Aleida Guevara wins the heart of the ESF: Cuba at European Social Forum. Full details.
Campaign News | Wednesday, 20 October 2004
Tremendous boost to campaign
CSC at the European Social Forum, Alexandra Palace 14-17 October
In what has been a tremendous success for the CSC and its sister campaigns around Europe, Aleida Guevara and a strong Cuban delegation won over thousands of hearts and minds at the European Social Forum.
Aleida, the daughter of Che, received tremendous support from the audiences at the many meetings she attended and standing ovations at most of them.
On Thursday, October 14th at the Mayor of London’s welcome event she was greeted with rapturous applause and a very fraternal welcome from Ken Livingstone. So many people turned up to the event at Southwark Cathedral that hundreds had to be turned away.
The following night at a CSC workshop in Friends Meeting House in Bloomsbury, more than 600 people packed into the great hall to hear her speak on the life of Che Guevara alongside Richard Gott and Steve Wilkinson.
On Saturday, some two thousand crammed into the Great Hall at Alexandra Palace for the plenary session on US imperialism at which George Galloway also spoke.
Later in the day, Aleida spoke at the CSC seminar, Hands off Cuba, which was attended by all the members of European sister organisations to CSC. More than 300 people gathered to the panel of speakers which included Cuban medic Raul Van Troi Navarro, Katrien Demuynck from the Belgian solidarity campaign and CSC Director Rob Miller.
On Sunday, Aleida also spoke to nearly 100,000 people in Trafalgar square at the Stop the War/ESF rally.
As well as seven different meetings within the ESF, CSC also organised the largest concert at the event where nearly 1000 people danced feverishly to Cuban bands and the Nueva Trova singer Gerardo Alfonso who came over from Havana specifically for the ESF.
Aleida also spoke at a charity screening of the Motorcycle Diaries to raise money for the Music Fund for Cuba on Monday October 18th at which she gave a question and answer session.
There was massive press interest throughout her stay and major pieces were published in the Guardian and the Independent.
The CSC exhibition and sales area was extremely busy throughout the weekend. Thousands of CSC campaign cards were distributed at the ESF and all 200 of the new campaign t-shirt, ‘another world is possible’ were sold (page 31). A huge vote of thanks must go to all the CSC staff and volunteers who helped to make our involvement at the ESF such a success.
Fri 15 October 1 - 3pm
ESF - Alexandra Palace, Wood Green, London N22
G23 US militarization of Latin America Seminar speakersGonzalo Berrón (Brazil) Evo Morales (Bolivia)Rebeca Orosa (Cuba) Jahel Quiroga (Colombia)Yannick Etienne (Haiti)Chair Barry Camfield (TGWU - trade union)
Fri 15 October 4 - 6pm ESF
267 Che - workshop Aleida Guevara, Steve Wilkinson, Francisco Dominguez at Friends Meeting House, Euston Road.
Fri 15 October 7 - 9pm ESF
G21 Cuba, Venezuela - SeminarspeakersIvette Vega (Cuba)Raúl Van Troi Navarro. (Cuba)Samuel Moncada (Venezuela) Orlando Castillo (Venezuela)Chair:Kristine Karch (Germany) Netzwerk Cuba
Sat 16 October 9 - 11am ESF
S37 Europe and Latin America trade debt & dependency - Seminar Speakers: Pedro Maset (Spain)Leonel Gonzalez (Cuba), Gloria Ramirez (Colombia)Alicia Castro (Argentine)Orlando Castillo (Venezuela)Chairs:Ann Pettifor; Billy Hayes
Sat 16 October 11.30am -1.30pm
ESF
1.5 US Imperialism PLENARY Speaker:Dr Aleida Guevara March (Cuba)
Sat 16 October 2 - 4pm ESF
G22 Blockade of Cuba (Hands Off Cuba) - Seminar Speakers: Dr Aleida Guevara March (Cuba)Raúl Van Troi Navarro (Cuba)Katrien Demuynck (Belgium)Rob Miller CSC (UK)Chair: Bernard Regan (Cuba Solidarity Campaign)
Sat 16 October 6 - 9pm Tent - Alexandra Palace
Fiesta Cubana (Organised CSC) Live Cuban music and DJsGerardo Alfonso (direct from Cuba), Leo Duany y su orquesta; Son de CubaPaseo Malanga
Sun 17 October 9am -12pm ESF
268 Cuba Next Iraq (Solidarity with Cuba) - WorkshopLuis Marron (Cuba)Other speakers
Sun 17 October 2pm Assemble: Russell Square, 1pm. March to Trafalgar Square for a rally at 3:30pm
March/Rally.March with the Cuba Solidarity Contingent. Meet at the big Bush puppet. Bring flags, banners and lots of noise. Assemble: Russell Square, 1pm.March to Trafalgar Square for a rally at 3:30pm, with music and speakers
Mon 18 October 6pm-8.30pm
Everyman Cinema, Hampstead Film Showing: Motorcycle DiariesFollowed by Q&A Dr Aleida Guevara& book signingTickets are available priced £7 concessions and £9.50 waged from the Everyman Cinema, Hampstead Box Office on 08700 664777.
Getting to Alexandra Palace:
Directions
By car: The venue is one mile from the North Circular (A406) and five miles from Junction 2 on the M1 motorway. Junction 25, of the M25 London Ring Road is just eight miles away and Piccadilly Circus is five miles away. Major roads are signposted to Alexandra Palace.
Public Transport
Reduce congestion, travel by public transport.
By Rail: Alexandra Palace station (WGAN) routes is located at the Wood Green entrance to Alexandra Palace Park. Trains run from Kings Cross and Moorgate stations via Finsbury Park. The frequent W3 bus service runs just outside the station to the Palace.
By Underground: Wood Green station, on the Piccadilly line is the nearest London Underground station. It connects via Kings Cross to the Circle Line on which all British Rail stations are connected.
By Bus: Both the free shuttle service and W3 bus stop just outside Wood Green Underground and Alexandra Palace Station to connect you to the Palace (three-minute bus ride). Visitors should ask for the Palm Court entrance bus stop. The W3 bus route runs from Northumberland Park to Finsbury Park and links the Palace with Wood Green and Alexandra Palace Stations. A free shuttle bus also operates on most show days.
Parking
2000 free parking spaces on-site.
