Germany

CWI holds biggest conference ever

www.socialistworld.net, 08/11/2002
website of the committee for a workers' international, CWI

From 1-3 November, the national conference of the German section of the CWI took place. It was the biggest conference of the German section ever.

From a CWI correspondent, Berlin

German CWI holds biggest conference ever

On the agenda was: Imperialism and the threat of war, Germany after the elections, building in the trade unions and workplaces, building the party and an international report from a representative of the CWI. There were also commissions on: building branches in new areas, sexism, trade union work, and the movement against capitalist globalisation.

The mood of the comrades was very good, and the discussions were lively. The possibilities for the German CWI to grow are very good.

The German CWI is faced with the task of building the anti-war-movement. Already comrades are planning school students’ strikes, university actions and other activities around the country.

During the conference a financial appeal raised more than 8000 Euros. Books and pamphlets worth more than 1000 Euros were sold.

Successful campaigns at US colleges

The CWI in the US, Socialist Alternative, organised highly successful public events and campaigns at colleges for the start of the school year in September and October. Public meetings were organised against the war in Iraq, along with a national speaking tour of a Nigerian CWI comrade, who spoke on ’The struggle against poverty and neo-colonialism in Africa’.

In total, 23 public meetings were organised in 7 cities across the country, with approximately 1,200 people attending. The campaign, along with our intervention in the anti-war movement, resulted in Justice (Number 31) being the best selling issue of the paper in the history of the US CWI.

Some of the best results of the campaign were in Minneapolis, where a new, active and functioning branch of the SA has been established. The branch is also playing the leading role in the anti-war movement at the main university in Minneapolis and has organised a rally of 500 students, which blocked traffic during part of its march.

In Seattle, 9 public meetings were organised at universities, high schools and in communities, which attracted a total of 670 people.

Philip Locker, Seattle, USA