The World Development Movement will have a new name next year when it is rebranded as Global Justice Now following a vote among the organisation’s members last month.
After 45 years as the World Development Movement – often abbreviated to WDM – the international NGO will officially become Global Justice Now in January as part of a wider relaunch of the organisation. According to WDM’s director Nick Dearden, the new name is intended to reflect better the campaign’s aims of fighting poverty and inequality around the world.
“We feel that the concept of ‘development’ has been thoroughly captured by big business,” Dearden explained in a web post to members last month.
“For many of our allies in the global south development means exactly the kind of mines, dams and luxury shopping centres which exacerbate inequality and rob people of their livelihoods.
“WDM stands with communities facing these kinds of injustices and against the power of the tiny elite who have increasingly monopolised the world’s resources for themselves.
“Global Justice Now will continue to make that stand and, we hope, mobilise larger numbers of people for a better, more equal, more democratic world.”
Relaunch conference
Global Justice Now will be launched at a conference in east London on 21 February 2015 called ‘Take Back Our World!’ featuring international speakers from around the world.
Discussions will focus on a wide range of issues, including food sovereignty, Latin America’s alternative, energy justice, fighting TTIP and corporate power, reversing privatisation, resisting dirty energy, and building a movement.
Beside the workshops, debates and documentaries, there will also be specially commissioned exhibition by artists from Mexico, Democracia Real Ya, plus music and performance.
“Eighty-five people own as much wealth as half the world’s population,” claims the conference publicity.
“This level of inequality is unprecedented, but it’s not an accident. The past three decades have seen the world’s economies restructured to suit big business. Public services have been privatised. Common land has been grabbed. Climate change has accelerated. Financial markets now rule the roost.
“But the corporate elite haven’t had it all their own way. Popular movements have resisted these modern enclosures. In Latin America particularly, governments have come to power on a platform of putting people ahead of profit.
“In 2015, the World Development Movement will become Global Justice Now. Take Back Our World! is our national launch event, as well as an opportunity to be educated, to be entertained, and to organise for a world not ruled by the priorities of big business.”
The conference will be held at Rich Mix, Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA. Find out more about the relaunch conference, ‘Take back Our World’, here.
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More about the World Development Movement is here.
More about WDM’s new name is here.
