"Journey to Justice" offers inspiration on debt relief . . .

The "Journey to Justice" event sponsored by Jubilee Debt Campaign on 18 May 2008 offered an inspiring reminder of all that has been accomplished on debt relief . . . and the great amount of work that remains to be done.

The message was clear: debt relief has had extraordinary results and transformed millions of lives. Tanzania, for example, has hired 62,000 new teachers. Mozambique has immunised more than a million children. These are very real causes for thanksgiving and rejoicing.  But, at the same time, only 20% of unpayable debt has been cancelled. Countries still face a huge burden because of illegitimate debts (including "odious debts" made to previous oppressive regimes). Some countries are re-accumulating debts.  . . . There is much more work to be done.

Highlights of the day included:

• An interview with Jubilee 2000 Coordinator Ann Pettifor and campaigner Sheenagh Burrell, looking back at the Birmingham Chain in 1998 and the "ballistically motivated" volunteers who made it possible
• a showing of Anthony Minghella's "Hole in the Bucket" film clip, made for Jubilee 2000 and still as powerful as when it was first broadcast (to see the clip, go to http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/Hole20in20the20Bucket+3673.twl )
• Video messages from UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and former Archbishop of Cape Town Desmond Tutu (see the messages at http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/Videos20from20the20day+4404.twl )
• A panel of politicians including Caroline Spelman, MP; Andy Reid, MP; and Paul Tilsley re-affirming the "real continuity of commitment" of politicians from all parties to debt relief
• A panel on lobbying and campaigning featuring Maria Elena Arana from CAFOD, Muhammad Imran from Islamic Relief, Daleep Mukarji from Christian Aid, and Max Lawson from Oxfam that reaffirmed the importance of grassroots action ("They listen to us . . . because they're effectively listening to you" Max Lawson) and treating "development issues from the perspective of justice" (Daleep Mukarji)
• A panel of religious leaders representing the Hindu, Christian, Jewish and Sikh traditions
• A panel of Southern debt activists, including Lidy Nacpil from Jubilee South,  Zambian MP Given Lubinda, Muyatwa Sitali from Jubilee Zambia, and Latoya Richards from Jamaica, who spoke of the impacts of structural adjustment and debt, the difficulties with conditionality and the need to "stop illegitimate debts from happening" afresh
• An address from another former Archbishop of Cape Town, Njongonkulu Ndungane, who called for new participatory mechanisms for structuring and managing loans, greater transparency, and the channeling of relief funds into broad-based development
• A look towards what needs to happen next -- and the reasoning behind JDC's new "Pick up the Pace" campaign -- with Stephen Rand, Nick Dearden and Sarah Williams of Jubilee Debt Campaign
• An address by Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General of Civicus and chair of the Global Call to Action against Poverty ("The White Band Campaign"), also available at http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/Videos20from20the20day+4404.twl 

To find out more about JDC's "Lift the Lid" campaign on illegitimate debt and its "Pick up the Pace" campaign calling for increased debt forgiveness, go to www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk .