Speakers from Malaysia, the Philippines and the United States have been added to the growing bill of international guests at this years Ecosocialism conference.
Organised by Green Left, Socialist Alliance and LINKS International Journal of Socialist Renewal, Ecosocialism 2024 will be held in Boorloo/Perth, between June 28–30.
Among the new guests to be announced is Danaletchumi (Dana) Langaswaran, from the Parti Sosialis Malaysia (Socialist Party of Malaysia, PSM).
Dana first got involved in activism with the student group Jawatankuasa Kebajikan Mahasiswa/I (JKMI) between 2005–09. Since then, she has been campaigning for farmers' and workers' rights, including as an industrial relations officer for the Hospital Cleaners Union between 2019–21.
Today, Dana is the coordinator of PSM's Workers Bureau in Perak state, and helps run a workers' helpline that was initiated by PSM and the Network of Government Contract Workers (JPKK).
Also confirmed is Aaron Pedrosa, from the Filipino socialist organisation Partido Lakas ng Masa (Party of the Labouring Masses, PLM). Pedrosa is also the Secretary General of Sanlakas, a national, multi-sectoral coalition of grassroots organisations fighting for genuine democracy in the Philippines.
Pedrosa, a former student activist, is a well-known public interest lawyer-activist who provides legal representation to marginalised sectors such as workers, farmers, indigenous peoples, fisherfolk, mining and coal-affected communities.
Pedrosa is a leader of the Filipino environmental movement and involved in the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) as lead counsel of its legal team and co-chair of its energy working group.
He is also a board member of the Philippine Human Rights Information Center (PhilRights) and the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC).
Tabitha Spence, a United States climate justice activist, is also confirmed to speak at Ecosocialism 2024.
Spence is a Doctoral Candidate in Anthropology at the American University (DC), researching the intersection of imperialism, militarism and climate change, with a particular focus on the political, environmental and ideological impact of US military bases across the world.
Spence has worked extensively with social movements in Pakistan, Britain and the US, and has been active with the Democratic Socialists of America, the Asia Europe People's Forum and the Progressive International.
They will join iconic Palestinian revolutionary activist Leila Khaled from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), human rights activist Salim Vally from the pro-Palestine South Africa BDS Coalition and Pakistani historian Ammar Ali Jan from the Haqooq-e-Khalq Party (HKP, Peoples’ Rights Party).
Conference organisers will confirm the attendance of representatives from socialist and progressive organisations in Singapore, India and Brazil, as well as activists from campaigns across Australia, in coming days.
[For more information visit ecosocialism.org.au. Book your tickets now at Trybooking.com.]