Information for the Media
Edinburgh World Justice Festival "A world in crisis...what's the alternative" begins today. Over the course of nine days Edinburgh will be home to distinguished international and local guests holding a series of free talks, workshops and debates exploring alternatives and ideas for positive change of the current the environmental and economic crisis.

Among the visiting speakers:
The Bolivian Ambassador - Maria Beatriz Souviron
Dr. Francisco Dominguez - Latin American expert of Middlesex University
Manuel Cortes - Assistant General Secretary of the TSSA union
Duncan Maclaren - Chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland
Jesse Griffiths - Co-ordinator of the Bretton Woods Project
Helen Martin - STUC

For further details or to set up interviews with the organizers or the speakers, please contact Matthew Crighton at info@ewjf.org.uk.

Full Press release:
Edinburgh takes on World Justice
Launch of 2010 Festival programme: A world in crisis… What’s the alternative?

The fifth Edinburgh World Justice Festival takes place between Friday the 15th and Saturday the 23rd of October 2010 in venues across Edinburgh. This year’s theme “A World in crisis... What’s the alternative?” is a much needed response to the environmental and economic issues that confront us.

Over the course of nine days Edinburgh will be home to distinguished international and local guests holding a series of free talks, workshops and debates exploring alternatives and ideas for positive change.

The Festival kicks off on the 15th of October with the event Venezuela and Bolivia - Changing the state of Latin America, where HE Maria Beatriz Souviron, the Bolivian ambassador, and Dr. Francisco Dominguez, from Venezuela Solidarity Campaign, will look at how these countries are using national wealth and resources to boost social welfare and attack poverty.

The following days speakers will take on issues of global importance such as: poverty, climate justice, alternative economic models and tax justice, war and nuclear weapons and the future of Afghanistan. The festival ends on an upbeat note, on October 23rd, with a focus on Cuba – its health achievements and finally, music and dance: son cubano and salsa.

Cllr Jenny Dawe, Leader of City of Edinburgh Council, welcomed the launch of the programme: "Congratulations on highlighting important issues such as global inequality, climate change and the arms trade. I wish Edinburgh World Justice Festival a successful week of events."

The organisers: “We wanted to highlight some of the positive examples and ideas which give hope, because it’s easy to feel gloomy in the aftermath of the recession. Some of these are in Latin America but a lot of great ideas, for example about tax, the banks and disarmament are being created in this country. We aim to raise the level of debate in Edinburgh”.

The programme comprises events being put on by a wide range of organisations and is testimony to what can be achieved when we all work together.

Please see the Festival Programme for daily schedule of events and venues.

Background Information
Edinburgh World Justice Festival came to life as a result of Edinburgh’s historical march in 2005 when a quarter million people took to the streets to “Make Poverty History” and is organised by a small team of dedicated volunteers.

Contributing to this year’s festival are: World Development Movement, UNISON, Venezuela Solidarity Campaign, Christian Aid, Oxfam, SCIAF, Jubilee Scotland, Peace and Justice Centre, Cuba Solidarity Campaign, Edinburgh CND, Shakti Women's Aid, Campaign Against the Arms Trade, Edinburgh Stop the War, Working Together for Change, ImpactAIDS, TSSA.

If you are experiencing any problems with the website, please contact the administrator at: admin@ewjf.org.uk