As the world follows the news on the measures to save European countries from the deep economic crisis, around 7,000 people marched in Nice, France to express their outrage at the crisis on the eve of the meeting of the leaders of G20 countries, to be held in Cannes.
The demonstration I was at today, organized by more than 40 different groups, NGOs, social movements and networks around the world, claimed that the G20 leaders must stop favoring the banks and the financial market, but support the people instead.
Remember that we are facing not just an economic crisis, but a social crisis of food and environment, which has led millions of people into misery and extreme poverty.
Several signs and leaflets carry the message of urgency "They are 20; We are billions", "Change the system and not the planet," "G20, I'm hungry!" and denounced the lack of social participation within the G20 and its illegitimacy and ineffectiveness to find solutions for the rest of the world. ActionAid and partner organization Peuples Solidaires called attention to the issue of financial speculation on food prices and especially to the food crisis, which affects nearly 1 billion people worldwide (ie, one in six people in the world is hungry), an issue which the French Presidency of the G20 agenda includes discussions on at this year's G20.
One in six people in the world is hungry.
To portray and give voice to those who have been most affected by governments' lack of commitment to fight hunger we have with us a farmer from Burundi, Marie-Ntahimpera Consolata, who will accompany us over the next few days here in France.Today, Marie attended the event representing the women farmers of Africa and their struggle for land, public policies for family farms, food stocks to ensure food security for its population, and the opportunity to be heard.
