Come to ISR conference

20 November 2004, London

How can we change things? This is the question many thousands of young people are asking themselves. After the invasion of Iraq, the re-election of Bush and the horrific assault on Fallujah, is it possible for us to make a difference?

The reality is that the actions of young people, thrown into political activity for the first time, have changed the political terrain already. The school student strikes electrified the anti-war movement, shattering the myth that young people are apathetic and not interested in politics.

Tens of thousands of young people not only participated in the anti-war movement, but organised strikes and protests in their schools, and in some areas were forced to stand up to bullying from school authorities and the police.

The school strike movement spread spontaneously, but it did not spring out of nowhere. ISR called on school students to strike and many of the most successful school strikes were organised and planned in advance, with a campaign to build the confidence of students to come out, answer the arguments against it and defend any students who were threatened with victimisation as a result of the strikes.

To build movements on all the different issues that face us and win, we need organisation - a way of discussing and debating our priorities, our tactics and our strategy. International Socialist Resistance was originally set up to provide a democratic and accountable forum for young people in the anti-capitalist movement.

Since then ISR has played a key role in the anti-war movement, particularly the school student strikes, and campaigned on many other issues. Our third conference this Saturday will be one of the few chances young people have to come together - not just to hear what the speakers have to say, but to participate themselves in the discussion and decision-making process about continuing the campaign against the occupation of Iraq and the continued destruction, exploitation and misery capitalism brings to the world.

Conference workshops:

What is socialism?
Socialist Students - building in the universities
Fight for your rights at work
No to racism - stop the far right
Campaigning in schools and colleges.
End the occupation of Iraq. No more blood for oil!
Is there a new sexism?

Conference details

Saturday 20 November 2004, 11am-6pm. Upper Hall, University of London Union, Malet Street, London WC1 (nearest tubes: Euston, Goodge Street, Tottenham Court Road). Tickets: Ł4 waged/Ł2 unwaged

020 8558 7947 PO BOX 858, London, E11 1YG.

www.socialiststudents.org.uk

www.anticapitalism.org.uk

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In The Socialist 20 November 2004:

The bloody cost of war