York students do something
For those that wish to put their money where their mouth is, and act upon their ideals, here is a brief overview of some of the possibilities to do so. What follows is a compilation of abridged articles submitted either by societies on campus or individuals who have taken matters into their own hands.
The Conservative society is one of the largest on campus and run a full programme of speakers and social events right through term, along with weekly meetings and debates. During the election earlier this year they campaigned for twenty four solid hours in York and nearby Selby, and could be seen on all satellite news channels the night before the election standing behind Michael Howard as he made his last speech of the campaign.
York Young Greens is the youth and student wing of the Green Party in York, a new and less well established campus group. Activities organised include an annual ‘Yorkshire Feast’ of food from Yorkshire and England, with an emphasis on food miles (how far and expensively food travels to the table). The 2004 European elections and parliamentary elections were important to the Greens in terms of levels of activity.
The left on campus is represented by several small societies taking on different aspects of the cause. Many of them cooperate on larger issues, to increase their impact. The Young Greens took part in the Make Poverty History Coalition with a raft of campus societies. Similar mobilisations occurred during an action against the Heslington East development, general environmental campaigns with various societies and a joint team with Socialist Students in a football tournament of political societies. The future activities will probably concentrate on greater organisation in the NUS - putting up people for election to conference etc, along with continued opposition to Heslington East; and the 2007 Council Elections.
Unsurprisingly the Labour society on campus does not generally function as a left wing group in the same way as the smaller societies mentioned above. They are most proud of helping John Grogan retain his seat as Selby Constituency MP in the General election earlier this year. The result was extremely close, meaning that students living on Campus had a massive say on the outcome.
This year a key Labour campaign for students is aimed at sexual health problems. The Labour society will be pressing the government to meet their target of a 48 hour waiting time for GUM clinics, as well as a National Chlamydia Screening Programme within the next two years.
For an alternative to party politics, within the sphere of political activity and discussion, one might consider the United Nations Association (UNA). This is a “non-partisan” society that promotes debate and involvement in international politics and aims to include and educate students at York in the role of the UN.
This term UNA will be welcoming the Japanese Ambassador to York in week 7 (24th November). Dignitaries and experts that have come to speak at the University have included HRH Prince Turki al Faisal, now the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States and Alex Vines, a former UN weapons inspector.
At the end of week 4 (4th-6th November) the UNA will attend its first MUN Conference of the year at the University of Oxford, A chance to sample the machinations of the UN in an enjoyable environment. This term will also see events hosted for UN day (Monday week 3, 24th October), World Aids Day (Thursday week 8, 1st December) and Human Rights Day (Saturday week 9, 10th December).
Along the same lines but with the added element of direct action is Student Action for Palestine. This group seeks to raise awareness and empower people to confront Israeli policies in Palestine. They have hosted Israeli refuseniks, documentary directors, activists and many others as speakers in York and have shown various documentaries, including the award-winning Jenin, Jenin, and John Pilger’s Palestine Is Still The Issue. Alongside the York Palestine Solidarity Campaign, they promote campaigns to boycott Israeli goods and oppose the wall on the West Bank and have a small selection of books to loan out. Some members have travelled to Israel and Palestine with various organisations, and they help to raise funds for those wishing to do likewise.
Nouse reporter Tim Holmes decided to abandon the confines of a credited society in search of an opportunity for meaningful action. He travelled to Edinburgh early this summer and was particularly inspired by the G8 counter conference held at the same time and near to the official meeting of representatives of the eight most industrialised nations. This was a programme of talks, discussions and debates between academics, activists, writers, NGO workers and many others about the problems confronting us and ideas for the future.
The counter conference was based at the eco-village in Stirling – home, for about a week in July, to a collection of activists from across Europe. Its ideal, over the course of the week, was about putting words into action, attempting to shut down a meeting of the eight most powerful countries on Earth’s leaders by any means possible – sitting in roads, d-locking themselves to minibuses, slowing traffic with armadas of bicycles.
Compiled by Michael Wild
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