Past Events:2003
Face Up To World Debt
Jubilee Scotland's campaign theme for 2003 was Face Up to World Debt. It called on the public to support our campaign for the cancellation of the debts of the world's poorest countries by adding to a national Face up to World Debt photo-petition.
Schools, churches, community groups and interested individuals across Scotland made their own photo-petitions and sent them to their MP. The idea was to swamp Scottish MPs and their party leaders with photos so that they would have to take action.

Famouse Faces
Some of the big names (or faces rather) that got involved in the campaign were Ralph Fiennes, Ken Loach, George Monbiot, Ian Rankin and Doris Lessing among others. They all put their head in the frame and joined the call to Face Up to World Debt.

Tony Blair Receives Photo Petition
Jubilee Scotland supporters from West Glasgow New Church handed over their photo petition to their MP John Robertson. The congregation requested their MP took their concerns to Tony Blair which he did. Similiarly, groups and individuals all over Scotland collected their petitions and presented them to MPs to pass on the message that it was time to Face Up to World Debt.

Mr. Anderson Chibwa High Commissioner of Zambia talks to Jubilee Scotland supporters
His Excellency shared the platform with Jubilee Scotland Convenor John Harris and the new Convenor of the Scottish Parliament's International Development Group, Des McNulty MSP. At the lively question and answer which followed the talks, Mr. Chibwa was asked what message campaigners should take out to the public from his visit, the audience was told unequivocally: "Cancel the debt and put fair trade in place - from the point of production to consumption".

Jubilee Cyclists off To The G8 in Evian France
Once again the Jubilee cyclists made their way to the G8 Summit. Campaigning , picking up support and meeting lots of fellow campaigners along the way.

Jubilee Scotland Campaigners Forum
November 2003
Debt campaigners old and new enjoyed an afternoon of speakers, discussion and workshops. Campaigners were given the choice to attend a variety of workshops on the World Bank and the IMF, Ecological Debt, Campaigning and the Government's plan to double aid flows through the International Finance Facility. Mrs Escar Wynter from Jamaica and Emanuelle Atami from Ghana spoke about the effect of debt on their countries and Mark Lazarowicz MP was presented with a photo petition collected in his consituency.

MSPs Join Face Up to World Debt Exhibition At Scottish Parliament
MSPs from across Scotland put themselves in the frame as part of the exhibition by Jubilee Scotland of collected photo petitions displayed at the Scottish Parliament

Politicians attended an exhibition showing famous faces and members of the public supporting the cancellation of the debt of the world's poorest countries.

A cross-party selection of MSPs including Robin Harper, Linda Fabiani and Jackie Bailie were given the chance to ``put their head through the frame'' and create a picture of their very own.

Staged in the foyer of the Scottish Parliament's administrative building on Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 September, the exhibition featured a selection of hundreds of both wacky and well-known faces which made up the photo petition.

All Stars on Debt
Film star Robert Carlyle, American rock band Weezer, footballer Mark Hateley and Popstar's Darius Danesh were just some of the big names contributing artworks to the celebrity arts exhibition and auction taking place at The Arches Theatre, Glasgow on the 30 April. Organised by event management students from Glasgow College of Food and Technology, the event was a great opportunity to raise funds and awareness for our campaign. Bishop Bernardino Mandlate of Mozambique spoke of the debt crisis' impact of his country and appealed to the people of Scotland to use their power as voters force politicians to drop the debt.

Campaigners Forum
In March and September, campaigners got together to hear about the latest on debt, get to grips with the campaigns and to share ideas with fellow debt campaigners. MPs Mark Lazarowicz and Iain Luke were among some of the contributors. Charlotte Mwesigye of Uganda Debt Network was the Forum's guest speaker in September - click here to read more about Charlotte and the challenges her country faces. A full report is also available from the Spring Forum.

Edinburgh Book Festival authors say 'write-off poor country debt'
Top authors Iain Banks, Ian Ranking and Noreena Hertz gave their backing to the Jubilee Scotland campaign. While appearing at the Edinburgh International Book Festival they added their hand prints to the All Hands on Debt petition for debt cancellation. For pictures click here.

Sir Bob says All Hands on Debt
Bob Geldof made his mark on the All Hands on Debt handprint petition during a visit to Dundee. There to receive an honorary degree from Dundee University, Sir Bob made time to join Jubilee Scotland supporters in Dundee City Square. He described the recent G8 Summit as a 'disaster', and stressed the importance of continuing action on debt. Local politicians John McAllion, Shona Robison, Kate McLean (MSPs) and Ian Luke MP were also there to add their hand-prints.

Canada G8 - World's poor failed by rich country leaders
Despite grand rhetoric G8 leaders once again failed the world's poor at their annual Summit in Kananaskis, Canada. Leading up to the Summit the G8 were presented by the World Bank with an damning admission that the Highly Indebted Poor Countries programme had failed to offer developing countries an escape from strangling debts. The G8 response was to 'top-up' HIPC by a mere $1 billion - a sticking plaster approach that does nothing to address fundemental flaws in the programme.

Hopes had been high that progress might be made. Discussion of Africa's problems, including debt, was a key agenda item and four African leaders attended to appeal for G8 support for NEPAD (New Economic Partnership for Africa's Development) - their plan for African regeneration. NEPAD calls for $15-$20 billion additional debt relief for Africa as a matter of urgency - a call that has been ignored.

The G8 also announced that half of the extra $12 billion US/EU aid agreed earlier in 2002 might go to Africa. This figure must be contrasted with the the $15 billion sub-Saharan Africa spends each year on debt repayments. It is clear that the G8 have yet to understand the futility of aid that comes back through the revolving door of debt.

All Hands on Debt
Under Jubilee Scotland's campaign theme for 2002 - All Hands on Debt - the message was that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown needed to back up their fine words about global poverty by getting more hands on in dealing with the global debt crisis. MPs and MSPs joined thousands of Scots and added their support to the national hand-print petition. All Hands on Debt events took place across Scotland - download a free campaign pack to see how we ran the campaign last year!

Glimmers of hope?
The Jubilee campaign has long called for an international insolvency process to draw a line under countries debts when these become unpayable. Now the International Monetary Fund has indicated a willingness to take this more seriously. Click here for coverage of their announcement in the Financial Times.

Calendar of International Events in 2002
Click here for a calendar of international events in 2002, many of which were Jubilee Scotland's campaign focus.