Belfast Anarchist Bookfair

national | miscellaneous | news report

Friday September 07, 2007 14:58

by Jason Brannigan - Just Books Collective & Organise!

jst_books at yahoo dot co dot uk

P.O. Box 505, Belfast.

Successful First Belfast Anarchist Bookfair

The first Belfast Anarchist Bookfair took place last weekend, Friday 31st of August and Saturday 1st of September, this report will be followed by more indepth reports from individual meetings and from people who attended the bookfair.
Many thanks from the Just Books Collective and Organise! to all involved in making this the success that it was.

The first Belfast Anarchist Bookfair last weekend was a great success. Its estimated that over 150 people attended the bookfair and film showing over the evening of the Friday 31st of August and throughout the day on Saturday 1st of September.

The Friday evening kicked events off with a showing of Libertarias, a film that tels the story of a group of women fighting as part of the Mujeres Libres in the milita's during the Spanish Revolution. Militarisation of the militia's, sexism and the removal of women from the frontline in the fight against fascism are all dealt with in this 1996 film directed by Vicente Aranda. A few anarchist 'icons' are toppled along the way with the focus of the story being on the bravery and idealism of the women and men who make up the 'rank and file' of the anarchist militia.

There was an early start on Saturday morning (perhaps a wee bit too early for some) with the first meeting, giving the low down on developments within Just Books, kicking off at 11.30 am to a rather small, but interested, gathering of around half a dozen. Attendance at the rest of the days meetings was much higher, reports on each meting should follow this article.

The meetings throughout the rest of the day were on:
Belfast Anarchism
Ireland, still fighting for the right to choose
Northern Ireland - New Era? Anothert future is possible
Justice for Dockers
Workplace Organising, Workplace Resistance
International Anarcho-Syndicalism
Resisting Water Charges.

There were stalls from AIT-IWA, Back2front magazine, Barracka Books (Cork), Belfast Anarchist Black Cross, Just Books, Organise!, Revolutionary Anarcha-Feminist Group, Solidarity Federation, We Won't Pay Campaign, Workers Esperanto Association, Workers Solidarity Movement.

Thanks also to the organisers and bands that made the Saturday night benefit for Just Books such a success, ta very much to Jonny, Runnin' Riot, 1000 Drunken Nights, the Lobotomies the Troubles and Stillbirth. Thanks to everyone who did stalls, gave talks, made food, helped publicise the event, housed waifs and strays over the weekend, cleaned up, contributed to discussion, got a drink in... Particular thanks to the Unemployed Resource Centre in Belfast, Albert from Justice for Dockers, Heather from the fpa, RAG and Choice Ireland,

It was great to see so many people over the weekend, new and old, from all over. Reports on specific meetings will follow, hopefully with some photos.

The organisers, Just Books Collective and Organise!, would like to thank everyone who helped ensure this was such a successful event, and to take this opportunity to let everyone know that we plan to make this an annual event.