In Canada and around the world, people gathered together on Monday to celebrate the launch of the Leap Year 2016 campaign for a justice-based transition away from fossil fuels.
Here are some of the day’s highlights.
1. Delivering Community Power launch. In Ottawa, Naomi Klein and the Leap Manifesto team, together with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Friends of Public Services, and allies from Idle No More, ACORN Canada, the Canadian Labour Congress and Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association—launched Delivering Community Power, a bold new vision of how Canada Post could become the hub for a just transition away from fossil fuels. To read the proposal and sign on, visit: www.deliveringcommunitypower.ca
2. 24-hour youth sit-in. In Nelson, BC dozens of high schools students gathered for a 24 hour sit-in in support of the principles of the Leap Manifesto. Students posted video blog updates and help popular education events on the importance of pushing the government to take action on climate change. “As youth whose futures are at stake in this crisis, we believe that we cannot go on with business as usual.”
3. In Copenhagen, activists gathered to kick off the Leap Year with the goal of internationalizing the Leap Manifesto to accelerate the transition towards a more environmentally just era. You can watch this Leap Day video post from organizer and scientist, Jason Box about connecting our movements to make a difference in 2016.
4. Crystal Lameman, member of the Beaver Lake Cree Nation, introduced audience members to the Leap Manifesto during her February 29th talk at McEwan University on “Asserting Indigenous Rights: Sustainability and the Green Economy.”
5. Activists in Zagreb, Croatia gathered for a Leap Day screening of This Changes Everything organized by Friends of the Earth. Special guests discussed “Climate change as an opportunity for building a more just world.”
6. In Toronto, the Good Jobs for All Coalition held “Leap into a Green Economy with Good Jobs for All” highlighting the importance of taking action on climate change while pushing for massive investment into green jobs.
7. Climate Justice Saskatoon hosted an evening called “Set the Agenda and Leap Forward,” asking participants to answer the question, “Climate change is a voting issue for me because…”
8. The Citizen’s Alliance of Prince Edward Island hosted a Leap Day event to discuss the principles in the Leap Manifesto and commit to local action on climate change.
9. “We are raging!” The Winnipeg Raging Grannies for Social Justice sung a Leap inspired anthem, “Times Must Change” at Polo Park on Leap Day. Their event was written up and featured on CBC Manitoba.
10. In Salt Lake City, activists used Leap Day to launch a month of canvassing for the national “Fossil Free Natural History Museum Divestment Campaign.”
We will be posting more photos and updates in our Leap Year 2016 Facebook album.
To read about more communities taking action for Leap Day and Leap Year 2016, visit:leapyear2016.org
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