singularly explosive : an unprecedented worldwide economical crisis; a new spreading of social inequalities and poverty all around the world; the weakening and pulling to pieces of joint social protections and public services by the high-flyers of neoliberal Europe; the veering to the extreme right of religious establishments; the rising of a sickening “Culture clash” rigged by world leaders; national and religious identity tensions reaching breaking points ; women’s right receding everywhere; communautarisms lending a hand to the powers that be with their neoliberal freedom-denying policies, and so on…

Everything is being undertaken to bring down secularism and sap women’s rights and turn integrists into valid interlocutors in the place of true democrats.

Let us give a few examples :

• In France, subsidising denominational schools on public money for instance; or with the present government Latran speech so reflective of Opus Dei, or else the drastic funding cuts of the family planning centres.

Here are other examples in Europe and in the world:
• In Brussels, Churches bias the institutions, notably through the activism of COMECE religious lobbying.
• In Vatican : welcoming into the heart the Catholic church anti-semitic and negationist dignitaries; not to mention the words “ pollution of the environment by the contraceptive pill”
• In Algeria private life space is being denied, the founding freedoms, speech, press and conscience are being questioned resulting in a witch-hunt of the “infidels” and demonizing a whole region in the pretence of “protecting” Islam.
• In the Middle-East laic Palestinians or Arab militants are eliminated to be replaced by integrist muslims; the israeli-palestinian conflict is aggravating home and abroad.
• In Great-Britain, polygamy has been made legal.
• In the UN there was an attempt to institute the crime of blasphemy, in total disregard of the right of conscience.

Long is the list of the dangers that threaten the world today. Yet there are some gleams of hope :

• Sweden at the turn of the century has separated the State and the Lutheran Church
• In France wearing any explicit mark of religious denomination in State schools has been banned since the bill passed on March 15 2004
• In Algeria, a party has appeared in 2008 that for the first time mentions secularism in its name and includes it in its platform
• Closer still, Bolivia has passed a constitution that separates the Catholic Church and the State.

All over the world people are rallying to link laic fight and social fight : in Poland, Spain, France and Europe, in Iran, Irak, in Northern Africa, in Southern Africa and so on …

It is more necessary than ever to bring the fight to international level to produce tomorrow’s new balance of powers. With the on-coming European elections and with a further outlook, UFAL (Union des Familles Laïques) is organizing this meeting in partnership with ADLPF (Association des libres-penseurs de France), CLR (Comité Laïcité République), Grand Orient de France, MEL (Mouvement Europe et Laïcité), ProChoix, Ruptures and with the support of the city of Saint-Denis (93)

Saturday 4 april and sunday 5 april 2009
at "Bourse du Travail" of Saint-Denis (93200)
9-11, street Génin – (Enter by street Bobby Sands)

PROGRAMME

Saturday 4 april
From 14h to 16 h : Aujourd’hui comme hier, la raison contre l’obscurantisme
From 16h 30 to 18h 30 : Les luttes féministes, une lutte centrale

Sunday 5 april
From 10h to 12 h : Contre les discriminations, construire des institutions républicaines
From 14h to 16h : L’école face aux défis de la marchandisation et des communautarismes
From 16h to 17h 30 en conclusion : La laïcité économique, pierre angulaire de la République sociale

To keep in touch,
you are invited to give us informations on our website : www.laicity.info