DJ Each on tour for Control Arms DJ Each is back supporting the Control Arms campaign with his unique "electro-tech-minimal-house" music. He's touring Brazil and Europe with DJ Magal to get clubbers to sign up for the Million Faces petition ahead of the UN Review Conference on gun control in June. It continues the DJ's long-term relationship with the campaign - find out about last year's European tour and the 2004 Brazilian tour on this website. This year's European dates 9 June City Hall, Barcelona, Spain 10 June Stern Radio, Berlin 15 June Sub Club, Glasgow 17 June Le Nouveau Casino, Paris posted at 11:58 AM | Permalink 1 comments

Launch of Manchester's Faces for Control Arms Just a quickie, last night's launch of Manchester's Faces made the pages of The Guardian today. It's a great photographic exhibition with a great cause - to raise awareness about the dangers of an unregulated global arms trade ahead of the UN Review Conference on small arms in June. We'll have pics and info from the exhibition on the site real soon. Meantime, you can do your bit by adding your face to the Million Faces petition. More about the exhibition >> posted at 12:06 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Club Hedonistic supports Oxfam this Friday London's free music night Club Hedonistic in support of Oxfam returns this Friday 31 March at the Bar Islington Academy from 7.00 pm till late with four live bands and DJ sets into the early hours. Eskimo Disco - 10.00pm The best party band in town. Like Soulwax remixed by Daft Punk. www.eskimodisco.com Suffrajett (NYC) - 9.15pm Deep down and dirty art rock from the streets of NYC. www.suffrajett.com Lights - 8.45pm Imagine Nick Drake meets Rufus. No really, go on. www.myspace.com/lightsmu The Favours - 8.15pm Churning, femme-fronted Friday night rock'n'roll. www.myspace.com/thefavours DJs: XFM's Marsha, Charlie No.4, DJ Fluffy from 11 til late Club Hedonistic at the Islington Academy 16 Parkfield Street, London, N1 0PS Date: Friday 31 March 2006 Time: 7.00pm until late. Entry: FREE Tube: Angel (Northern Line) or the 73 bus See www.clubhedonistic.com for more. posted at 8:39 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Guns for sale It's estimated that there are between 70-100 million AK47 guns in the world today, click here to watch the control arms teleshopping advert highlighting the absurdity of the out of control arms trade. Alarmed, angry and frustrated? - Add your face to the million faces petition, joining the campaign to get better arms trade treaty. - Spread the word, send a control arms e-card to your friends, or pass on the video. posted at 2:35 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Fairtrade gig in Manchester Manchester Oxfam Campaigners came together with local musicians recently for a night in support of Fairtrade Fortnight. The night went down a treat with music from Arron Robinson, Lanen (who brightened up the room with their rustic hippy melodies), and an unnamed band (no, really, they don't have a name), which included interesting noises from a djembe and a flute. In between all this there was an eclectic mix of DJ tunes from Motown to reggae and dub. In amongst the floating sounds were free Fairtrade wine and goodies (courtesy of Co-op) to get everyone feeling the Fairtrade vibe plus, to top it off, a Fairtrade quiz to test Manchester's knowledge on trade justice. I think it's fair to say the night was a success and opened a few eyes and ears to Making Trade Fair in the north - now that's what we like! posted at 1:26 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Blogging the East Africa food crisis Millions of people across East Africa are facing a food crisis. Affected countries are Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Tanzania. The situation is serious and worse than it has been for many years. Oxfam Media Officer Doug Keatinge is covering the situation from his base in Nairobi, Kenya. This blog really does bring home the extent of the crisis. More information on the east Africa food crisis, Oxfam's response and how you can help. posted at 3:00 PM | Permalink 2 comments

