Jubilee Year 2007

2007 is a year of special significance: it is a Jubilee Year - and is also the bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. The campaign to cancel the debt of the world's poorest countries was inspired by the biblical concept of Jubilee and modelled on the anti-slavery campaign; in 2007 these two strands therefore come together again, with the same clarion call to justice.
            
Many view international debt as a modern form of slavery: poor countries are still obliged to pay their debts to the rich with money that could be used for the health and education of their own people; what's more, the debt relief that has been given comes with damaging economic policy conditions imposed by the institutions of the wealthy nations, sometimes forcing poor countries to liberalise their trade and privatise their water supplies.
                
The Jubilee Debt Campaign has made a difference: some debts have been cancelled, and some of the world's poorest people have seen the benefit. But there is much more to be done if the chains are to be broken and the poor allowed to go free. That's why in this coming Jubilee Year all churches are to be invited to register as JUBILEE CONGREGATIONS as a sign of their commitment to this vision of freedom - in return for the pledge to take action on debt as part of their worship a minimum of once a year, Jubilee Congregations will receive worship resources and simple, clear campaigning information. This new initiative will also include JUBILEE SCHOOLS, who will be provided with resources for assemblies, citizenship - and many other parts of the curriculum.
             
The West Midlands and its churches have been a vital part of all that has been achieved on debt thus far; please indicate your interest in building on this in 2007 by contacting
              

Audrey Miller

Regional Representative for JDC

4 Over Mill Drive

B29 7JL

0121 471 4175

jubileedebt@blueyonder.co.uk
             

New countries eligible for debt relief

The World Bank and IMF have agreed that four more countries - Eritrea,
Haiti, Kyrgyzstan and Nepal - can go onto the list of countries that may
qualify for debt relief through the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
initiative. This does not necessarily mean that they will ever actually
enter the initiative! Jubilee Debt Campaign welcomes the extension of debt
relief to more countries - but feels that HIPC is too limited, too slow
and comes with too many conditions attached.

http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/hipc



Jobs at Jubilee Debt Campaign

Full details of interesting, varied and challenging jobs are on our
website (link below). Please help us to publicise these positions widely
by passing on this information to anyone who may be interested, or
advertising the positions via notice boards or bulletins wherever
possible.
          
http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/jobs
         
        
       
World Debt Events for 2007

     
Campaign events will be taking place
around the country, and worship resources to use are
available for those who approach debt from a faith-based perspective.
    
http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/events

http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/worshipresources
   
  
    
Cut the Strings
   
Jubilee Debt Campaigners are urging the UK government to argue at the
World Bank and IMF that the harmful strings attached to debt cancellation
must be cut. Thousands of you have already sent postcards, emails and
letters. On 16th May, World Debt Day, the All Party Parliamentary Group
will be meeting to discuss these issues further - please encourage your MP
to attend the meeting.
    
Cut the strings: http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/strings
     
All Party Group: http://www.debtaidtrade.org
    
Find your MP: http://www.locata.co.uk/commons
   

Jubilee Debt Campaign calls for the cancellation of unjust and unpayable
poor country debt.
      
www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk