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Moseley Chimes
May 2008
With some difficulty I scrambled up onto a plinth outside St Martin’s Church in the Bullring and helped hold up a banner, “Drop the Debt Fast”. The service launching the JDC Debt Fast was held in St Martin’s on Saturday 12 April, the day the World Bank and International Monetary Fund were holding their spring meetings. It closes on Sunday 18 May, when we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Birmingham 1998 “Chain”. Each day the fast focuses on one of 36 indebted countries. More information can be found on www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk.
After the service which was attended by local MPs and The Dean of St Philip’s Cathedral, we made chain links which will be used in the mass action to demand more debt cancellation ahead of the G8 Summit in Japan and other crucial meetings in 2008. JDC are encouraging us to send in, or bring our chains on Sunday 18 May. And of course we can pray for each of the countries, as well as fasting on the days we choose.
Many forthcoming events started with the opening on 1 May of the exhibition at Birmingham Library and Museum. At 1:00 p.m. on l0 May in the Buddha gallery in the museum, a special ceremony linked to Buddha day and JDC will take place. On 14 May at 7:30 p.m. in the Day Centre and Central Mosque, The Revd Prof Michael Taylor lectures on The Problem with Debt, and Tarek El-Diwany, an expert on Islamic finances speaks on An Islamic Alternative to the Problem of Debt. On 15 May, the Birmingham Post will publish a special tenth anniversary human chain supplement. On 16 & 17 May, there is a Global Debt Academic Conference at Birmingham University. And of course on 18 May, there are special events across the city. Have you got your ticket for Journey to Justice at 2:30 p.m. at the ICC? Just in case, the ticket hotline is 0560 150 7359. Tuesday 20 May sees the launch event at the House of Commons for the report Ten Years On. On 7-9 July is the G8 Summit in Japan. Will you pray for the positive action on the debt issue?