'Blood bath' in Westminster for Control Arms Good pic, eh? This is how the 100 Day Countdown for Control Arms was launched in London at the weekend. As it says on the Control Arms website: "Campaigners braved sub-zero temperatures and a snow storm in Central London as they submerged themselves in a 'blood bath' near the Houses of Parliament. Photographers and film crews from national and international media caught the action as campaigners used fake blood to raise awareness of the campaign and mark the start of the 100 Day Countdown." What you can do for the 100 Day Countdown >> posted at 9:15 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Cheeky Brummie comedians Make Trade Fair The Cheeky Monkey Comedy Club in Birmingham put on a really special show last week for Fairtrade Fortnight. Local Brummie celebrities came together to support Oxfam's Make Trade Fair campaign and help millions work their way out of poverty. The evening was part organised and compered by Barbara Nice, the comedy creation of Janice Connolly, best known for playing Holy Mary in the top rated comedy show Phoenix Nights. She trotted on and had the audience in fits of laughter right from her opening song, 'Let Me Entertain you'. Headlining the event was renowned comic Andy White, a Brummie who 'escaped from a call centre to become a stand up comic'. The comedians all performed for free and between them raised £629 for Make Trade Fair. OxBrum, the Birmingham Oxfam group, would like to thank everyone involved for a great and worthwhile night. More about Make Trade Fair. posted at 9:00 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Win loads of Easter chocolate! Win yummy chocolate stuff from our friends at Dubble and Divine Chocolate in time for Easter... Just by filling in this survey. Easy! posted at 3:56 PM | Permalink 0 comments

'Manchester's Faces' call for tougher arms controls... Photographic portraits of 1,000 people in Manchester backing calls for tougher regulations on the arms trade will be presented for the first time next Wednesday (29 March). The portraits, including those of Lemn Sissay (below), The Doves, Richard Ashcroft and Elbow, have been taken by a group of Oxfam volunteers over the last five months as part of the 100 Day Countdown for the Control Arms campaign. The exhibition, titled 'Manchester's Faces', will be open to the public between 29 March and 21 May at venues around the city, beginning at the Printworks. For more information about the exhibition or launch night, please contact Amy Merone in the Manchester Campaigns Office (Manchester@oxfam.org.uk). Dates and venues for the exhibition: 29 March - 2 April Printworks 5 April - 7 May Greenroom 12 - 23 April Manchester Craft and Design Centre 24 April - 21 May Earth Café, Manchester Buddhist Centre 8 - 21 May Eighth Day Café. More about Manchester's Faces. Show your support for Control Arms: add your face to the Million Faces petition. posted at 2:11 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Making music out of the madness After noticing an army guard carrying a gun in the same way that he holds his guitar, Cesar Lopez - a street musician from Bogota, Colombia - came up with an ingenious invention: the escopetarra (from the Spanish words escopeta and guirtarra for rifle and guitar). Now, Cesar Lopez recieves requests from artists such as Shakira and Brazilian musicians Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso for the instrument but, as he says, "we're not trying to sell them or get someone to pay for them. We're just trying to get the word out". Right wing paramilitaries (AUC) have been fighting the Colombian government for 40 years, leaving as many as 3,000 soldiers and civilians dead every year. Lopez wants to see all groups involved turning in their weapons. And it's beginning to happen. As part of a current peace protest, the Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos promised Lopez 12 assault rifles - three of which are from the AUC - to turn into escopetarras. There is still a long way to go - one of the largest rebel groups are still resisting negotiations - but positive movements such as this are helping to inspire and transform the use of "the worst human invention (the gun)" into "the most beautiful" and, in the end, "the gun dies and the guitar is born." Source: Miami Herald. Add your face to the Million Faces petition and show your support for campaigns like Cesar Lopez's. More about Oxfam's campaign to Control Arms on Generation Why. posted at 10:50 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Fair trade radio show launched in Manchester Just a reminder that we're still celebrating Fairtrade Fortnight - and to do a quick report on a fair trade radio show launched in Manchester last week. The show aims to raise awareness of fair trade issues and events which are happening all around Manchester between the 19-26 March. Oxfam Manchester volunteers Anna, Amy, Julie and Serena have feverishly interviewed local fair trade campaigners, a Manchester Councillor and local Manchester fair traders. They have even managed to organise a radio competition; listeners will be invited to complete a fair trade slogan in 20 words. The winner will be rewarded with a hamper of tasty fair trade goodies worth £50, donated by Manchester City Council. The show goes out every Friday between 10.00 am and 11.00 am until the end of March on 96.9 FM on All FM, a community radio station based in Levenshulme, Manchester. posted at 5:54 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Campaign with us at gigs this spring... This spring, we're going on tour with Feeder, Bell X1, Richard Ashcroft and The Editors, to raise awareness for Control Arms - and we need your help. During their forthcoming UK tours, the bands will provide space for Oxfam volunteers to talk to gig-goers about the injustices of the arms trade, and ask them to join the Million Faces petition. If you would like to come along (for free!) to any of these gigs - in return for a few hours work - please send an email to Chris at crose@oxfam.org.uk giving your name, mobile phone number, and which gig you'd like to attend! posted at 4:07 PM | Permalink 2 comments

Get your Pants to Poverty undies now Dozens of semi-naked volunteers descended on London's financial district at the weekend to help launch the new range of Fairtrade pants from www.pantstopoverty.com. Over 100 people crammed into the local Cock and Woolpack Pub in nothing but their brand new Pants to Poverty undies, before braving the elements and strutting their Fairtrade stuff outside the Royal Exchange. The new pants come in fetching boys and girls versions - support the cause and buy yours online now. posted at 1:45 PM | Permalink 6 comments

Sharks circle as "trade talks threaten bloodshed" You may have seen stuff in the news over the weekend about giant 10 ft sharks circling outside a meeting of the world's most powerful trade ministers in London. Let us explain: demonstrators from Oxfam International (including our very own shark from Generation Why HQ) were dressed up as rather spectacular rubber sharks (and one surfer with suitably shark-damaged surf-board) outside the London School of Economics, to "highlight the absence of developing countries" from vital world trade discussions. As The Times put it on Saturday, the demonstration illustrated how the "First World loan shark was biting into the surfboard of Third World development". Trade ministers from Australia, Brazil, India, Japan, the US, and the EU held a two-day meeting on Friday and Saturday, in an attempt to agree on key issues including agricultural reform. Before the talks, Oxfam called for a deal that worked for poor countries, which should include "meaningful cuts in rich countries' agricultural subsidies and improved market access for developing countries' farm products". Despite the circling sharks, the "tortuously complex negotiations" failed to agree a draft World Trade Organisation deal (as an article in The Telegraph points out). In a statement today, Oxfam spokesperson Liz Stuart says that the "EU and the US have stuck to their inflexible positions" and expected "poor countries to move first... Any final deal needs to be judged on whether it promotes both poor countries' agriculture and their manufacturing sectors." What you can do: put pressure on Mandelson to back up his words on trade. posted at 12:13 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Fair Trade demo to launch Pants to Poverty Be part of the evolution of Make Poverty History's white band by supporting the launch of the gorgeous new Fairtrade and organic Pants to poverty range of ethical undies. This Saturday, as part of Fairtrade Fortnight, Pants to Poverty are launching their pants range in style by mimicking the installations of Spencer Tunnick. The only difference being that everyone invovled will be wrapping themselves up in a FREE pair of Pants to Poverty pants, rather than getting naked. Info... Date: Saturday 11 March Time: 11am (arrive at Cock and Woolpack pub at 11 am: pants pick up) Location: in front of Royal Exchange, London. Clothing: pantSTOPoverty pants (and white Fairtrade boob tube for girls) What the Pants to Poverty team say: "Join in, have a laugh and make change happen! You'll love our pants and what they can achieve, but without your support they - and we - are nothing!" Can't make it? Why not stage your own Pants to Poverty event? For more information contact info@pantstopoverty.com or call Ben on 0779 323 6115 Top ideas include (with pants over suitable clothing): Pants to Poverty day at Work/School Pants to Poverty Pub Crawl Pants to Poverty Parties Pants to Poverty Sports Event Click here from more ideas on how to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight posted at 10:36 AM | Permalink 1 comments

Today is International Women's Day Hello again - just a quickie to tell you that Wednesday 8 March is International Women's Day, "the universal day that connects all women around the world and inspires them to achieve their full potential". To celebrate the day, we've got some great stories from our brilliant young writers, and lots of other interesting stuff online... Kathryn Senior has written about the International Women's Day itself, and how much still needs to be done to achieve gender equality around the world. And Oxfam volunteer Amy Merone has interviewed three very different women about how gender issues affect their day-to-day lives. She spoke with Tamanda from Malawi, and with 22-year-old Mary Chege from Kenya who wants to be a journalist but, because she is a woman, has to care for her family and cattle. She also talked to Alice Searle, who has set up a project in South Africa to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and provide work (and income) to the women of the townships. A key gender issue today is gun violence against women. Women and girls are particularly at risk of certain crimes because of their gender, such as violence in the home and rape. You can help to put an end to violence against women on International Women's Day - send an e-card from the Control Arms site and tell your friends about the issues involved. And find out about Oxfam's gender work and test your gender-awareness with our gender quiz. posted at 8:45 AM | Permalink 1 comments

