Feminist Agenda

Intent:
This feminist event is for all women who denounce the escalating violence and oppression that mark the 21st Century, who rage against the continued exclusion and silencing of women throughout the world, and who are convinced that a strong feminist response is essential for the creation of a fairer future.

More than a Women's Conference. More than a Feminist Conference. This is an International Feminist Summit! Why have we chosen to call this event a Summit? Because “summit” is the word often used by political or business leaders to denote top-level talks about serious issues. At this feminist summit, we will be engaged in top-level talks about VERY serious issues.

As the theme suggests, this event will be a celebration of feminist thought and activism. “New Era” has a double meaning - the new, deplorable era of escalating violence, war, terrorism and greed, foisted on us by the patriarchal power elite; and the new, exciting era we feminists continue to work at creating.

Background:
The Coalition for a Feminist Agenda came into being after the Townsville International Women's Conference held 3-7 July 2002. The theme of that conference was "Poverty, Violence and Women's Rights.... Setting a Global Agenda". Attended by 410 participants from 22 countries, it was an experience which enabled all of us to view the situation of women from a global perspective and renewed our determination to continue the fight for justice for women and children.

Our next big event, the Winter Institute for Women held 11-18 July 2004, offered participants the opportunity to delve more deeply into some of the topics touched on at the Conference. An intensive week-long study program, the six courses on offer aimed at exploring the intersection between radical feminism and other radical positions.

The International Feminist Summit 17-20 July 2007, which promises to be just as stimulating and exciting as the previous two events, will nevertheless be vastly different in style andprocess. A unique event!

Venue:
The Summit will be held at the Southbank Convention Centre, Palmer Street, Townsville. A modern, well-equipped, very attractive venue, the Convention Centre is in an excellent location in the city centre. There is a wide range of accommodation options available (from five-star luxury hotels to comfortable budget backpackers’ establishments) within easy walking distance [See Travel and Accommodation]. It is close to many local attractions, and the city loop bus stops right outside the venue.

Townsville Attractions:
It will be a great pleasure to welcome you to Townsville. This tropical city is the gateway to some stunning natural wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef, North Queensland rainforests and the World Heritage listed Magnetic Island. It also provides easy access to the historic inland goldfield towns of Charters Towers and Ravenswood. The city itself offers a range of cultural and entertainment activities, including the Museum of Tropical Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef Aquarium (Reef HQ), the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Centre and the Perc Tucker Art Gallery.

Display Space/Stalls
Space will be available during the Summit for the display and/or sale of information products, books, artwork, handcrafts, etc. If you wish to reserve space, please advise us of your requirements.

Opening Reception
The Summit will begin with a Civic Reception on the evening of Tuesday 17 July (6-8pm) at the Townsville Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Centre, Reef HQ Complex, 68 Flinders Street East. Deputy Mayor Jenny Hill will welcome visitors to the city and members of the Organising Collective will give a warm welcome to all summit participants. Finger food and entertainment will be provided.

Summit Dinner
A dinner is planned for Thursday 19 July at 7pm at the Southbank Convention Centre (the Summit venue) for a cost of $45. Prior notification of attendance is necessary. After dinner, cartoonist Judy Horacek will give her presentation on 21st Century Activism.

Official Language
The official language of the summit is English. We regret that, as the summit is self-funded, we will not have the capacity to provide interpreters for other languages.

Disability Access
Summit organisers have been careful in our planning to make sure that the venue is wheelchair accessible. Participants with a disability are asked to indicate same in the space provided on your Registration Form, so that we can respond appropriately. Please do not hesitate to contact us in the lead-up to the summit about any of your needs.

Child Care
Child care will be the participant’s own responsibility. Please contact us if you require information about child care options available in Townsville.

Subsidies
The summit is, at this time, almost entirely self-funded but we are hopeful of being able to generate limited funding to help with a small number of subsidies. In anticipation of our being successful, we invite women who may be suffering financial hardship to apply for assistance by completing the relevant section on the registration form and submitting the form by 1 April 2007.

Women who are successful in their application for subsidies are asked to bring, as a gift to the summit, an artefact, craft piece or similar item which represents their land/country. We will then sell or raffle these gifts during the summit to assist us with expenses.

Donations
Donations are invited from agencies, businesses or individual women to assist with the cost of subsidising the participation of women who are unable to finance their own travel, in particular Indigenous Australian and refugee women and those from Asian and Pacific Island countries.

Liability
Participants are asked to note that the organising collective assumes no responsibility for accidents, injuries, theft, loss, damage or delays at the summit, or loss of monies by participants in the case of industrial disruption or other circumstances outside the control of the organisers. It is recommended that participants take out their own travel and medical insurance prior to the summit.