Update #1 Reclaim the Streets Party Announced for February 2nd

Update #2 Drawing Resistanxce exhibition of Political Art in ABC NoRio

Update #3 Poster now available for the InterGalactic Anarchist Convention

Update #4 Schedule of events now available for the InterGalactic Anarchist Convention.

Update #5 Calendar of events during the WEF maintained by 'Another World Is Possible.'

Updates follow the main text of the article below.

Introduction

The World Economic Forum will hold its annual meeting in the Astoria Waldorf Hotel in New York City between January 31st and February 4th. The WEF is an entirely private forum without any direct relationship with a specific international trade treaty, yet each year, Presidents and Prime Ministers, Foreign Policy and Finance Czars, collaborationist Union leaders and phalanxes of CEOs(check out the list), make their way there for the great capitalist confab, and deep immersion in the mysteries of free market utopianism. Given the star studded list of attendees, we can only assume that the food is terrific and the conversation exceptional. But rather than passing you to prejudiced leftists for a description of the WEF, here is one from that pillar of bourgeois respectability, the Financial Times.

Check out the official WEF web site and their magazine!

Traditionally of course, this meeting has been held in the picture postcard setting of Davos, Switzerland. And it has been the habit of nay-sayers, refuseniks, dissidents, rejectionists, contrarians and ne'er-do-wells of all stripes to make the journey there too, and give them the stiff finger salute (read a report from last year to get an idea). True to form, news of the conference triggered a call to action by anarchists, amongst others.

This feature will be regularly updated with news on the prepartation of the celebrations and the repudiations. While waiting for things to hot up, why not have a read of the novel 'Davos' by our pal Daniel De Roulet, which is available free on line.

Organization
Planning Meeting in New York are taking place every Sunday from 3.00-7.00 PM in St. Mark's Church, at 2nd Avenue and 10th Street.An announcements list has been established.

Mobilizations/Events

Anti Capitalist Convergence

See also http://www.abolishthebank.org/wef2002.html

Prior to the WEF meeting, the Mayday collective are organizing a three day get together 'InterGalactic Anarchist Convention' for radicals in New York City to bve held in the Chashama Theatre - 129 W 42nd St
(Between Bdway & 6th in Times Sq)
, where there will be workshops, music, performance and fundraising for the legal team. They're still interested in further participants.

There will also be a regional anarchist organizational meeting to prepare for the mobilization against the WEF at 2.00 PM on Januray 19th, also in the
Chashama Theatre. Click here for a map.

Another World Is Possible (Anti-WEF Coalition)

http://www.anotherworldispossible.com

New York Social Forum Conference Proposal for 26-27 January, 2002. The NYC Social Forum is modelled on that built in Genoa last year to coordinate protests against the G8. You can read their original proposal and their latest update.

"Public Eye On Davos" will be hosting a conference at the UN Church from January 31 to February 3rd.
(NGO Operation)

http://www.davos2001.ch/

WEF National Student Mobilization & Counter-Summit who are organizing out of Columbia University and will hold a four day conference including many workshops, scheduled so as to allow partcipants to take part in the various direct actions Their website is:

http://www.studentsforglobaljustice.org/

Alas, the much unloved International Action Center are also mobilizing for a 'mass demonstration' on February 2nd and you can follow all that kind of stuff here.

Logistical
There is a ride board at www.abolishthebank.org co-ordinating whatever transport there is from outside of New York to the protests.

Miscellaneous

Some people have suggested that organisation for the protests is a touch poor. But things seem to be improving. Amongst the proposals for action was one called 'push-a-lot', a kinda Tute Bianche/Womble/Ya Basta thingy, read about it and hope they've organized for their legal needs.

The New York City Indymedia Center will provide coverage during the event.

Update #1

Reclaim the Streets

We at RTS NYC recently conducted a poll.

We asked CEOs, high-level government officials and
other members of the wealthy global elite the
following question:

Four months after the worst terrorist attack in U.S.
history, at a time when the site of the World Trade
Center remains a smoldering mass grave; when thousands
of New Yorkers have been laid off; when the city has
entered into austerity mode, initiating budget cuts,
axing social programs and welfare (but generously
donated a community center to a needy developer); and
when many New Yorkers are still deep in the process of
mourning their dead and a home forever changed, what
would be the best way to spend a few million taxpayer
dollars?

a) on social programs that would benefit New York's
poor, hungry, homeless and jobless

b) on a 5-day cocktail party for rich people



Our prestigious respondents unanimously chose "b".

