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Your G8 blog-team!

Famous Faces

     The G8 – summit 2007 in Heiligendamm is an occassion for many more or less well-known celebrities to pretend political interest or socialist thougths. In fact, it is proved that celebrities and even normal inhabitants of industrialized countries could help most if they donated their money (or at least a certain amount of it). But instead they just deliver speeches, or blame the politicians, or both. And the widly- spread fairy tale that famous people would help to get children and teens interested in political issues may be partly true, but what for? Now there are more kids who know that they can’t change anything. They know about political issues they can’t influence at all. And if they try anyway they are held down by the police and the government.

     Nevertheless, there is one positive aspect about the famous faces – Rostock gets a great concert with some great artists, but they better perform and not just talk the entire time about politics!

 

written by K.S., 30.05.2007

Expensive security during the G8-summit

     MV has to ensure the security during the G8-summit. The costs for this summit are financially irresponsible and unbearable for the federal state. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has to pay approx. 33.6 million euros. That is three times the amount which was estimated for that event in Heiligendamm.

 

      But the situation has changed, as usual. 17 000 policemen and women are deployed while the 8 richest countries have their big meeting at the Baltic Sea. The costs for this action are enormous. This deployment is going to cost another estimated 34.3 million euros. The policemen will also come from other federal states (not just MV). It is understandable that these federal states don’t want to pay the 35 million euros. It seems to be a risk-summit, because nobody knows the real sum of costs which MV and the Federal Government will have to pay.

 

      Doubtful is also the question if the overall costs will “only” be 92 million euros or if it has to be feared that the sum will rise to 110 million euros. It seems as if MV has to spend and invest the biggest part of the costs, especially for security. To find a solution and a helpful agreement between state and federal government is precious and necessary. But what wouldn’t we do for security?!

written by A.K., 22.05.2007

The special role of the USA

     A very important topic of the G8 summit will be the climate change. An unparalleled heating-up threatens the earth with a rise of droughts and heat waves, enormous storms and a strongly- rising sea level in this century. According to the ICPP (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), the temperatures will rise approximately around 1.8 to 4 degrees around the globe until the year 2100.

     The warming-up process, clearly caused by humans, is irreversible in the long term (world climate report): greenhouse gases which are already stored in the atmosphere will contribute “more than over one millennium” to the heating-up. The sea level will also be raised by melting glaciers and ice sheets by around 18 to 59 centimeters. Heat waves, cyclones and precipitation would appear more often and stronger.

     The role of the USA concerning measures against the climate change is quite an important one being the leading emitter of CO₂. 7068 million tonnes of greenhouse gases were emitted into the atmosphere by the USA in 2004. That is in fact over 60% more than the 4288 million tonnes emitted by the EU.

     But for the USA the climate change plays only a subordinate role. That’s why the negotiators of the USA have so far denied any concrete commitment to the protection of the climate at various international climate summits. The US Government opposes concrete G8 decisions concerning climate protection. The resistance is also directed against new, already weakened suggestions of the German G8-presidency for the agenda of the summit in Heiligendamm (The Washington Post and Süddeutsche Zeitung). “The treatment of climate change runs counter to our overall position and crosses multiple ‘red lines’ in terms of what we simply cannot agree to,” quotes the Washington Post from a document written by US negotiators.

 

     Minister for the Environment Sigmar Gabriel reproaches the US government with immovability. The Washington Post writes that the delegations have already come to an agreement concerning all the other G8 issues, but the topic of climate change remains still unanswered. The resistance of the US Government is directed against four central points in the German draft resolution. These points are: the global rise of temperatures which should not exceed two degrees, a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 50% until 2050 (compared to the conditions of 1990 negotiating an increase of the energy efficiency around 20% until 2020), an increase of energy efficiency around 20% till 2020 and the point that “the UN climate process is the appropriate forum for negotiating future global action on climate change” (G8 Summit Declaration, June 6^th 2007). Concerning this issue, the USA is in opposition to the German position. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel tries to find a compromise because this topic concerns many countries, even the whole world. The fight against the climate change should be “an obligation, not a choice” to everyone.

 

 

written by F.H., 22.05.2007

 

 

 

 

 

Music

      “Together we can save the world”, says Herbert Grönemeyer. Famous and local musicians also want to protest against the poverty in the world. Their campaign is called “Move against G8”. “The heads of government of the seven big industrial countries and Russia can’t ignore our concerts. They have to hear us, although there are fences and police everywhere; we’re just too loud.”, says Kettcar. On June 2^nd there are going to perform: Wir sind Helden, Madsen and Eva Briegel and Jonas Pfelzing of Juli, the day after Jan Delay and Chumbawamba are going to perform for free in the Rostocker Stadthafen. On June 5^th and 6^th Kettcar, Mediengruppe Telekommander and members of the famous Rio-Reiser band Ton Steine Scherben can be seen and heard in G8 opponent-camps.

      The biggest event will take place on June 7^th in the IGA-Park. For 2,50 Euro, everybody can watch the concert of Herbert Grönemeyer, Bono of U2, Silbermond, Sportfreunde Stiller, Fantastische 4, Toten Hosen, Seed and 2Raumwohnung. Their slogan is “Your voice against poverty” and 100 000 people are going to attend this event.

      But local musicians also want to take part in the fight against G8. “The whole world visits our country and we are not involved!”, says Martin Pollok. He, Dana Bauers of LAG-Rock&Pop, Susi Koch, Christian Kuzio, Philipp Bodin, Frank Richter and Wolfgang Schmied have produced the song “Schein Heiligendamm”. It’s about the G8 and the fact that one of the big villas in Heiligendamm was meant to be pulled down for a stage for the press. The LAG-Rock&Pop also called upon other local bands to write songs about G8 and to send it in to the local radio station LOHRO. To raise their voices is their way to do something against the G8 and they use them, as we can hear and see.

written by S.D., 30.05.2007

ART GOES HEILIGENDAMM

      There are a lot of articles about the G8 summit in the newspapers every day and the demonstrations are at the centre of their attention. Although nobody knows exactly what will happen in Rostock, most think that there will be thousands of people from all over Germany in Rostock to be a part of this event. A lot of famous people and artists will join in, too: From May 24^th until June 9^th there will be an artistic project in Rostock called “Art Goes Heiligendamm”.

      This project brings together artists, globalisation critics, politicians and the population. It tries to encourage comprehension and dialogue between these people. For this reason a programme was created which includes theatre, music and workshops. The cooperating partner is the Office of Culture and a lot of famous people will come to join this event. Twelve pillars with work of art, made by important international artists, will be put up in the city of Rostock.

   The project “silver pearl” created by “ramlabor Berlin” will probably be the most eye-catching piece of art in the city. Its name is an ironic allusion to the “Weiße Perle” Heiligendamm. There will also be a “Kurhaus” with the façade of the hotel complex Heiligendamm, with hotel, spa pool, and bar.

    Rostock’s institutions and clubs as for example the “Volkstheater”, the “Stubnitz”, the Literaturhaus Kuhtor” and the “Frieda” cooperate with “Art Goes Heiligendamm”. There are still a lot of artists announcing to support this project. The organizers are convinced that this art project will set an example to the following G8 summits. The next one will take place in Japan, Arts Initiative Tokyo (AIT) is already interested.

written by L.M., 22.05.2007