Fair play gig in Manchester this Sunday A quick blog to plug a Make Trade Fair acoustic gig and DJ night in Manchester this Sunday, 12 March. Local Bands and musicians will get together with Oxfam campaigners and supporters of Make Trade Fair as part of different events happening around the country for Fairtrade Fortnight. Bands include the excellently-named Ernies Rhythm Section (a unique three-piece blues band), acoustic talent Aaron Robinson playing his own songs and much more, including reggae and dub. As our very own local Oxfam campaigner Sarah Blakemore says: "Make Trade Fair has changed lives of farmers all over the world and will continue to do so with the help of people from all over including Manchester. The local events are so important as they create awareness and this one should be great with lots of talented bands and fair trade goodies." So, if you're in Manchester this weekend, head down to Kim by the Sea in Hulme for 7.00 pm. posted at 9:01 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Fairtrade Fortnight starts today! A bright and breezy Monday morning blog to say that the celebration of all-things Fairtrade starts today for two weeks. Fairtrade Fortnight is organised by the Fairtrade Foundation and aims to spread the word about Fairtrade and the benefits it brings to farmers and workers in developing countries. As ever, there are loads of ways you can get involved - first off, you could win a signed Fairtrade football in our rather nifty spot the ball competition. It all comes as The Observer yesterday published an interesting article on how we can all make a difference to the world around us, including buying Fairtrade fashion. And all the tea and coffee in Marks and Spencer will be Fairtrade from next month, as it "extends its commitment to ethical sourcing", including clothes made from Fairtrade cotton. 10 ways you can support Fairtrade Fortnight >> posted at 9:52 AM | Permalink 3 comments

Get Mandelson to back up his words on trade At the World Trade Organisation talks last December, EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said he would "put trade at the service of development" when he was presented with the Big Noise Petition (a petition signed by a staggering 18 million people worldwide who want to Make Trade Fair). Now, over two months on, we need him to back up his words with action. We need Mandelson to use his position to ensure that the European Union puts getting rid of poverty at the heart of world trade talks. We also need him to stop making trade-offs with developing countries, which could actually damage their economies (whilst only really benefitting countries in Europe). Back in December, Mandelson said: "Keep pushing us forwards, and keep showing that you are impatient and that you will not be tolerant of any outcome that is less than satisfactory of genuinely needy and poor people in developing countries in this world. Please keep raising your voices, please keep speaking out." So, let's take him at his word. Let's put pressure on him to act now. We need as many people as possible to e-mail Mandelson to put poverty reduction at the centre of world trade talks. So do it today, and let us know when you have done by adding a comment below. posted at 10:44 AM | Permalink 2 comments

Get the latest Bulb magazine - out now! Just a quick blog to tell you to get your grubby mitts on the latest issue of Bulb magazine, "Britain's freshest global issues and ethical lifestyle magazine for young people". For those that don't know, Bulb (latest cover pictured above) is a global issues magazine aimed at and (largely) written by young people. Published once every couple of months, it covers all the stuff we care about at Generation Why: trade justice, human rights, the environment and religion, and all from a youth perspective. It really is a cracking read - we love it! Bulb is sold in Britain through a network of vendors in schools and festivals, subscriptions and retail outlets (like Borders and HMV). And, as it says on their website, "All profits made are put back into the social objectives of the magazine through providing workshops in global issues, journalism, design, campaigning, team work and running a co-operative enterprise." They've also just told us about a great new way for you to get your Bulb - all you have to do is text BULB + your name and address to 80008 and they'll put it in the post for you. The total cost is £3 plus your standard network charges, which sounds like a bargain to us. Find out more about Bulb >> posted at 5:18 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Football: an alternative view of the African Cup of Nations Just wanted to write a quick blog at the end of the day (as the snow falls outside and we prepare to cycle home in the freezing cold. Brrrrr!). We've just put up a great article by Rhodri Davies, one of our Your Say writers. Rhodri was out in Egypt during the recent African Cup of Nations, and has examined the impact of the arms trade on the countries taking part. As he says, Africa's footballing exports glistened, but "behind fans samba dancing lie nations devastated by the small arms trade". It's a really interesting read, and highlights how conflict in Africa is exacerbated by an unregulated arms trade. Read the article and join the Million Faces petition to Control Arms. posted at 5:15 PM | Permalink 1 comments

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