Choices being made right now will shape our society for years, if not decades to come. As decision-makers take steps to ensure immediate relief and long-term recovery, it is imperative that they consider the interrelated crises of wealth inequality, racism, and ecological decline, which were in place long before COVID-19, and now risk being intensified.
This is about our money, our jobs, our future – our lives. It’s time we take back ownership of the discussions and decisions made by leaders who have regularly failed us: whether it’s acting against climate change, preventing the pandemic from spreading as strongly as it did, or fighting the structures and institutions of systemic racism.
The people that control national purse strings, i.e. Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors from the world’s 20 richest countries, are meeting on 18th July, and will build mainstream consensus of how governments and banks will react. These choices will determine if we’ll continue to fuel the climate crisis.
The opportunity for our movement with the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting on July 18th is largely about two things:
We don’t believe the G20, as an entity, is an ongoing strategic target, per se, but the meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors provides an opportunity to draw together national demands for a just recovery, elevate them at a pivotal international moment that highlights the choice point for decision-makers, and that builds solidarity across communities facing this crisis.
Face masks are the symbol of our times.
In some places, civil disobedience can be an option.
This is an excellent way to block and occupy a public area and turn it into art. Here is a guide on how to do them.
You can use these graphics and this guide to project your message to a landmark in your town. You might need to get a permit and you can work with your local authorities to receive it. Good thing about this one is even one person can do it!
COVID times allowed us to be even more creative with our mobilising. If your area is still under heavy restrictions, you can leave symbolic objects in an area and your banners with your messages and use the visuals.
You can hold a banner with a few people, wearing your face masks with messaging and snap a photo with your banners in front of a symbolic landmark.