Local Food, Global Prosperity Conference 12 October

[tony at gaia.org]

>
>Local Food, Global Prosperity
>An inspirational evening of talks, debate and discussion
>October 12th 2000
>7.00 to 10.00 p.m.
>(Doors open 6.15 p.m.)
>Kensington Town Hall, London W8
>Ticket Office:  01803 868650
>
>‘Local Food, Global Prosperity’ is an evening conference organised
by the
>International Society for Ecology and     ure (ISEC). The event,
which is
>chaired by Jonathan Dimbleby,  focuses on the globalisation of the
food
>economy and the need for, and benefits of, local food systems.
>
>The main speakers include:
>
>Wendell Berry (internationally renowned poet, philosopher, author and
>farmer): “Food and farming in the global economy”.
>
>Vandana Shiva (well-known critic of biotechnology and this year’s
Reith
>Lecturer): “The benefits of local food and farming systems from a
Southern
>perspective”.
>
>Helena Norberg-Hodge (Director of ISEC and co-founder of the
International
>Forum on Globalisation) : “Local food: the big        ”.
>
>Supporting speakers:
>
>Vyvyan Howard (Fetal & Infant Toxico-Pathology, University of
Liverpool):
>“The health hazards of global vs. local food and farming systems” .
>
>Vicki Hird (Sustain): “The impact of global vs. local food and
farming
>systems on the environment”.
>
>Michael Hart (Small and Family Farm Alliance):  “The impact of
global vs.
>local food and farming systems on jobs”.
>
>Programme outline in brief:
>1. Welcome by Tracy Worcester (5 min);
>2. A series of speeches by main and supporting speakers introduced by
>Jonathan Dimbleby (70 min, followed by 15 min break);
>3. Informal debate with main speakers and Sean Ricard, directed by
Jonathan
>Dimbleby (15 min);
>4. Questions from the floor to conference presenters and debaters
directed
>by Jonathan Dimbleby  (60 min).
>
>
>The Statement for the Global to Local Food, Global Prosperity
Conference:
>
>"We believe that the government must, as a priority, seek to balance
the
>economic playing field by removing hidden and direct subsidies that
>currently favour chemical-intensive, export-led agriculture.  Such a
shift
>in policy would help to:
>
>* Improve the quality of our soil and water;
>* Reduce Co2 emissions and thereby help to prevent climate change;
>* Increase rural employment and revitalise our towns and villages;
>* Enable consumers to buy fresh, healthy produce at a lower cost.”
>
>The Conference Statement has been endorsed by the following people:
>Anthony Andrews, Norman Baker MP, Anthony Barnett, Lord Beaumont of
Whitley,
>Tracy Bennett, Baron Bentinck, Sir Richard Body, Gail Boglione, David
>Chaytor MP, the Earl of Clanwilliam, Jilly Cooper, Charles Couzens,
Viscount
>Cowdray, Countess Cranbrook, Julie Christie, Jessica Douglas-Home,
Richard
>Douthwaite, David Drew MP, Matt Dunwell, Lady Durham, James Dyson,
Simon
>Fairlie, Lucy Ferry, Edward Fox, Robert Fox, Lynne Franks, Hugh
Grant, Alan
>Gear, Uri Geller, Herbie Girardet, Charles Glass, Edward Goldsmith,
Michael
>Gove, Sabrina Guinness, Jerry Hall, Simon Heffer, Colin Hines, Jools
>Holland, Liz Hosken, John Humphrys, Stephen Joseph, Tony Juniper,
Jemima and
>Imran Khan, Jean Lambert MEP, Prof Tim Lang, Rodney Leach, Annie
Lennox,
>Caroline Lucas MEP, Nick Mason, Austin Mitchell MP, George Monbiot,
the Rt
>Rev Hugh Montefiore, Lord Montague of Beaulieu, Bel Mooney, Norman
Myers,
>Strilly and Nicholas Oppenheimer, Robin Page, Jonathan Porritt, Lady
Carla
>Powell, Jules Pretty, Hugh Raven, Sir Julian Rose, Richard
Sandbrook, Roger
>Scruton, Jeremy Seabrook, Charles Secrett, Alan Simpson MP, Ronnie
and Jo
>Wood, Lawrence Woodward, Richard Willson, Tim Yeo MP, Susannah York.
>
>
>
>
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