(Though George W. Bush requested, "No fancy fruity
drinks. Just beer and chicks.")

We at RTS NYC have decided to endorse these lovable
fat
cats. We figure, with all that money and power, they
must know what they're doing!

So in solidarity with the World Economic Forum, RTS is
throwing its own bash -- a musically oriented,
danceable one, of course. Argentine Tango, anyone?
Consider yourself cordially invited to...

DANCE UPON THE RUINS OF THE WORLD

Profits Before People! Rebuild NY for Big Business!

Dress up, make music, and tango till you drop.

Date: Saturday, 2 February

Time: Noon

Place: The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Park Avenue, NYC



Formal attire.



Calling all samba bands, musicians of every stripe,
tango instructors, bikers in ball gowns and
loudmouths. Meet with us next Wednesday, 16 January,
at 7pm at Judson Church (55 Washington Square South,
near Thompson St.) to plan the party.


No R.S.V.P. required.

Update #2

Drawing Resistance--A Traveling Political Art Show

ABC No Rio--January 10 thru February 14

Gallery Hours: Sundays 1:00-3:00pm; Tues & Thurs 5:00-7:00pm

Drawing Resistance is a group show featuring work by 31 artist/activists from North America. The show speaks to subjects vital to understanding the world today, including globalization, working class rights, environmental destruction, corporate control, police brutality, homelessness, gentrification and the Zapatista movement in Mexico.

Organized by Sue Simensky Bietila (Milwaukee) and Nicolas Lampert (Minneapolis), Drawing Resistance will travel for up to five years to cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The shows tour began in September 2001 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and will come to New York at ABC No Rio in January. The show opens on January 10th; a reception for the artists will be held on Thursday, January 17th.

The artists in Drawing Resistance range in age from their twenties to their eighties. Familiar names include Seth Tobocman and Peter Kuper of New York City, founders of the magazine World War III Illustrated. A number of artists in Drawing Resistance have been published in World War III, including Eric Drooker (San Francisco), creator of some of the most memorable protest images of the last decade.

Other participants include the collage artist, Freddie Baer (San Francisco) and the block print artist, Richard Mock (New York City), whose work can often be seen in the Detroit anarchist paper, The Fifth Estate. The albums and posters of legendary San Francisco punk band the Dead Kennedys, and the label, Alternative Tentacles, are known as much for the visual impact of Winston Smith (San Francisco) and John Yates (England/San Francisco) collages as for the music.

For the last half-century, the woodcut medium and the posters of the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) are best known by the work of Carlos Cortez (Chicago). Recently, Domitila Dominguez and Antonio Ramirez of Mexico beautifully illustrated the childrens book, Questions and Swords: Folktales of the Zapatista Revolution by Subcomandante Marcos.

Other artists include Rocky Tobey (Toronto), designer of the poster found in the streets of Quebec during the protest of the Summit of the Americas (FTAA) in April 2001. The urban streets and alleys are home to the stencils and posters of Josh Macphee (Chicago) and Robbie Conal (Los Angeles). The work of Corinne Rhodes (New York City) and Emily Abendroth (Oakland) are both directly inspired by their human rights work in Chiapas, Mexico.

More information about Drawing Resistance and participating artists can be found on the web at http://www.drawingresistance.org.

"Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it."

--Bertolt Brecht

List of Participating Artists-- Drawing Resistance :

Emily Abendroth, Freddie Baer, Diana Berek, Julie Beauchamp, Sue Simensky Bietila,
Katie Burkart, Robbie Conal, Carlos Cortez, Domitila Dominquez, Eric Drooker,
Kehben Grifter / Juan Manchu, Sabrina Jones, Peter Kuper, Nicolas Lampert, Josh Macphee,
Fernando Marti, Mac Mcgill, Doug Minkler, Richard Mock, Ricardo Levins Morales,
Mabel Negrete, Iris Pasic, Antonio Ramirez, Corinne Rhodes, Nicole Schulman, Andy Singer,
Winston Smith, Rocky Tobey, Seth Tobocman, John Yates

ABC No Rio is located in Manhattan at 156 Rivington Street (between Clinton & Suffolk).

Update#3

Poster now available for the 'InterGalactic Anarchist Convention'.

The event will take place for January 17th -20th in New York City.

You can download the poster here.

Update #4

Schedule now available for the InterGalactic Anarchist Convention that begins on thursday January 17th and continues through Sunday January 20th in New York City. Please find the timetable here.

Please submit further information to us, or in the comments section under the story. This feature will be regularly updated over the next month.