The Peoples Summit will be a massive public expression against climate change

Jorge Prado, Lourdes Huanca y Dante Alfaro brindaron los informes a nombre de la Comisión Organizadora

- Citizens are hosting the COP 20, not only the Government; the People's Summit is not an anti-COP 20, highlighted spokespersons.

Servindi, 19 November 2014. The People's Summit on Climate Change is not an anti-COP20, but an autonomous, free, democratic and horizontal space of civil society and indigenous peoples. This was reported by spokespersons of the Summit Organizing Committee in a press briefing held this morning.

"As a country, civil society and indigenous peoples are also hosting the COP 20," said Lourdes Huanca, president of the women's organization FENMUCARINAP and spokesperson for the Summit.

"The Summit is necessary because it allows the expression of civil society based on a much broader and more inclusive base than the official COP, which will be held behind closed doors," she stated.

The headquarters of the People's Summit will be the Parque de la Exposición, but many activities will also be developed in several nearby locations.

The Summit will start on Monday December 8 with a large cultural presentation in the amphitheater of the Park. Mayor Susana Villarán will officially welcome the domestic and foreign delegations.

There are over 200 registered activities including workshops, conferences, presentations, photo exhibitions and screenings, among other events.

Figures like the president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, and the philosopher and Indian activist, Vandana Shiva, have confirmed their presence in the People's Summit.

Also Alberto Acosta, an Ecuadorian economist, politician, and former president of the Constituent Assembly, and Eduardo Gudynas a researcher of the Latin American Center for Social Ecology (CLAES).

A massive rally

The Global March in Defense of Mother Earth will bring together over 15 thousand people and will cover four districts: Jesús María, Lince, La Victoria and Cercado de Lima. The concentration will start in Campo de Marte starting at 11:00 am and will end at 2:00 pm with a ceremony in the Plaza San Martín.

"We call on all people to participate in this peaceful march representing the cultural diversity of our communities and indigenous peoples," said Lourdes Huanca.

The march is being organized by various organizations and will be led by the communities facing socio-environmental conflicts, like Conga in Cajamarca, together with other social movements within the country. Hundreds of representatives from different regions of Peru will mobilize to Lima to join the march.

Austerity and independence

The People's Summit is an autonomous process and has not received a single cent of State financial support. The government only offered to cover some expenses in the approximate amount of US$17,000 (49,000 soles), only if the logistics of the People's Summit exceeds US$56,000 (165,000 soles).

However, the government manages U$S 100 million to host the COP 20, says a press release distributed by the People's Summit Organizing Committee.

Jorge Prado Sumari, from the Peasant Confederation of Peru (CCP), asked the Peruvian State to provide facilities to accommodate the thousands of people who will participate in the Summit and do not yet have a safe place to spend the night.

"We renew our demand that the use of the National Stadium and other facilities to accommodate delegations that cannot afford housing be allowed. Government officials: do not be indifferent and provide a safe and appropriate place as other countries have done before in previous global climate conferences" he indicated.

The People's Summit is working in a very austere way to organize an event with great openness and social consistency. Although the organization is complex, everything is perfectly on track thanks to the social, labor, environmental and indigenous organizations.

More information: http://cumbrepuebloscop20.org/es//

Press contact: prensacumbre2014@gmail.com