Today, November 10th, 2020 marks 25 years since the Ogoni 9 were hanged by the Nigerian military regime for resisting the destruction of their land and communities by international oil companies. We are spending the day in remembrance and watching as images roll in from our friends in Nigeria, of the vigils taking place there to honour...
Ken Saro-Wiwa,
Saturday Dobee,
Nordu Eawo,
Daniel Gbooko,
Paul Levera,
Felix Nuate,
Baribor Bera,
Barinem Kiobel,
John Kpuine
As we remember their names, we are being called at this time to rethink what our movements are being asked to do in response to the increasing intensity of the ecological and social crisis. The pandemic has made it so difficult to come together at this time so we want to invite you to a virtual Global Arts Night on Saturday 14th of November, coordinated by Platform in collaboration with MOSOP (Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People).
Let’s take time to remember and re-inspire each other in support of the Ogoni and other communities fighting extractivism around the world.
“It is essential we take time to honour the memory of the Ogoni 9 today, we stand in solidarity with the communities impacted by the colonial violence of Shell and the on-going and worsening social and ecological crisis. We must reflect on our movement history to understand the depth and complexities of these struggles. We must humble ourselves and imagine how we will honour the creativity, bravery and nuance of the Ogoni 9 as we co-create the future, and create movements that will shake the foundations of injustice.” Suzanne Dhaliwal, Climate Justice Campaigner wrote for the Oil Change International blog post this morning. Suzanne will be co-hosting the event on Saturday alongside Shake! Programme Manager Rose Ziaei and Divest Campaigner Laurie Mompelat, with help from the rest of the Platform team & our amazing line-up of contributors.
The event on Saturday will explore the situation in the Niger Delta within wider Reparations Movement, and link it to British corporate power, and the extraction and pollution impacts on ecologies and communities around the world. These situations can feel intractable, and traditional campaigning methods often run into the ground. In these conditions, creative, artistic, and cultural strategies can serve as a tool to tell truth to power, deconstruct the Western, colonial, and capitalist notions of existing, and re-imagine alternatives.
As well as speakers, soundscapes, healing practices, and exciting performance by Virtual Migrants, we are excited to be launching a special artwork by Nigerian artist Chiizii which will guide us through the evening to hold the past of our environmental justice movements, and ask ourselves how we can get to the future.
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Register for the event here www.eventbrite...